KINZETT v McCOURT & ORS [1999] NSWCA 7

Reported Decision : 46 NSWLR 32

New South Wales Court of Appeal CITATION : KINZETT v McCOURT & ORS [1999] NSWCA 7 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40773/96 HEARING DATE(S) : 17 November; 1998 18 November; 1998 JUDGMENT DATE : 9 February 1999

KARLO KINZETT LAURENCE VINCENT McCOURT ROBERT FRANCIS SLAVIN PARTIES : RICHARD BRADSHAW FIBESE PTY LTD (ACN 003 332 456) OFFSHORE BOAT SALES PTY LTD (IN LIQUIDATION) (formerly known as Zixisha Pty Ltd) ZURICH AUSTRALIA INSURANCE LTD JUDGMENT OF : Spigelman CJ at 1; Mason P at 115; Priestley JA at 121; Meagher JA at 124; Handley JA at 128

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Supreme Court LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : CL 10785/91 LOWER COURT JUDICIAL OFFICER : Hulme J

P Mahoney / K Poulos (Appellant) COUNSEL : Submitting (Respondent 1) P Gray / A Pearman (Respondent 2) T Clarke (Respondent 3) Shaw McDonald (Appellant) Coyne & Whittemore ( Respondent 1) SOLICITORS : Uther Webster & Evans (Respondent 2) GIO Australia (Respondents 3 & 4) Vardenega Roberts (Respondents 5 & 6) CATCHWORDS : LIMITATION OF ACTIONS; the period of limitation; extension of s60G and s60I Limitation Act 1969; awareness of connection between personal injury and defendant's act or omission; when proceedings might reasonably have been instituted; plaintiff unaware of the identity of the party; exercise of disrection, s60F Limitation Act 1969; not unreasonable or dilatory conduct on part of plaintiff; INSURANCE; liability insurance; statutory charge on insurance money; s6 Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1946; construction of; "same rights and liabilities" as against insured; leave to join insurer; whether s14(1)(a) and s14(1)(b) of the Limitation Act 1969 apply; when does time commence to run in favour of insurer; when does time cease to run against insurer; whether leave to proceed condition precedent to commencement of action ACTS CITED : Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1946 (NSW) Limitation Act 1969 (NSW) DECISION : Appeal allowed