Williams v The Minister Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 and The State of New South Wales [2000] NSWCA 255

Reported Decision : (2000) Aust Torts Reports 81-578

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Williams v The Minister Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 and The State of New South Wales [2000] NSWCA 255 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40734/99 HEARING DATE(S) : 31/07/00, 01/08/00, 02/08/00, 03/08/00 JUDGMENT DATE : 12 September 2000

Joy Williams (Appellant) PARTIES : The Minister Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (First Respondent) The State of New South Wales (Second Respondent) JUDGMENT OF : Spigelman CJ at 1; Sheller JA at 2; Heydon JA at 3

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Supreme Court LOWER COURT CL 10257/93 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Abadee J JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : N C Hutley SC/C E Adamson (Appellant) C T Barry QC/D Cowan (Respondents) SOLICITORS : Frances Gibson, Kingsford Legal Centre (Appellant) State Crown Solicitor (Respondents) CATCHWORDS : Negligence - Duty of care of Aborigines Welfare Board to ward - Statutory system for protection of Aboriginal children - Aborigines Protection Board 1909 (NSW). - Negligence - Breach by Aborigines Welfare Board of duty to ward - Whether child at risk of attachment disorder - Failure of Board to advise institution in which child was cared for of risk of attachment disorder - Failure of Board to inquire about occurrence of symptoms of attachment disorder - Whether symptoms of attachment disorder existed - Whether attachment disorder existed. - Negligence - Causation - Whether symptoms of attachment disorder observable. - Negligence - Causation - Whether a Child Guidance Clinic would have observed symptoms of attachment disorder. - Negligence - Damages - Exemplary damages - Whether conscious and contumelious disregard for child's health by Aborigines Welfare Board. - Negligence - Damages - Aggravated damages - Whether circumstances of aggravation - Conduct of Aborigines Welfare Board. - D Aborigines Protection Act 1909 (NSW) LEGISLATION CITED : Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Limitation Act 1969 (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) AB v South West Water Services Ltd [1993] QB 507 Alcock v Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police A Lewis & Company (Westminster) v Bell Property Trust Ltd [1940] 1 Ch 345 [1992] 1 AC 310 Biogen Inc v Medeva plc [1997] RPC 1 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Brisbane South Regional Health Authority v Taylor (1996) 186 CLR 541 Caltex Oil (Australia) Pty Ltd v The Dredge 'Willemstad' (1976) 136 CLR 529 Chappel v Hart (1998) 195 CLR 232 Cubillo v Commonwealth of Australia [2000] FCA 1084 Erven Warnink BV v J Townend & Sons (Hull) Ltd [1979] AC 731 Esanda Finance Corporation Ltd v Peat Marwick Hungerfords (1997) 188 CLR 241 Frost v Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police [1999] 2 AC 455 Griffiths v Kerkemeyer (1977) 139 CLR 161 Halford v Price (1960) 105 CLR 23 Hawkins v Clayton (1988) 164 CLR 539 Hill v Van Erp (1997) 188 CLR 159 Holt v Wynter [2000] NSWCA 143 CASES CITED: Jones v Sutherland Shire Council [1979] 2 NSWLR 206 Kralj v McGrath [1986] 1 All ER 54 McLoughlin v O'Brian [1983] 1 AC 410 Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs v Hamsher (1992) 35 FCR 359 Morris v London Iron and Steel Co Ltd [1988] QB 493 Mutual Life and Citizens' Assurance Co Ltd v Evatt (1968) 122 CLR 556 Perre v Apand Pty Ltd (1999) 198 CLR 180 Re O'Neil [1972] VR 327 Rehsa Shipping Co SA v Edmunds [1985] 1 WLR 948 Shaddock v Parramatta City Council (1981) 150 CLR 225 State Rail Authority of New South Wales v Earthline Constructions Pty Ltd (in liq) (1999) 160 ALR 588 Stovin v Wise [1996] AC 923 Sutherland Shire Council v Heyman (1985) 157 CLR 424 White v Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police [1999] 2 AC 455 Whiteley Muir & Zwanenberg Ltd v Kerr (1966) 39 ALJR 505 Williams v Minister, Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (Studdert J, unrep, 25 August 1993) Williams v Minister, Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (1994) 35 NSWLR 497 X v (Minors) v Bedfordshire County Council [1995] 2 AC 633 Zuvela v Cosmarnan Concrete Pty Ltd (1996) 140 ALR 227 DECISION : Appeal dismissed with costs.