RESI Corporation v. Sinclair [2002] NSWCA 123

Reported Decision : (2002) 54 NSWLR 387

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : RESI Corporation v. Sinclair [2002] NSWCA 123 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40452/01 HEARING DATE(S) : 21 March 2002 JUDGMENT DATE : 7 May 2002

PARTIES : RESI Corporation - claimant Murray Sperling Sinclair - opponent JUDGMENT OF : Heydon JA at 1; Hodgson JA at 3; Ipp AJA at 64

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Dust Diseases Tribunal of NSW LOWER COURT DDT 163/01 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Duck J JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : F.M. Douglas QC with T.G.R. Parker - claimant D.F. Jackson QC with J.L. Sharpe - opponent SOLICITORS : Church & Grace, Sydney for claimant Turner Freeman, Sydney for opponent CATCHWORDS : CONSTITUTIONAL LAW - The Crown - Crown immunity - State instrumentality - Liability for tort - Whether liable for own conduct - Whether vicariously liable for conduct of employees - Whether it can be sued in the courts. D. Dust Diseases Act 1989 (NSW), ss.10 and 11 Electricity Trust of South Australia Act 1946 (SA), ss.3, 5, 6, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 29, 36 and 40 Statutes Amendment (Energy Planning) Act 1985 (SA), s.3 Electricity Trust of South Australia Act Amendment Act 1988 (SA), Pt.IV LEGISLATION CITED : Crown Proceedings Act 1992 (SA), ss.4-15 Public Corporations Act 1993 (SA), ss.6(1), 28 Electricity Corporations Act 1994 (SA), ss.8-11 and 19. Commonwealth Constitution, ss.75 and 78 Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth), ss.58 and 64 Service and Execution of Process Act 1992 (Cth), ss.6, 8(4), 10 and 12, 15, 130 Baume v. The Commonwealth (1906) 4 CLR 97 Commonwealth v. New South Wales (1923) 32 CLR 200 Bradken Consolidated Limited v. Broken Hill Proprietary Limited (1979) 145 CLR 107 Wynyard Investments Pty. Ltd. v. Commissioner of Railways (NSW) (1955) 93 CLR 376 Deputy Commissioner of Taxation v. State Bank of New South Wales ((1992) 174 CLR 219 State Authorities Superannuation Board v. Commissioner of State Taxation (WA) (1996) 189 CLR 253 Re Residential Tenancies Tribunal (NSW); Ex parte Defence Housing Authority (1997) 190 CLR 410 Marks v. Forests Commission [1936] VR 344 Potter v. Broken Hill Proprietary Co. Ltd. (1906) 3 CLR 479 Flaherty v. Girgis (1987) 162 CLR 574 Ex parte Iskra. Ex parte Mercantile Transport Co. Pty. Ltd. [1963] SR(NSW) 538 Sydney Harbour Trust Commissioners v. Ryan (1911) 13 CLR 358 The Chaff & Hay Acquisition Committee v. J.A. Hemphill & Sons Pty. Ltd. (1947) 74 CLR 375 CASES CITED: Townsville Hospitals Board v. Townsville City Council (1982) 149 CLR 282 Re Residential Tenancies Tribunal NSW (1997) 190 CLR 410 Merwin Pastoral Co. Pty. Ltd. v. McKindlay (1932) 48 CLR 565 Meyer Heine Pty. Ltd. v. China Navigation Co. Ltd. (1966) 115 CLR 10 Commonwealth v. Bogle (1953) 89 CLR 229 Union Steamship Co. of Australia Pty. Ltd. v. King (1988) 166 CLR 1 Port MacDonell Professional Fishermen's Association Inc. v. South Australia (1989) 168 CLR 340 Chief Secretary (NSW) v. Oliver Food Products Pty. Ltd. (1960) 60 SR(NSW) 435 Thomas v. The Queen (1874) LR 10 QB 31 Viscount Canterbury v. The Queen (1843) 12 LJ Ch. 281 The Commonwealth v. Mewett (1997) 191 CLR 471 Mackenzie-Kennedy v. Ayre Council [1927] 2 KB 517 Skinner v. Commissioner of Railways (1937) 37 SR(NSW) 261 James Hardie & Co. Pty. Ltd. v. Barry (2000) 50 NSWLR 237 Broken Hill Proprietary Co. Ltd. v. Zunic [2001] NSWSC 561 DECISION : Leave to appeal granted; Appeal dismissed with costs