WAVERLEY MUNICIPAL COUNCIL v SWAIN [2003] NSWCA 61

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : WAVERLEY MUNICIPAL COUNCIL v SWAIN [2003] NSWCA 61 revised - 22/04/2003 HEARING DATE(S) : 13/11/02 18/12/02 JUDGMENT DATE : 3 April 2003

JUDGMENT OF : Spigelman CJ at 1; Handley JA at 145; Ipp JA at 145 DECISION : Appeal allowed

CATCHWORDS : TORTS - Negligence - Jury trial - Whether verdict against the evidence and against the weight of the evidence - Whether no evidence capable of sustaining verdict - TORTS - Negligence - Liability of statutory authority - Breach of duty of care by failure to erect warning signs and positioning of flags on beach - Where swimmer dived under wave and hit submerged sandbar Suitors' Fund Act 1951 LEGISLATION CITED : Supreme Court Act 1970, s 75A, s 102, s 108 Supreme Court Procedure Act 1900, s 7 Agar v Hyde (2000) 201 CLR 552 Attorney-General (NSW) v X (2000) 49 NSWLR 653 Banbury v Bank of Montreal [1918] AC 626 Bankstown Foundry Pty Ltd v Braistina (1986) 160 CLR 301 Bell v Thompson (1934) 34 SR (NSW) 431 Bressington v Commissioner of Railways (1947) 47 SR (NSW) 472 Bressington v The Commissioner of Railways (NSW) (1947) 75 CLR 339 Brodie v Singleton Shire Council; Ghantous v Hawkesbury City Council (2001) 206 CLR 512 Bus v Sydney County Council (1989) 167 CLR 78 Calin v Greater Union Organisation Pty Ltd (1991) 173 CLR 33 Council of the Municipality of Waverley v Bloom [1999] NSWCA 229 Darling Island Stevedoring & Lighterage Co Limited v Jacobsen (1945) 70 CLR 635 Edith Cowan University v Czatryko [2002] WASCA 334 Foufoulas v F G Strang Pty Ltd (1970) 123 CLR 168 Franklins Self-Serve Pty Ltd v Bozinovska, NSWCA, 14 October 1998 Glasheen v Council of the Municipality of Waverley (1990) Aust Tort Reports 81-016 Hampton Court Limited v Crooks (1957) 97 CLR 367 Hocking v Bell (1945) 71 CLR 430 Liftronic Pty Ltd v Unver (2001) 75 ALJR 867 March v Stramare (E & MH) Pty Ltd (1991) 171 CLR 506 McLean v Tedman (1984) 155 CLR 306 Metropolitan Railway Company v Jackson (1877) 3 App Cas 193 CASES CITED : Mountain Cattlemen's Association v Barron [1998] 3 VR 302 Mulligan v Coffs Harbour City Council [2003] NSWSC 49 Nagle v Rottnest Island Authority (1993) 177 CLR 423 Naxakis v Western General Hospital (1999) 197 CLR 269 NRMA Insurance Ltd v B & B Shipping and Marine Salvage Co Pty Ltd (1947) 47 SR (NSW) 273 Ogle v Comboyuro Investments Pty Ltd (1976) 136 CLR 444 Prast v Town of Cottesloe (2000) 22 WAR 474 Puntoriero v Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (1999) 199 CLR 575 Qualcast (Wolverhampton) Limited v Haynes [1959] AC 743 Reynolds v Katoomba RSL All Services Club Ltd (2001) 53 NSWLR 43 Richmond Valley Council v Standing [2002] NSWCA 359 Romeo v Conservation Commission (NT) (1998) 192 CLR 431 Rootes v Shelton (1967) 116 CLR 383 RTA v McGuinness [2002] NSWCA 343 Ryder v Wombwell (1868) LR 4 Exch 32 Secretary to the Department of Natural Resources & Energy v Harper (2000) 1 VR 133 Shepherd v Felt & Textiles of Australia Limited (1931) 45 CLR 359 Sydney County Council v Dell'Oro (1972) 132 CLR 97 Vairy v Wyong Shire Council [2002] NSWSC 881 Van der Sluice v Display Craft Ltd [2002] NSWCA 204 Waverley Council v Lodge (2001) 117 LGERA 447 Woods v Multi-Sport Holdings Pty Ltd (2002) 76 ALJR 483 Wyong Shire Council v Shirt (1980) 146 CLR 40 PARTIES : Waverley Municipal Council Guy Edward Swain FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40419/02 COUNSEL : P Taylor SC / G Curtin (Appellant) P Menzies QC / D Jenkins (Respondent) SOLICITORS : Phillips Fox (Appellant) Beston Macken McManis (Respondent)