Wyong Shire Council v Vairy; Mulligan v Coffs Harbour City Council [2004] NSWCA 247

Reported Decision : (2004) Aust Torts Reports 81-754

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Wyong Shire Council v Vairy; Mulligan v Coffs Harbour City Council [2004] NSWCA 247 HEARING DATE(S) : CA40083/03: 20 August 2003 CA40292/03: 17, 18, 20 February 2004 JUDGMENT DATE : 27 July 2004

JUDGMENT OF : Mason P at 1; Beazley JA at 2; Tobias JA at 14 DECISION : Wyong Shire Council v Vairy CA 40083/03; a) Appeal allowed; b) Set aside the orders made by Bell J on 20 December 2002; c) Verdict and judgment for the defendant; d) The plaintiff to pay the defendant's costs of the proceedings and of the appeal but in respect of the latter to have a certificate under the Suitors' Fund Act 1951 if otherwise entitled; Mulligan v Coffs Harbour City Council & Ors CA 40292/03; a) Appeal dismissed with costs

CATCHWORDS : TORTS - Negligence - Personal injury - Scope of duty of care - Reasonable response - Obvious Danger - Inherent danger - Duty to warn - Unknown and variabe depth - Diving accident - TORTS - Negligence - Personal injury - Existence of duty - Contributory negligence - Causation - Apportionment - Damages - Volenti - PRACTICE & PROCEDEURE - Fairness - Raising argument post-appeal - Not run at trial - Not argued on appeal Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) LEGISLATION CITED : Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1946 (NSW) Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1965 (NSW) Ah Tong v Wingecarribbee Council [2003] NSWCA 381 Beck v State of New South Wales [2001] NSWSC 278 Berryman v Joslyn; Wentworth Shire Council v Joslyn [2004] NSWCA 121 Brodie v Singleton Shire Council (2001) 206 CLR 512 Bucheleres v The Chicago Park District (1996) 665 N.E. 2d 826 Burns v Hoyts Pty Ltd [2002] Aust Tort Reports 81-637 Canterbury Municipal Council v Taylor [2002] NSWCA 24 Chappel v Hart (1998) 195 CLR 232 City of Rockingham v Curley (2000) 112 LGERA 123 Darby v The National Trust [2001] PIQR P372 Diamond v Simpson (No. 1) [2003] Aust Torts Rep 81-695 Dovuro Pty Ltd v Wilkins (2003) 77 ALJR 1706 Dowen v Hall (1989) 548 N.E. 2d 346 Francis v Lewis [2003] NSWCA 152 Ghantous v Hawkesbury City Council (2001) 206 CLR 512 Griebler v Doughboy Recreational, Inc (1991) 466 N.W 2d 897 Hadland v Council of the City of Blacktown, Court of Appeal (unreported) 21 May 1997 Hagy v McHenry County Conservation District (1989) 546 N.E. 2d 77 Harriton (by her tutor) v Stephens; Waller (by his tutor) v James; Waller (by his tutor) v Hoolahan [2004] NSWCA 93 Hastings Council v Giese [2003] NSWCA 178 at [18]; Hoyts Pty Ltd v Burns (2003) 201 ALR 470 Insurance Commissioner v Joyce (1948) 77 CLR 39 and Inverell Municipal Council v Pennington (1993) 82 LGERA 268 Jackson v TLC Associates (1998) 706 N.E. 2d 460 Jeffries v Fisher [1985] WAR 250 Moore v Woodforth [2003] NSWCA 9 Mulligan v Coffs Harbour City Council [2003] NSWSC 49; (2003) Aust Torts Reports 81-689 Nagle v Rottnest Island Authority (1993) 177 CLR 423. CASES CITED : National Insurance Co of NZ Limited v Espagne (1961) 105 CLR 569 Nominal Defendant v Gardikiotis (1996) 186 CLR 49 O'Sullivan v Shaw (2000) 726 N.E 2d 951 Podrebersek v Australian Iron & Steel Pty Limited (1985) 59 ALJR 492 Prast v Town of Cottesloe (2000) 22 WAR 474 Public Trustee as Administrator of the Estate of the later Peter Saroukas v Sutherland Shire Council (1992) Aust Torts Report 81-149 Redding v Lee; Evans v Muller (1983) 151 CLR 117 Rhind v Ashbury Water Park Limited & Anor [2003] EWHC 1029 (QB) Roads & Traffic Authority of NSW v Jackson [2003] NSW CA 40 Rogers v Whitaker (1992) 175 CLR 479 Roggenkamp v Bennett (1950) 80 CLR 292 Romeo v Conservation Commission of the Northern Territory (1998) 192 CLR 431 Rosenberg v Percival (2001) 205 CLR 434 Sara v Government Insurance Office of New South Wales (1969) 89 WN (Pt 1) (NSW) 203 Secretary to the Department of Natural Resources & Energy v Harper [2000] 1 VR 133 Snilsberg v Lake Washington Club (2000) 614 N.W 2d 738 Tame v New South Wales (2002) 211 CLR 317 Tomlinson v Congleton Borough Council [2004] 1 AC 46 Turner v South Australia (1982) 56 ALJR 839 University of Wollongong v Mitchell [2003] NSWCA 94 UTSA Pty Ltd (in liq) v Ultra Tune Australia Pty Ltd (1996) 21 ACSR 457 Van Der Sluice v Display Craft Pty Ltd [2002] NSWCA 204 Van Gervan v Fenton (1992) 175 CLR 327 Waverley Council v Lodge (2001) 117 LGERA 447 Waverley Municipal Council v Swain [2003] NSWCA 61 Whyte v Redland Aggregates Ltd (unreported) 27 November, 1997; Court of Appeal (Civil Division) Woods v Multi-Sport Holdings Pty Ltd (2002) 208 CLR 460 Woolcock Street Investments Pty Limited v CDG Pty Limited [2004] HCA 16 Wyong Shire Council v Shirt (1980) 146 CLR 40 Wyong Shire Council v Vairy [2002] NSWSC 881; (2002) 129 LGERA 10 CA40083/03: Wyong shire Council; Ernest Vairy. CA40292/03: Garry Mulligan; PARTIES : Coffs Harbour City Council; State of New South Wales; Coffs Harbour Jetty Foreshore Reserve Trust; Wal Hambly. FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40083/03; 40292/03 CA40083/03 A: Mr I G Harrison SC / Mr D Villa R: Mr C C R Hoeben SC / Mr E Muston COUNSEL : CA40292/03 A: Mr G O'L Reynolds SC / Mr J B Meadley / Mr R Foord 1R: Mr M T McCulloch / Mr D Villa 2R: Mr J E Maconache QC / Mr Green CA 40083/03 A: Minter Ellison R: Carroll & O'Dea SOLICITORS : CA40292/03 A: Martin Bell & Co 1R: Phillips Fox 2R, 3R & 4R Crown Solicitor