Bonaccorso v Strathfield Municipal Council [2003] NSWSC 408

Reported Decision : (2003) 127 LGERA 135

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Bonaccorso v Strathfield Municipal Council [2003] NSWSC 408 HEARING DATE(S) : 22/04/03 JUDGMENT DATE : 16 May 2003 JURISDICTION: Equity Division JUDGMENT OF : Young CJ in Eq DECISION : Plaintiffs' suit dismissed with costs.

CATCHWORDS : LOCAL GOVERNMENT [125]- Council- Stormwater pipe- Right to maintain drainage works. REAL PROPERTY [409]- Quasi easement- Consent of predecessor in title- Drainage scheme. STATUTES [15]- Confiscatory Act- How construed. TORTS [169]- Nuisance- Defence of necessity- Coming to the nuisance. WORDS AND PHRASES- "Installed"- "Watercourse"- Difference between a watercourse and a stream or river. LEGISLATION CITED : Local Government Act 1919, ss 382, 383 Local Government Act 1993, ss 21, 23, 24, 59A(1), 59A(2), 747; Clause 22 of Schedule 7 Anthony Lagoon Pty Ltd v Maurice (1986) 13 FCR 262 Clissold v Perry (1904) 1 CLR 363 Commissioner of Main Roads v North Shore Gas Company Ltd (1967) 120 CLR 118 Engineering Industry Training Board v Foster Wheeler John Brown Boilers Ltd [1970] 1 WLR 881 Gartner v Kidman (1962) 108 CLR 12 Louisville CC v Jefferson County Fiscal Court 212 SW (2d) 107, 109 (Ky) (1948) Madden v Coy [1944] VLR 88 CASES CITED : Mersey Docks & Harbour Board v Coggins & Griffith (Liverpool) Ltd [1947] AC 1 Metropolitan Petar v Mitreski [2003] NSWSC 262 PSP 14198 v Cowell (1989) 24 NSWLR 478 Telecom Auckland Ltd v Auckland City Council [1999] 1 NZLR 426 Toronto City Corporation v Consumers' Gas Company of Toronto [1916] 2 AC 618 Wade v NSW Rutile Mining Co Pty Ltd (1969) 121 CLR 177 Winnipeg CC v Brian Investments Ltd (1952) 7 WWR (NS) 241 Toronto City Corporation v Consumers' Gas Company of Toronto [1916] 2 AC 618 PARTIES : Sebastian and Susan Bonaccorso (P) Strathfield Municipal Council (D) FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 5881/02 COUNSEL : F M Douglas QC and T G R Parker (P) G O Blake SC (D) SOLICITORS : Sachs Gerace Lawyers (P) Houston Dearn O'Connor (D)