STATE OF NEW SOUTH WALES v MANNALL [2005] NSWCA 367

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: STATE OF NEW SOUTH WALES v MANNALL [2005] NSWCA 367

HEARING DATE(S): 30 and 31 May 2005, 1 June 2005

JUDGMENT DATE: 28 October 2005

JUDGMENT OF: Mason P at 1; Giles JA at 171; Tobias JA at 172

DECISION: Appeal dismissed with costs.

CATCHWORDS: NEGLIGENCE - workplace negligence - employer's duty of care - psychiatric injury - appointment as Team Leader - victimisation, harassment, humiliation, abuse by co-workers - actions and inaction of supervisor - vicarious liability of employer - foreseeability of risk of injury - preventative measures - enquiry - reliability of plaintiff's testimony - foreseeability of injury - reasonably practicable means - causation - EVIDENCE - business record - s69(3)(a) Evidence Act - discretion under s135. (ND)

LEGISLATION CITED: s69(3)(a) of the Evidence Act

ASIC v Rich [2005] NSWSC 417 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Rich [2005] NSWCA 152 Bankstown Foundry Pty Ltd v Braistina (1986) 160 CLR 301 Czatyrko v Edith Cowan University [2005] HCA 14, 214 ALR 349, 79 ALJR 839 Koehler v Cerebos (Aust) Ltd [2005] HCA 15, 214 ALR 355 Mannall v State of New South Wales [2001] NSWCA 327 CASES CITED: New South Wales v Seedsman [2000] NSWCA 119, 217 ALR 583 O'Leary v Oolong Aboriginal Corp Inc [2004] NSWCA 7, Aust Torts Reports §81-747 Ringrow Pty Ltd v BP Australia Ltd (2003) 130 FCR 569 State of New South Wales v Heins [2005] NSWCA 258 Tame v New South Wales (2002) 211 CLR 317 Vozza v Tooth & Co Ltd (1964) 112 CLR 316 Whisprun Pty Ltd v Dixon [2003] HCA 48, 200 ALR 447