Waverley Council v Ferreira [2005] NSWCA 418

Reported Decision : (2005) Aust Torts Reports 81-818

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: Waverley Council v Ferreira [2005] NSWCA 418

HEARING DATE(S): 18/11/05

JUDGMENT DATE: 1 December 2005

JUDGMENT OF: Spigelman CJ at 1; Ipp JA at 2; Tobias JA at 109

DECISION: (1) The appeal is partially allowed (2) The verdict in favour of Mr Ferreira is set aside and in lieu thereof a verdict of $115,900 should be substituted (3) The Council should pay 75% of Mr Ferreira's costs of appeal.

CATCHWORDS: NEGLIGENCE - liability of Council as occupier - claim for mental trauma - death of child occurring in park managed by Council - discussion of factors set out in s 5B of Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) - Council's breaches of duty. - NEGLIGENCE - contributory negligence - whether child aged 12 could perceive the relevant risk - s 5R of the Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW). D

LEGISLATION CITED: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 5B, 5G(1), 5R, 30, 32(1)

Annetts v Australia Stations Pty Ltd (2002) 211 CLR 317 Consolidated Broken Hill Ltd v Edwards [2005] NSWCA 380 Cooke v Midland Great Western Railway of Ireland (1909) AC 229 Doubleday v Kelly [2005] NSWCA 151 Graham Barclay Oysters Pty Ltd v Ryan (2002) 211 CLR 540 Jones v Bartlett (2000) 205 CLR 166 CASES CITED: Lynch v Nurdin (1841) 1 QB 29 Romeo v Conservation Commission of the Northern Territory (1998) 192 CLR 431 Thompson v Bankstown Municipal Council (1953) 87 CLR 619 Vairy v Wyong Shire Council [2005] HCA 62 Watt v Hertfordshire County Council [1954] 2 All ER 368 Wyong Shire Council v Shirt (1980) 146 CLR 40