Griffiths v Ballard [2005] NSWSC 1350

New South Wales Supreme Court

Griffiths v Ballard [2005] NSWSC 1350 CITATION : This decision has been amended. Please see the end of the judgment for a list of the amendments.

HEARING DATE(S) : 5 May 2005, 6 May 2005

JUDGMENT DATE : 22 December 2005

JURISDICTION : Common Law Division

JUDGMENT OF : Rothman J at 1

DECISION : a Appeal allowed in part; b The orders of Associate Justice Harrison issued on 25 August 2004 be quashed and in lieu thereof the Court makes orders in the following terms; i. Leave is granted to the Plaintiff to file the Further Amended Statement of Claim attached to the affidavit of John Edmund Michael O'Connor of 26 July 2004; ii. Proceedings against the First Defendant are struck out; iii . Paragraphs 16, 29 and 44 of the Further Amended Statement of Claim are struck out as are the words "jointly and severally" and "the First and" from paragraph 50 thereof; iv. Leave is granted to file a document reflecting the above orders; c The Second Defendant shall pay one third of the costs of the plaintiff as taxed or agreed.

CATCHWORDS : Summary dismissal of proceedings - Appeal from Associate Justice - Witness immunity - Immunity arguably not available to employer of witness - Misfeasance - No de facto authorisation - No invalid public duty - Witness immunity available in Trade Practices Claims - Commonwealth arguably in trade and commence in supplying analyses for fee

Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) Supreme Court Act Supreme Court Rules LEGISLATION CITED : Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1966 (NSW) Drugs Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 (NSW) Public Service Act 1999 (Cth)

R v Piggott, Griffiths and Simeon [2002] NSWCCA 218 Mann v O'Neill (1997) 191 CLR 204 Darker v Chief Constable of West Midlands Police [2000] 3 WLR 747; [2000] UKHL 44 Cabassi v Vila (1940) 64 CLR 130 D'Orta-Ekenaike v VLA (2005) 79 ALJR 755, 214 ALR 92, [2005] HCA 12 Keefe v Marks (1999) 16 NSWLR 713 General Steel Industries v Commissioner for Railways (1964) 112 CLR 125 CASES CITED : Sullivan v Moody (2001) 207 CLR 562 Hillman v Black Northern Territory v Mengel (1995) 185 CLR 307 Sanders v Snell (1998) 196 CLR 329 Sovereign v Howarth [2003] NSWSC 1120 Electrolux v AWU (2004) 78 ALJR 1231, 209 ALR 116, [2004] HCA 40 Plimer v Roberts (1970) 80 FCR 303 Monroe Topple & Associates v Institute of Chartered Accountants (2002) 122 FCR 110