Conti v Wollongong City Council [2007] NSWCA 334

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: Conti v Wollongong City Council [2007] NSWCA 334

HEARING DATE(S): 8 November 2007 JUDGMENT OF: Giles JA at 37,39; Tobias JA at 38; McColl JA at 1

EX TEMPORE JUDGMENT DATE: 8 November 2007

DECISION: 1.Grant leave to appeal; 2. Notice of Appeal to be filed within seven days; 3. Appeal allowed in part; 4. Set aside the order of her Honour Judge Truss made on 18 April 2007 that the appellant pay the respondent's costs of the trial from 16 September 2005 on a solicitor client basis; 5. In lieu, order the appellant to pay the respondent's costs of the trial on the ordinary basis; 6. Appellant to pay 90 per cent of the costs of appeal

CATCHWORDS: NEGLIGENCE – breach – whether owner/operator of leisure centre should have foreseen 16 year old girl would assault another patron – HELD –No – COSTS – order that appellant pay respondent's costs on a solicitor-client basis vitiated by fundamental error

Club Italia (Geelong) Inc v Ritchie [2001] VSCA 180; (2001) 3 VR 447 CASES CITED: English v Rogers [2005] NSWCA 327; (2005) Aust Torts Reports 81-800 Modbury Triangle Shopping Centre Pty Ltd v Anzil [2000] HCA 61; (2000) 205 CLR 254 Spedding v Nobles; Spedding v McNally [2007] NSWCA 29

PARTIES: Milvia Maree Conti - Appellant Wollongong City Council - Respondent

FILE NUMBER(S): CA 40300 of 2007

COUNSEL: P W Bates - Appellant J B Turnbull - Respondent

SOLICITORS: Autore & Associates - Appellant McCabe Terrill - Respondent

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION: District Court

LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S): DC 5213 0f 2006

LOWER COURT JUDICIAL OFFICER: Truss DCJ