Geoffrey and Christine Hanson v Tamworth Regional Council [2012] NSWDC 26

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Geoffrey and Christine Hanson v Tamworth Regional Council [2012] NSWDC 26 Hearing dates: 28 November 2011 Decision date: 07 March 2012 Before: Judge M Sidis Decision: 1. Verdict for the defendant 2. The plaintiffs are to pay the defendant's costs of the proceedings. This order is suspended for seven days to allow either party to list the matter for further argument on the issue of costs 3. The exhibits will be retained for 28 days Catchwords: Duty of care of public authority arising from leaking stormwater pipe - foreseeability - control and relationship - causation - competing expert evidence - adequacy of investigation and factual basis for expert opinion - breach - special statutory power - damage - mitigation of loss - whether claim statute barred Legislation Cited: Limitation Act 1969Civil Liability Act 2002 Local Government Act 1993 Roads Act 2003 Cases Cited: Sutherland Shire Council v Becker [2006] NSWCA 344Graham Barclay Oyster Pty Limited v Ryan (2002) 211 CLR 540Pyrenees Shire Council v Day (1998) 192 CLR 33Makawe Pty Limited v Ranqick City Council [2009] NSWCA 412 Donoghue v Stevenson [1932] AC 562 Sefleigh-Denfield v O'Callaghan & Ors [1940] AC 880 Bankstown City Council v Alamdo Holdings Pty Ltd (2005) 223 CLR Randwick City Council v T & H Fatouros Pty Ltd [2007] NSWCA 177 Crimmins v Stevedoring Industry Finance Committee (1991) 200 CLR 1 Amaca Pty Ltd v The New South Wales (2004) 132 LGERA 309Brodie v Singleton Shire Council (2001) CLR 512 Woolworths Ltd v Strong & Anor [2010] NSWCA 282Flounders v Millar [2007] 238 Bendix Mintex Pty Ltd v Barnes (1997) 42 NSWLR 307 Seltsam Pty Limited v McGuinness (2000) 49 NSWLR 262TC by his tutor Sabatino v State of NSW [2001] NSWCA 380Betts v Whittingslow (1945) 71 CLR 637 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Presland v Hunter Area Health Services [2003] 754 Hunter Area Health Service v Presland [2005] NSWCA 33 Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW v Refrigerated Roadways Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 263 Texts Cited: M Aronson, Government Liability in Negligence [2008] MULR 2 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Geoffrey and Christine Hanson (Plaintiffs)Tamworth Regional Council (Defendants) Representation: Harris Wheeler Lawyers (For the Plaintiffs)Moray & Agnew (For the Defendants) File Number(s): 2009/00332933