Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District v Starkey [2016] NSWCA 114

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District v Starkey [2016] NSWCA 114 Hearing dates: 20 May 2016 Date of orders: 25 July 2016 Decision date: 25 July 2016 Before: McColl JA at [1] Payne JA at [18] Garling J at [29] Decision: (1) Appeal dismissed. (2) Appellant to pay the respondent's costs. Catchwords: TORTS – negligence – personal injury – slip and fall – where parties failed to refer to provisions of the Civil Liability Act in pleadings and at trial – where primary Judge failed to refer to the Civil Liability Act in judgment – whether primary Judge erred in failing to refer to the Civil Liability Act – whether primary Judge failed to elaborate the nature, content and scope of the duty of care – whether primary Judge failed to make finding on causation – whether primary Judge made findings outside of the plaintiff's case as pleaded – whether primary Judge made erroneous findings of fact Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 Cases Cited: Adeels Palace Pty Ltd v Moubarak [2009] HCA 48; (2009) 239 CLR 420 Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd v Haq [2016] NSWCA 93 Dovuro Pty Ltd v Wilkins [2003] HCA 51; (2003) 215 CLR 317 Fox v Percy [2003] HCA 22; (2003) 214 CLR 118 Garzo v Liverpool/Campbelltown Christian School [2012] NSWCA 151 Jackson v McDonalds Australia Ltd [2014] NSWCA 162 Koehler v Cerebos (Australia) Ltd [2005] HCA 15; (2005) 222 CLR 44 Laresu Pty Ltd v Clark [2010] NSWCA 180 Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW v Dederer [2007] HCA 42; (2007) 234 CLR 330 Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW v Refrigerated Roadways Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 263; (2009) 77 NSWLR 360 Schultz v McCormack [2015] NSWCA 330 Shoalhaven City Council v Pender [2013] NSWCA 210 Sibraa v Brown [2012] NSWCA 328 Strong v Woolworths Limited [2012] HCA 5; 246 CLR 182 Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (NSW) v Miller; Miller v Lithgow City Council [2015] NSWCA 320 Woolworths Ltd v Ryder [2014] NSWCA 223 Texts Cited: Gleeson CJ, "The Meaning of Legislation: Context, Purpose and Respect for Fundamental Rights", Victoria Law Foundation Oration, Melbourne, 31 July 2008 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District (Appellant) Wendy Pamela Starkey (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: J Downing (Appellant) B Toomey QC / J Halligan (Respondent)