Carter v Hastings River Greyhound Racing Club [2019] NSWSC 780

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Carter v Hastings River Greyhound Racing Club [2019] NSWSC 780 Hearing dates: 18, 19, 20 and 21 March 2019 Date of orders: 27 June 2019 Decision date: 27 June 2019 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Harrison AsJ Decision: The Court orders: (1) Judgment for the defendant. (2) The plaintiff is to pay the defendant's costs. Catchwords: TORT — Negligence — General principles — Personal injury — Greyhound racing — Operating a catching pen gate — Where the plaintiff was struck by a lure

Defences — Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 5K, 5L — Whether the risk of harm was "obvious" — Whether operating the gate was a "recreational activity" — Whether there was a significant risk of physical harm — ss 60, 61 — Whether the defendant was a volunteer

Breach — Whether the defendant failed to take reasonable precautions against the harm Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 5B, 5D, 5F, 5G, 5H, 5K, 5L, 5N, 5R, 5S, 12, 50 and 61 Cases Cited: Adeels Palace Pty Ltd v Moubarak; Adeels Palace Pty Ltd v Bou Najem (2009) 239 CLR 420; [2009] HCA 48 Australian Safeway Stores Pty Ltd v Zaluzna (1987) 162 CLR 479 Belna Pty Ltd v Irwin [2009] NSWCA 46 Campbell v Hay [2014] NSWCA 129 CG Maloney Pty Ltd v Hutton-Potts [2006] NSWCA 136 Derrick v Cheung (2001) 181 ALR 301 Doubleday v Kelly [2005] NSWCA 151 Echin v Southern Tablelands Gliding Club [2013] NSWSC 516 Falvo v Australian Oztag Sports Association [2006] NSWCA 17 Goode v Angland [2017] NSWCA 311 Great Lakes Shire Council v Dederer [2006] NSWCA 101 Hrybynyuk v Mazur [2004] NSWCA 374 Jaber v Rockdale City Council [2008] NSWCA 98 Jackson v McDonald's Australia Ltd [2014] NSWCA 162 King v Western Sydney Local Health Network [2013] NSWCA 162 Liverpool Catholic Club Ltd v Moor [2014] NSWCA 394 Luca v Zupanov [2013] WADC 40 Mobbs v Kain (2009) 54 MVR 179 Motorcycling Events Group Australia Pty Ltd v Kelly (2013) 86 NSWLR 55 Mulligan v Coffs Harbour City Council [2004] NSWCA 247 Nominal Defendant v Livaja [2011] NSWCA 121 Patrick Stevedores Operations (No 2) Pty Ltd v Hennessy [2015] NSWCA 253 Paul v Cooke (2013) 85 NSWLR 167; [2013] NSWCA 311 Podrebersek v Australian Iron & Steel Pty Ltd (1985) 59 ALR 529 Reid v Commercial Club (Albury) Ltd [2014] NSWCA 98 Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales v Refrigerated Roadways Pty Ltd (2009) 77 NSWLR 360; [2009] NSWCA 263 Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW v Dederer (2007) 234 CLR 330; (2007) 238 ALR 761 Russell v Edwards [2006] NSWCA 19 South Western Sydney Local Health District v Sorbello [2017] NSWCA 201 Thornton v Sweeney [2011] NSWCA 244 Vairy v Wyong Shire Council (2005) 223 CLR 422; [2005] HCA 62 Wells v Council of the City of Orange (No 2) [2017] NSWSC 510 Woolworths Ltd v Strong [2010] NSWCA 282 Texts Cited: Annotated Civil Liability Act, Third Ed, Dominic Villa Category: Principal judgment Parties: Jason Bruce Carter (Plaintiff) Hastings River Greyhound Racing Club (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: F Austin (Plaintiff) D Kelly (Defendant)