Stevenson v Ashton [2019] NSWSC 1689

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Stevenson v Ashton [2019] NSWSC 1689 Hearing dates: 6 November 2019 Date of orders: 06 December 2019 Decision date: 06 December 2019 Jurisdiction: Common Law - Administrative Law Before: Harrison AsJ Decision: The Court orders that:

(1) Leave to appeal is granted.

(2) The decisions of the Appeal Panel dated 26 March 2019 and 25 September 2019 are set aside.

(3) The matter is remitted to NCAT for determination according to law.

(4) The defendant is to pay the plaintiff's costs of the amended summons filed 6 November 2019 on an ordinary basis.

(5) Costs in relation to the proceedings before the Appeal Panel are reserved. Catchwords: APPEALS – Judicial review – Application for leave to appeal from a decision of an Appeal Panel of the New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal – Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013 (NSW), s 83 – Appeal on a question of law – Home Building Act 1987 (NSW) – Whether the Appeal Panel erred in reversing the onus of proof of the date of practical completion of the works under s 3B – Whether the alleged defects were "major defects" under s 18E(4) – Relevance of expert evidence to a determination of whether a defect "causes, or is likely to cause" the consequences in s 18E(4)(a)(i)-(iii) Legislation Cited: Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013 (NSW), ss 80(2), 83(1) Home Building Act 1987 (NSW), ss 3B, 18B, 18C, 18D, 18E, 18G Home Building Amendment Bill 2014 (NSW) Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW), s 34 Cases Cited: Antico v Fielding Australia Pty Ltd (1997) 188 CLR 652 Ashton v Stevenson [2019] NSWCATAP 67 Bailey v Owners Corporation of Strata Plan 62666 [2011] NSWCA 293 Be Financial Pty Ltd as Trustee for Be Financial Operations Trust v Das [2012] NSWCA 164 CIC Insurance v Bankstown Football Club (1997) 187 CLR 384 Concrete Constructions (NSW) Pty Ltd v Nelson (1990) 169 CLR 594 Devenish v Jewel Food Stores Pty Ltd (1991) 172 CLR 32 HRC Hotel Services Pty Ltd v Chief Commissioner of State Revenue [2018] NSWSC 820 IAG Limited t/as NRMA Insurance v Chahoud [2019] NSWSC 767 Khoury v Government Insurance Office (NSW) (1984) 165 CLR 622 Lee v New South Wales Crime Commission (2012) 224 A Crim R 94; [2012] NSWCA 262 McGinn v Ashfield Council [2012] NSWCA 238 Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Wu Shan Liang [1996] HCA 6; (1996) 185 CLR 259 Qantas Airways Ltd v Aravco Ltd (1996) 185 CLR 43 State Bank of South Australia v Hellaby (1992) 59 SASR 304 Stead v State Government Insurance Commission [1986] HCA 54; (1986) 161 CLR 141 Steak Plains Olive Farm Pty Ltd v Australian Executor Trustees Limited [2015] NSWSC 289 Stevenson v Ashton [2018] NSWCAT SZTAL v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2017] HCA 34 Vero Insurance Ltd v Kassem [2011] NSWCA 381 Walsh v Parramatta City Council [2007] NSWLEC 255; (2007) 161 LGERA 118 Wingfoot Australia Partners Pty Ltd v Kocak (2013) 252 CLR 480; (2013) 303 ALR 64 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Phillip Stevenson (Plaintiff) Jacqueline Anne Ashton (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: M Pesman with RA Jedrzejczyk (Plaintiff) M McMahon (Defendant)