Joslyn v Berryman; Wentworth Shire Council v Berryman
[2003] HCA 34Joslyn
vBerryman; Wentworth Shire Council v Berryman
Judges:
Mchugh J
Gummow J
Kirby J
Hayne J
Callinan J
Subject References:
aware or ought to have been aware
just and equitable in the circumstances of the case
responsibility for the damage
voluntary passenger
Legislative References:
Motor Accidents Act 1988 (NSW) - s 74(2)
Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1965 (NSW) - s 10; Pt 3
Law Reform (Contributory Negligence and Tortfeasors Contribution) Act 1947 (WA) - s4(1)
Wrongs Act 1954 (Tas) - s 4(1)
Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1956 (NT) - s 16(1)
Wrongs Act 1958 (Vic) - s 26(1)
Wrongs Act 1936 (SA) - s 24K
Transport Accidents Compensation Act 1987 (NSW) - The Act
Judgment date: 18 June 2003
Order
In each matter:
- 1.
- Appeal allowed.
- 2.
- Set aside para1, para2 and para3 of the order of the Court of Appeal of New South Wales made on 11 April 2001.
- 3.
- Remit matter to the Court of Appeal of New South Wales for determination of the issues not so far dealt with and the cross-appeal regarding the assessment of the contributory negligence of the first respondent.
- 4.
- First respondent to pay the costs of the appeal to this Court.
Notice: This copy of the Court's Reasons for Judgment is subject to formal revision prior to publication in the Commonwealth Law Reports.
Matter No S122/2002
D F Jackson QC with G I Charteris for the appellant (instructed by McMahons National Lawyers)
M L Williams SC with P R McGuire for the first respondent (instructed by Carroll & O'Dea)
P R Garling SC with J M Morris for the second respondent (instructed by Phillips Fox)
Matter Nos S125/2002 and S126/2002
P R Garling SC with J M Morris for the appellant (instructed by Phillips Fox)
M L Williams SC with P R McGuire for the first respondent (instructed by Carroll & O'Dea)
D F Jackson QC with G I Chateris for the second respondent (instructed by McMahons National Lawyers)
Berryman v Joslyn unreported, District Court of New South Wales, 5 November 1999.
Berryman v Joslyn (2001) 33 MVR 441.
(2001) 33 MVR 441 at 446 [21].
(2001) 33 MVR 441 at 446 [21].
Attorney-General (NSW); Ex rel McKellar v The Commonwealth (1977) 139 CLR 527 at 559-560.
Nance v British Columbia Electric Railway Co Ltd [1951] AC 601 at 611; Jones v Livox Quarries Ltd [1952] 2 QB 608 at 615; Froom v Butcher [1976] QB 286 at 291.
Butterfield v Forrester (1809) 11 East 60 [103 ER 926].
See Alford v Magee (1952) 85 CLR 437 for a discussion of this rule.
Caswell v Powell Duffryn Associated Collieries Ltd [1940] AC 152 at 178-179.
Bourke v Butterfield & Lewis Ltd (1926) 38 CLR 354.
Piro v W Foster & Co Ltd (1943) 68 CLR 313.
Caswell v Powell Duffryn Associated Collieries Ltd [1940] AC 152.
[1939] 1 KB 509.
[1939] 1 KB 509 at 515.
"Contributory Negligence and Volenti Non Fit Iniuria", (1939) 55 Law Quarterly Review 184 at 185.
Restatement of the Law of Torts, vol 2 (1934), §466.
(1927) 27 SR (NSW) 495.
(1927) 27 SR (NSW) 495 at 498.
(1927) 27 SR (NSW) 495 at 499.
(1948) 77 CLR 39.
(1948) 77 CLR 39 at 48.
(1948) 77 CLR 39 at 49.
(1948) 77 CLR 39 at 57.
(1948) 77 CLR 39 at 47.
(1948) 77 CLR 39 at 60.
(1948) 77 CLR 39 at 57.
(1950) 80 CLR 292.
[1968] Qd R 40.
[1985] WAR 250.
See, for example, Duncan v Bell and State Government Insurance Office (Queensland) [1967] Qd R 425; Dodd v McGlashan [1967] ALR 433; O'Shea v The Permanent Trustee Co of New South Wales Ltd [1971] Qd R 1; Sloan v Kirby and Redman (1979) 20 SASR 263; Banovic v Perkovic (1982) 30 SASR 34.
Law Reform (Contributory Negligence and Tortfeasors' Contribution) Act 1947 (WA), s4(1); Wrongs Act 1954 (Tas), s4(1); Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1956 (NT), s16(1); Wrongs Act 1958 (Vic), s26(1); Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1965 (NSW), s9(1); Law Reform Act 1995 (Q), s10(1); Law Reform (Contributory Negligence and Apportionment of Liability) Act 2001 (SA), s7; Civil Law (Wrongs) Act 2002 (ACT), s41.
Motor Accidents Act 1988 (NSW), s76.
Wrongs Act 1936 (SA), s24K(6).
Wrongs Act 1936 (SA), s24K(1); Motor Accidents Act 1988 (NSW), s74.
(1986) 162 CLR 376.
(1991) 172 CLR 243.
(1986) 162 CLR 376 at 384.
(1991) 172 CLR 243 at 254.
Gala v Preston (1991) 172 CLR 243 at 253.
Glasgow Corp v Muir [1943] AC 448 at 457.
McHale v Watson (1966) 115 CLR 199.
[1939] 2 All ER 142 at 143.
(1942) 43 SR (NSW) 66 at 69.
(1966) 115 CLR 199.
(1966) 115 CLR 199 at 214-215.
Fleming, The Law of Torts, 9th ed (1998) at 318.
(1841) 1 QB 29 [113 ER 1041].
Banovic v Perkovic (1982) 30 SASR 34 at 36-37; Nominal Defendant v Saunders (1988) 8 MVR 209 at 215; McPherson v Whitfield [1996] 1 Qd R 474.
(1982) 30 SASR 34.
(1988) 8 MVR 209.
[1996] 1 Qd R 474.
[1990] 2 Qd R 419.
(1990) 11 MVR 385 at 388.
See, for example, O'Connor v South Australia (1976) 14 SASR 187; Preston Erections Pty Ltd v Rheem Australia Ltd (1978) 52 ALJR 523; 21 ALR 379; Purcell v Watson (1979) 26 ALR 235; AWA Ltd v Daniels (t/as Deloitte Haskins & Sells) (1992) 7 ACSR 759.
(1972) 47 ALJR 1.
Glasgow Corp v Muir [1943] AC 448 at 457.
The case was tried before this Court decided Brodie v Singleton Shire Council (2001) 206 CLR 512.
Berryman v Joslyn (2001) 33 MVR 441.
(2001) 33 MVR 441 at 446 [21].
(1985) 59 ALJR 492; 59 ALR 529.
Sungravure Pty Ltd v Meani (1964) 110 CLR 24 at 36-37; Purcell v Watson (1979) 26 ALR 235 (HC); Astley v Austrust Ltd (1999) 197 CLR 1 at 14 [30].
(1988) 8 MVR 209 at 215-216.
Berryman v Joslyn (2001) 33 MVR 441.
Berryman v Joslyn unreported, District Court of New South Wales, 5 November 1999 ("reasons of the primary judge").
Reasons of the primary judge at 19.
Per Meagher JA; Priestley JA and Ipp AJA concurring.
eg Pennington v Norris (1956) 96 CLR 10 at 17.
eg A V Jennings Construction Pty Ltd v Maumill (1956) 30 ALJR 100 at 101; Podrebersek v Australian Iron & Steel Pty Ltd (1985) 59 ALJR 492 at 494; 59 ALR 529 at 532; Bankstown Foundry Pty Ltd v Braistina (1986) 160 CLR 301 at 311.
See The Insurance Commissioner v Joyce (1948) 77 CLR 39; O'Neill v Chisholm (1972) 47 ALJR 1.
Joint reasons at [52]-[60].
Berryman (2001) 33 MVR 441 at 444 [16].
Reasons of the primary judge at 13.
Reasons of the primary judge at 13-14.
Reasons of the primary judge at 14.
Reasons of the primary judge at 14.
Reasons of the primary judge at 15-16.
Reasons of the primary judge at 16.
Reasons of the primary judge at 16.
eg Williams v Government Insurance Office (NSW) (1995) 21 MVR 148; McPherson v Whitfield [1996] 1 Qd R 474.
Reasons of the primary judge at 18.
Reasons of the primary judge at 18-19.
Reasons of the primary judge at 19.
Berryman (2001) 33 MVR 441 at 446 [21].
His Honour referred to Podrebersek (1985) 59 ALJR 492; 59 ALR 529. See Berryman (2001) 33 MVR 441 at 446 [21].
(2001) 75 ALJR 867 at 885 [90]; 179 ALR 321 at 345.
Citing McLean v Tedman (1984) 155 CLR 306 at 315; SS Heranger (Owners) v SS Diamond (Owners) [1939] AC 94 at 101; Hicks v British Transport Commission [1958] 2 All ER 39; Balkin and Davis, Law of Torts, 2nd ed (1996) at 338 n 37.
Sungravure Pty Ltd v Meani (1964) 110 CLR 24 at 37 per Windeyer J.
cf Lowe v The Queen (1984) 154 CLR 606 at 610-611 per Mason J.
(1948) 77 CLR 39.
Joyce (1948) 77 CLR 39 at 45-47 per Latham CJ, 56-59 per Dixon J; cf Cook v Cook (1986) 162 CLR 376 at 386 and Hogg, "Guest Passengers: A Drunk Driver's Defences", (1994) 2 Torts Law Journal 37.
Following Dann v Hamilton [1939] 1 KB 509.
See eg Goodhart, "Contributory Negligence and Volenti Non Fit Iniuria", (1939) 55 Law Quarterly Review 184 noted in Joyce (1948) 77 CLR 39 at 58 per Dixon J.
Joyce (1948) 77 CLR 39 at 47.
Joyce (1948) 77 CLR 39 at 60.
(1972) 47 ALJR 1.
Barwick CJ, McTiernan and Stephen JJ; Walsh and Gibbs JJ dissenting.
(1982) 30 SASR 34. See also Spicer v Coppins (1991) 56 SASR 175 in which contributory negligence (which had been rejected at trial) was found on appeal by the majority: Legoe and Matheson JJ; Bollen J dissenting.
Banovic (1982) 30 SASR 34 at 38.
Banovic (1982) 30 SASR 34 at 42.
Banovic (1982) 30 SASR 34 at 38.
[1990] 2 Qd R 419 at 423.
Morton [1990] 2 Qd R 419 at 430, citing Davies v Swan Motor Co (Swansea) Ltd [1949] 2 KB 291 at 326.
McGuire v Government Insurance Office (NSW) (1990) 11 MVR 385 at 388.
[1996] 1 Qd R 474 at 478-479.
eg Nominal Defendant v Saunders (1988) 8 MVR 209 at 210, 214-215; Spicer (1991) 56 SASR 175 at 179-180, 182-184; Owens v Brimmell [1977] QB 859 at 866-867.
McPherson [1996] 1 Qd R 474 at 484.
(1995) 21 MVR 148.
Williams (1995) 21 MVR 148 at 158. Cole JA (with whom Meagher JA agreed) found no error in the apportionment. I would have reduced the apportionment to 40%.
Williams (1995) 21 MVR 148 at 158 (emphasis in original). In my reasons I referred to Teubner v Humble (1963) 108 CLR 491 at 504.
(1988) 8 MVR 209 at 213.
Saunders (1988) 8 MVR 209 at 209-210.
Saunders (1988) 8 MVR 209 at 216.
[1990] 2 Qd R 419.
[1990] 2 Qd R 419 at 429.
(1982) 30 SASR 34.
(1988) 8 MVR 209.
[1996] 1 Qd R 474.
That rule is described by Barwick CJ in O'Neill (1972) 47 ALJR 1 at 3.
O'Neill (1972) 47 ALJR 1 at 3, 4, 6.
Liftronic (2001) 75 ALJR 867 at 878 [64.4]; 179 ALR 321 at 335.
British Fame (Owners) v Macgregor (Owners) [1943] AC 197 at 201 applied in Podrebersek (1985) 59 ALJR 492 at 494; 59 ALR 529 at 532; cf Liftronic (2001) 75 ALJR 867 at 878 [64.3]; 179 ALR 321 at 334-335.
Relevantly Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1965 (NSW), s10(1) and s10(2).
A point noted in Liftronic (2001) 75 ALJR 867 at 885 [90]; 179 ALR 321 at 345.
per Gleeson CJ, McHugh, Gummow and Callinan JJ; myself dissenting.
Liftronic (2001) 75 ALJR 867 at 879 [65.3]; 179 ALR 321 at 337.
(1985) 59 ALJR 492 at 493-494; 59 ALR 529 at 532.
In the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1965 (NSW), Pt3. That Act was amended by the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Amendment Act 2000 (NSW). These amendments were not in force at the date relevant to these proceedings.
Motor Accidents Act, s74(1). The terms of the section are set out in the joint reasons at [69].
Pennington (1956) 96 CLR 10 at 16.
Talbot-Butt v Holloway (1990) 12 MVR 70 at 74.
Talbot-Butt (1990) 12 MVR 70 at 88 per Handley JA referring to Pennington (1956) 96 CLR 10 at 16; Karamalis v Commissioner of South Australian Railways (1977) 15 ALR 629 at 635; Cocks v Sheppard (1979) 53 ALJR 591; 25 ALR 325. See also Williams (1995) 21 MVR 148 at 156.
S74 of the Act has been superseded by s138 of the Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW).
Transport Accidents Compensation Act 1987 (NSW).
New South Wales, Legislative Assembly, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), 29 November 1988 at 3827 (Attorney-General Dowd).
New South Wales, Legislative Assembly, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), 29 November 1988 at 3832 (Attorney-General Dowd).
New South Wales, Legislative Assembly, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), 29 November 1988 at 3833 (Attorney-General Dowd).
The relevant provisions are set out in the joint reasons at [71].
Motor Accidents Act, s74(1).
Motor Accidents Act, s74(2)(a), s74(2)(c), s74(2)(d).
See also Motor Accidents Act, s74(8).
cf Public Service Board of NSW v Osmond (1986) 159 CLR 656 at 666; Pettitt v Dunkley [1971] 1 NSWLR 376 at 388.
Some of the recent instances include Roy Morgan Research Centre Pty Ltd v Commissioner of State Revenue (Vict) (2001) 207 CLR 72 at 89 [46]; Victorian WorkCover Authority v Esso Australia Ltd (2001) 207 CLR 520 at 545 [63]; Allan v Transurban City Link Ltd (2001) 208 CLR 167 at 184-185 [54]; The Commonwealth v Yarmirr (2001) 208 CLR 1 at 111-112 [249] and Conway v The Queen (2002) 209 CLR 203 at 227 [65]; cf Hayne, "Letting Justice be Done Without the Heavens Falling", (2001) 27 Monash University Law Review 12 at 16.
New South Wales, Legislative Assembly, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), 29 November 1988 at 3832-3833 (Attorney-General Dowd).
Reasons of the primary judge at 12.
Motor Accidents Act, s74(3).
The 1965 Act, s10(1).
Berryman (2001) 33 MVR 441 at 446 [21].
As in Saunders (1988) 8 MVR 209; McGuire (1990) 11 MVR 385; Morton [1990] 2 Qd R 419; Williams (1995) 21 MVR 148; McPherson [1996] 1 Qd R 474.
Berryman (2001) 33 MVR 441 at 446 [21].
(1995) 21 MVR 148.
cf Talbot-Butt (1990) 12 MVR 70 at 88.
See reasons of Hayne J at [158].
Motor Accidents Act 1988 (NSW), s74(3).
Berryman v Joslyn (2001) 33 MVR 441 at 446 [21].
Podrebersek v Australian Iron & Steel Pty Ltd (1985) 59 ALJR 492; 59 ALR 529; Bankstown Foundry Pty Ltd v Braistina (1986) 160 CLR 301; Wynbergen v Hoyts Corp Pty Ltd (1997) 72 ALJR 65; 149 ALR 25; Liftronic Pty Ltd v Unver (2001) 75 ALJR 867; 179 ALR 321.
(1985) 59 ALJR 492 at 493-494; 59 ALR 529 at 532.
[1943] AC 197 at 201.
[1958] VR 594.
(1985) 59 ALJR 492 at 494; 59 ALR 529 at 532-533.
(1956) 96 CLR 10 at 16.
[1953] AC 663 at 682.
[1958] Tas SR 36 at 42-49.
[1976] VR 208 at 219.
(2001) 75 ALJR 867 at 885 [90]; 179 ALR 321 at 345.
Sungravure Pty Ltd v Meani (1964) 110 CLR 24 at 37 per Windeyer J; Easson v London and North Eastern Railway Co [1944] KB 421 at 426.