Daily Construction: Tuesday, 15 December 2015
For the best view, please download images or click here
AR Conolly Company Lawyers.
A daily Bulletin listing our choice of Decisions of Superior Courts of Australia.

Daily Construction

Executive Summary (One Minute Read)
NSW Commissioner of Police v Folkes (NSWSC) - public assembly and procession - holding of public assembly prohibited pursuant to s25(1) Summary Offences Act 1988 (NSW)
Chan v Acres (NSWSC) - negligence - damages - purchase of renovated house with serious defects - breach of statutory warranties by vendor - breach of duty of care by Council - apportionment
Kalabakas v Chubb Insurance Company of Australia Ltd (VSC) - insurance - fire causing damage to home and property - fraudulent non-disclosure and misrepresentation - insurer entitled to avoid renewed policy
Benchmark Television
 
 
Click here to watch the video
 
Paul Lawrie on Police Torts
Paul Lawrie discusses the issues that arise when suing or defending police for torts allegedly committed during an arrest.
Summaries With Link (Five Minute Read)
NSW Commissioner of Police v Folkes [2015] NSWSC 1887
Supreme Court of New South Wales
Adamson J
Public assembly and procession - plaintiff sought order under s25 Summary Offences Act 1988 (NSW) prohibiting holding of public assembly arranged by Party for Freedom - defendant Chairman of the Party for Freedom had signed Notice of Intention to Hold a Public Assembly - plaintiff contended that if public assembly took place there was substantial risk that it would degenerate into violent event - Sch 1 Pt 4, ss23, 24, 25 & 27 - balance between participants’ rights to freedom of speech and association and other persons’ rights not to have activities impeded by exercise of the rights - held: Court accepted Chief Inspector’s unchallenged evidence that potential for conflict and public disorder was high - public assembly and associated gatherings likely to present significant challenge to police officers to keep peace - order made under s25.
Folkes
Chan v Acres [2015] NSWSC 1885
Supreme Court of New South Wales
McDougall J
Negligence - damages - plaintiffs bought house from first defendant and former wife - before plaintiffs bought house they procured pre-purchase inspection report from second defendant - claim against second defendant settled - plaintiff claimed on basis of report they decided to buy house knowing of some defects but that after they moved in they discovered very serious defects, particularly in first defendant’s work - first defendant had engaged third defendant to prepare structural drawings - fourth defendant was Council - whether third or fourth defendants owed and/or breached duty of care to plaintiffs - whether first defendant breached statutory warranties - whether work defective - costs of rectification - apportionment - held: first defendant breached statutory warranties under Home Building Act 1989 (NSW) - third defendant did not owe plaintiffs a duty of care - Council as Principal Certifying Authority (PCA) owed duty of care to plaintiffs in performance of inspections and issuing final occupation certificate - duty of care coextensive with duty Council owed to first defendant under PCA Agreement - substantial allegations of breach of duty against Council proved - parties to bring in draft orders to give effect to reasons.
Chan
Kalabakas v Chubb Insurance Company of Australia Ltd [2015] VSC 705
Supreme Court of Victoria
McMillan J
Insurance - plaintiff own property on which home was constructed - plaintiff had insured the property with defendant for 7 December 2010 to 7 December 2011 - plaintiff renewed initial policy for 7 December 2011 to 7 December 2012 - dwelling and contents on property damaged by fire on 6–7 July 2012 - defendant declined plaintiff’s claim under renewed policy on basis of fraudulent misrepresentations and non-disclosures by plaintiff pursuant to s28(2) Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth) - ss21(1), 26 & 28 - held: plaintiff’s failure to disclose four relevant matters to defendant was fraudulent and plaintiff’s misrepresentations to defendant were also fraudulent - defendant entitled to avoid renewed policy pursuant to s28(2) or to reduce its liability to nil pursuant to s28(3).
Kalabakas