McFadzean v Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union

SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA

COURT OF APPEAL

No 7980 of 1999

GAVAN McFADZEAN & ORS (according to schedule attached)	Appellants
	v
CONSTRUCTION FORESTRY MINING & ENERGY UNION & ORS (according to schedule attached)	Respondents

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JUDGES:	WARREN CJ, NETTLE and REDLICH JJA
WHERE HELD:	MELBOURNE
DATE OF HEARING:	9 February 2007
DATE OF JUDGMENT:	13 December 2007
MEDIUM NEUTRAL CITATION:	[2007] VSCA 289

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Tort – False imprisonment – Environmentalists partaking in anti-logging demonstration and subjected to false imprisonment by logging contractors – Elements – Perceived total restraint by joint tortfeasors – Egress – Whether forms of egress said to be available unreasonable – Claim dismissed.

Tort – Public nuisance and particular damage – Obstruction by loggers either partially or fully of public highway – Whether degree of nuisance went beyond general inconvenience – Claim dismissed.

Tort – Damages – Exemplary damages – Aggravated damages – Respondents adequately punished by order for payment of compensatory costs – No error in exercise of discretion.

Costs – Proportions of costs – Orders for proportions of costs to reflect mixed success and failure – Single order more readily facilitating taxation than costs by issues – Fair and just exercise of discretion in all the circumstances.

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APPEARANCES:	Counsel	Solicitors
For the Appellants	Mr B E Walters SC with Mr K D Mueller and Mr J M Connellan	Williams Winter
For the Respondents	Mr D G Collins SC with Mr S J Howells and Mr M A Irving	Slater & Gordon

S C H E D U L E   O F   P A R T I E S

No 7980 of 1999

B E T W E E N:

GAVAN MICHAEL McFADZEAN               Firstnamed Appellant (Firstnamed Plaintiff)

KRISTEN LEES  Secondnamed Appellant (Secondnamed Plaintiff)

TESSA JACKSON  Thirdnamed Appellant (Thirdnamed Plaintiff)

DONNA GROSS  Fourthnamed Appellant (Fifthnamed Plaintiff)

ALEXANDER JOHN BOWLES  Fifthnamed Appellant (Sixthnamed Plaintiff)

LEIGH DWAN  Sixthnamed Appellant (Seventhnamed Plaintiff)

AMY EPSTEIN  Seventhnamed Appellant (Eighthnamed Plaintiff)

PAUL ANTHONY FOWKES  Eighthnamed Appellant (Ninthnamed Plaintiff)

ELI GREIGNinthnamed Appellant (Tenthnamed Plaintiff)

JULIE ANNE COLSON  Tenthnamed Appellant (Eleventhnamed Plaintiff)

JANINE DAWSON  Eleventhnamed Appellant (Twelfthnamed Plaintiff)

- and –

CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING &

ENERGY UNION  Firstnamed Respondent (Firstnamed Defendant)

JANE CALVERT  Secondnamed Respondent (Secondnamed Defendant)

CHRISTOPHER CLIFFORD WHEELER        Thirdnamed Respondent (Thirdnamed Defendant)

GEORGE MOLLOY  Fourthnamed Respondent (Fourthnamed Defendant)

MICHAEL JOSEPH NOCERA  Fifthnamed Respondent (Fifthnamed Defendant)

BARRY JOHN DENT  Sixthnamed Respondent  (Seventhnamed Defendant)

DONALD GORDON PEARCE  Seventhnamed Respondent (Eighthnamed Defendant)

DAVID REECE SHEPPARD  Eighthnamed Respondent (Ninthnamed Defendant)

TREVOR FRANCIS WILSON  Ninthnamed Respondent (Tenthnamed Defendant)

(representing estate of Gary Leon Wilson)

WAYNE JOHN McGEE  Tenthnamed Respondent (Twelfthnamed Defendant)

BRIAN PATRICK WHEELER  Eleventhnamed Respondent (Thirteenthnamed Defendant)

CHARLIE PAUL NEMET  Twelfthnamed Respondent (Fourteenthnamed Defendant)

SHANE JOHN FLANNIGAN  Thirteenthnamed Respondent (Fifteenth Defendant)

WAYNE ANDREW BENSON  Fourteenthnamed Respondent (Sixteenth Defendant)

WARREN CJ

NETTLE JA
REDLICH JA:

Introduction and facts

1. This is an appeal from a judgment given in the Common Law Division in a proceeding which arose out of an anti-logging demonstration and an opposing pro-logging picket in the Otway Ranges in the period between Monday 25 January…