Walker-Eyre v Emirates

[2012] QDC 364

DISTRICT COURT OF QUEENSLAND

CITATION:

Walker-Eyre v Emirates [2012] QDC 364

PARTIES:

AILSA WALKER-EYRE
(plaintiff)

v

EMIRATES
(defendant)

FILE NO/S:

D 4468/2011

DIVISION:

PROCEEDING:

Application

ORIGINATING COURT:

District Court at Brisbane

DELIVERED ON:

19 December 2012

DELIVERED AT:

Brisbane

HEARING DATE:

8 October 2012

JUDGE:

McGill DCJ

ORDER:

Order that the following question be decided separately from other questions in the proceeding and before the trial, pursuant to UCPR r 483: “Was the plaintiff required to comply with the requirements of pt 1 of ch 2 of the Personal Injuries Proceedings Act 2002 prior to commencing this proceeding?”

Question answered: No.

CATCHWORDS:

PERSONAL INJURY – Aircraft – strict liability under Commonwealth statute – whether PIPA applied – whether Commonwealth statute otherwise provides.

Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) s 79.

Civil Aviation (Carriers’ Liability)Act 1959 (Cth) ss 9B, 9E, Schedule 1A articles 17, 21, 33, 35.

Personal Injuries Proceedings Act 2002 ss 7, 9.

Agtrack (NT) Pty Ltd v Hatfield (2005) 223 CLR 251 – followed.
Airlines of NSWPty Ltd v New South Wales (1964) 113 CLR 1 – considered.
Airlink Pty Ltd v Pattison (2005) 223 CLR 283 – cited.
Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd v Wardley (1980) 142 CLR 237 – cited.
ASIC v Edensor Nominees Pty Ltd (2001) 204 CLR 559 – cited.

Bass v Permanent Trustee Co Ltd (1999) 198 CLR 224 – cited.

Berowra Holdings Pty Ltd v Gordon (2006) 225 CLR 364 – cited.
British American Tobacco Australia Ltd v Western Australia (2003) 186 CLR 541 – considered.
Commercial Radio Coffs Harbour Ltd v Fuller (1986) 161 CLR 47 – considered.
Commissioner of Stamp Duties (NSW) v Owens (No 2) (1953) 88 CLR 168 – cited.
Hamling v Australian Meat Holdings Pty Ltd   [2007] 1 Qd R 315 – cited.

Kruger v The Commonwealth (1997) 190 CLR 1 – cited.

Macleodv ASIC (2002) 211 CLR 287 – applied.
Martins v Stokes (2012) 260 FLR 134; [2012] QCA 36 – distinguished.
Northern Territory v GPAO (1999) 196 CLR 553 – considered.

Pederson v Young (1964) 110 CLR 162 – cited.

Phipps v Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group Ltd [2007] 2 Qd R 555 – considered.
Ramsay v McElroy [2004] 1 Qd R 667 – cited.

COUNSEL:

R J Lynch for the plaintiff

T W Quinn for the defendant

SOLICITORS:

Shine Lawyers for the plaintiff

Hemming & Hart for the defendant

1. The question that arises in this case is whether the plaintiff’s claim for damages under the Civil Aviation (Carriers’ Liability)Act 1959 (Cth) (“the Act”) is subject to the provisions dealing with pre-litigation procedures contained in the Personal Injuries Proceedings Act 2002 (“PIPA”). On 7 November 2011 the plaintiff filed a claim and statement of claim in this court, claiming damages for personal injuries from the defendant under the Act. It is common ground that the plaintiff had not complied with the requirements of PIPA before doing so. The defendant submitted that as a result the proceeding should be…