Indeterminate accountability is oftentimes mistakenly referred to as, otherwise perceived as related to, the newest floodgates conflict

Indeterminate accountability is oftentimes mistakenly referred to as, otherwise perceived as related to, the newest floodgates conflict

(151) This new South Wales Law Change Payment, Sum between Individuals Liable for the same Ruin, Report No 89 (1999) [dos.3].

Brand new limit with the indeterminate accountability enjoys, while we will see, a completely other objective; namely, making certain that the fresh new obligations is actually discoverable beforehand: discover Johnson Tiles Pty Ltd v Esso Australia Pty Ltd Aust Torts Reports [paragraph] 81-692, 63 676 (Gillard J)

(152) It is usually of great benefit to an excellent plaintiff to help you sue a therefore-entitled ‘common rules defendant’ instead of an excellent accused whoever accountability is limited because of the law.

That it disagreement try thus targeted at shielding http://datingranking.net/escort-directory/evansville the new effective government out of justice

(153) Civil-law (Wrongs) Work 2002 (ACT) s 18; Law Reform (Miscellaneous Conditions) Work 1946 (NSW) s 5; Laws Change (Miscellaneous Terms) Operate 1956 (NT) ss a dozen-13; Law Change Act 1995 (Qld) ss six-7; Law Reform (Contributory Neglect and you can Apportionment of Accountability) Operate 2001 (SA) ss 6-7; Wrongs Operate 1954 (Tas) s 3; Wrongs Work 1958 (Vic) ss 23B, 24; Rules Reform (Contributory Negligence and you may Tortfeasors ‘Contribution) Work 1947 (WA) s seven.

(154) Caltex Oil (Australia) Pty Ltd v The Dredge ‘Willemstad’ (1976) 136 CLR 529, 555 (Gibbs J), 593 (Mason J); San Sebastian Pty Ltd v Minister Administering the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (1986) 162 CLR 340, 353-4 (Gibbs CJ, Mason, Wilson and Dawson JJ); Bryan v Maloney (1995) 182 CLR 609, 618-19 (Mason CJ, Deane and Gaudron JJ); Esanda Finance Corporation Ltd v Peat Marwick Hungerfords (1997) 188 CLR 241, 272 (McHugh J), 302 (Gummow J); Perre v Apand Pty Ltd (1999) 198 CLR 180, 195 (Gleeson CJ), 199-200 (Gaudron J), 219-23, 233-5 (McHugh J), 289 (Kirby J), 303-5 (Hayne J), 324, 326 (Callinan J); Agar v Hyde (2000) 201 CLR 552, 563-4 (Gleeson CJ); Sullivan v Moody (2001) 207 CLR 562, 582 (Gleeson CJ, Gaudron, McHugh, Hayne and Callinan JJ); Woolcock Street Investments Pty Ltd v CDG Pty Ltd (2004) 205 ALR 522, 528-9 (Gleeson C J, Gummow, Hayne and Heydon JJ), 534-5, 543 (McHugh J), 562, 565, 566 (Kirby J). The validity of the floodgates argument has generally been treated with great scepticism: see Australian Conservation Foundation IncvCommonwealth (1980) 146 CLR 493, 557-8 (Murphy J); Boland v Yates Property Corporation Pry Ltd (1999) 167 ALR 575, 614 (Kirby J); Bowen v Paramount Builders (Hamilton) Ltd 1 NZLR 394, 422 (Cooke J); Van Soest v Residual Health Management Unit 1 NZLR 179, 202-4 (Thomas J); Spartan Steel Alloys Ltd v Martin Co (Contractors) Ltd QB 27, 38 (Lord Denning MR); McLoughlin v O’Brian 1 AC 410, 425 (Lord Edmund-Davies), 441-2 (Lord Bridge); Tame v New South Wales (2002) 211 CLR 317, 399-400 (Hayne J); Hancock v Nominal Defendant 1 Qd R 578, 603 (Davies JA). The floodgates argument is sometimes employed by the courts to deny relief where a ‘flood’ of litigants is apprehended if relief were granted: see, eg, Chester v Council of the Municipality of Waverley (1939) 62 CLR 1, 7-8 (Latham CJ), 11 (Rich J); Van Soest v Residual Health Management Unit 1 NZLR 179, 198-9 (Gault, Henry, Keith and Blanchard JJ); Page v Smith 1 AC 155, 197 (Lord Lloyd); White v Chief Constable of the South Yorkshire Police 2 AC 455, 493-4 (Lord Steyn), 503 (Lord Hoffmann); Law Commission for England and Wales, Liability for Psychiatric Illness, Report No 249 (1998) [6.6] fn 9 < It plays on the fear that if the net of liability is cast too widely, the courts will be overwhelmed by a proliferation of claims and become congested, thereby diminishing their ability to dispense justice.