Limitation of Actions

Reference received: ​9 June 1967

​Reports

Report 3: First Report on the Limitation of Actions (PDF, 6.1 MB), October 1967

Tabled in parliament: 31 October 1967

Legislative action: Limitation Act 1969 

Judicial citation: Adams v Ascot Iron Foundry Pty Ltd (1968) 72 SR (NSW) 120, 125; Public Trustee v Schultz [1973] 1 NSWLR 564, 581; Park v Brady [1976] 1 NSWLR 119 at 122; [1976] 2 NSWLR 329, 334 (CA); Bilambic-Terranora Pty Ltd v Tweed Shire Council [1977] 1 NSWLR 724, 740; Addison v Billion [1983] 1 NSWLR 586, 590; Bergfels v Port Stephens Shire Council [1983] 2 NSWLR 578, 583; Royal North Shore Hospital v Henderson (1986) 7 NSWLR 283, 294; Nelson v Merton Enterprises Pty Ltd (NSW SC, No 12969/86, Wood J, 5 December 1986, unreported), 12; DTR Securities Pty Ltd v Deputy Commissioner of Taxation (1987) 8 NSWLR 204, 211; Brunton v D O’Bryan & Co Pty Ltd (NSW CA, No 307/87, 4 August 1988, unreported), 6 (Kirby P); Wenham v General Credits Ltd (NSW SC, No 2470/1982, McLelland J, 16 December 1988, unreported), 10; Dousi v Colgate Palmolive Pty Ltd (No 2) (NSW CA, No 328/87, 12 May 1989, unreported), 1 (Kirby P); Evans v Vancouver Port Corp (1989) 65 DLR (4th) 521; Cementation Co (Can) v American Home Assurance Co (1989) 37 BCLR (2d) 172, [54]; F J Walker Ltd v Webber (NSW CA, No 565/87, 16 November 1989, unreported), 1 (Meagher JA); Karsanjii Estate v Roque (1990) 19 ACWS (3d) 749; Brandt v Mitchell (British Columbia Supreme Court, Kamloops Registry No 11580, Houghton J, 3 December 1990, unreported); Vagg v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (1992) 38 NSWLR 160, 164 (Brownie J) Banque Commerciale SA v Akhil Holdings Ltd (1990) 169 CLR 279, 40; Gray v Reeves (1992) 89 DLR (4th) 315 (British Columbia); Dobinson v Lake Macquarie City Council (1994) 82 LGERA 16; Frosch Constructions Ltd v Volrich (1995) 56 ACWS (3d) 413; Torrens Aloha Pty Ltd v Citibank NA (1997) 72 FCR 581; Sydney City Council v Zegarac (1998) 43 NSWLR 195; Duncan v Mendes (NSW CA, No 40757/96, 29 May 1998, unreported), 7; Moage Ltd (in liq) v Jagelman (1998) 153 ALR 711; Morlea Professional Services Pty Ltd v Richard Walter Pty Ltd (1999) 169 ALR 419 [58]; Novak v Bond [1999] 1 SCR 808; Edgeworth Construction Ltd v Thurber Consultants Ltd (2000) 190 DLR (4th) 89; Marcantelli v Osmond [2001] NSWSC 565 [18]; Clutha Ltd v Millar (No 4)[2002] NSWSC 703 [31]; Dennehy v Reasonable Endeavours Pty Ltd (2003) 130 FCR 494 [17]; O'Neill v Foster(2004) 61 NSWLR 499 [11], [17], [21], [27]-[29], [38], [52]; Stephenson v Queensland [2004] QCA 483 [16], [17], [21], [59], [98] 99], [119]; Reeman v State of Queensland [2004] QSC 285 [25]; Cimolai v Hall [2005] BCSC 31; Taylor v Paulson[2005] BCSC 1249 [43]; Batistatos v Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales [2006] HCA 27 [119]; Queensland v Stephenson[2006] HCA 20 [45], [87], [88], [95], [98]; Barrak v Barrak [2005] FAMCA 906 [49]; New South Wales v Higgins[2005] NSWCA 244 [19]; Alcock v Casey [2007] ACTSC 87 [16]; Sun-Rype Products Ltd v Archer Daniels Midland Company[2008] BCCA 278 (British Coloumbia Court of Appeal); Arnautovic v Nichola [2009] NSWSC 831 [13]; Casey v Alcock(2009) 165 ACTR 1 [81], [90]-[91]; Doyle v Gillespie[2010] ACTSC 21 [35]; Beer v Australand Corporation (Qld) Pty Ltd[2010] QSC 369 [7]; Chidiac v Maatouk[2010] NSWSC 386 [258]; New South Wales v Radford[2010] NSWCA 276 [85]; Alec Finlayson Pty Ltd v Royal Freemason Benevolent Institution of New South Wales Nominees Ltd [2013] NSWSC 1168 [31]

Report 12: Second Report on the Limitation of Actions (PDF, 76.5 KB), June 1971

Tabled in parliament: 28 September 1971

Legislative action: Limitation (Amendment) Act 1977

​Judicial citation: Ziras v State Rail Authority (NSW SC, No 16113/84, Allen J, 6 August 1991, unreported) at 14  

Report 21: Third Report on the Limitation of Actions - Special Protections (PDF, 183.5 KB), May 1975

Tabled in parliament: 7 August 1975

Legislative action: No​tice of Action and Other Privileges Abolition Act 1977​      

Judicial citation: Bilambil-Terranora Pty Ltd v Tweed Shire Council [1977] 1 NSWLR 724, 740; Dobinson v Lake Macquarie City Council (1994) 82 LGERA 16; Darroch v Metropolitan Toronto Police Services Board (1996) 67 ACWS (3d) 1006 (Ontario) New South Wales v Radford[2010] NSWCA 276 [86]  

Terms of reference

To review the law relating to limitation of actions, notice of action, and incidental matters.

Note: See also Reference 53 - Limitation of actions​​