Submission No 17 s exualisation of children and young people organisation

 
Causation
 
27.
If there has been a breach of the duty of care by failure to meet the appropriate standard of 
care, the next issue is that of causation. The relevant matters to be considered are set out in 
the NSW section 51 set out at [24] above. This is a subjective determination.
23
A court will 
have to consider whether the outcome would have been different if proper precautions such 
as warnings had been given and counselling provided. In 
Mikhael
, a case concerning the 
responsibility of the school authority for damage suffered by a student who was assaulted by 
another student, the failure to prove what would have occurred had proper precautions 
been taken, led to the claim being dismissed.
24
It is difficult to say anything concrete sa to 
causation in this opinion, as I am asked to advise on a general hypothetical situation. Suffice 
it to say that one can foresee evidence being led that simple counselling may have led to a 
different outcome. 
 
Time Considerations
 
28.
As the claimants will all have been children at the time any damage occurs, time will not run 
for the purposes of the limitation statutes until they reach adulthood. Therefore, as with 
child sexual abuse claims, the school authority may only be notified of claims many years 
after the relevant events. 
 
 
 
 
 
21
Ibid at 47. 
22
See Mason J in 
Kondis
referred to at [10] above. 
23
See s.51(3). 
24
Mikhael at {113]-[114]. 

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10 
Conclusion
29.
I so advise. 
Dated 11 November 2015
F.C.BROHIER 
Liability limited by a scheme approved under the Professional Standards Legislation. 

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