Typical. No one is responsible for their own actions, it is always someone else.
Mr Scott died when he crashed into a bridge at Orford while driving home from the Tandara Motor Inn on January 24, 2002.
His widow Sandra Scott, formerly of Orford, successfully sued over her husband’s death arguing the pub had a duty of care.
In January this year, a full bench of the Supreme Court of Tasmania found the pub and its then-licensee Michael Kirkpatrick breached that duty to Mr Scott by letting him ride his motorbike home drunk.
Strong independent Australians huh? Always take responsibility for their own actions. I give someone a drink, they swallow it and drive straight into a tree. Of course I am responsible.
Sigh.
Good news though, the case was appealed to the High Court of Australia:
THE High Court has found a Tasmanian hotel was not liable for the drink-driving death of a patron.
(…)
The court found that drinkers, not publicans who served them, were responsible for the consequences of their own intoxication.
Well, at least I know I still have that much freedom. I can give someone a drink without risking a manslaughter charge.
It’s this sort of thing that leaves me slightly disillusioned about life in Oz. There’s this idea that’s been put about that Aussies are all strong minded, resourceful, independent spirited types, and to a large extent it’s bollocks. They whine as much as the Poms they like to take the piss out of and are just as benighted by petty over regulation. The big advantage is being able to get in the car and drive to the middle of nowhere and get away from the officious pricks who’ve been allowed to bugger up a pretty nice country. Other than that it sometimes seems like England with better weather.