Ex-pub manager sues for over $500K
A former assistant manager at a Gold Coast pub is taking legal action, claiming more than A$550,000 in damages after she slipped and fell while trying to track down the source of a foul odour—believed to be a dead rat.
Cathryn Alice Morris, 58, lodged a statement of claim with the Southport District Court in June against the Currumbin Pub Business Unit Trust. She alleges the incident took place on 8 June 2022 at the Currumbin Hotel, where she was working at the time.
According to the claim, Morris had reported a “strong odour” in the bar area and suspected it came from a decomposing rodent. She says she asked her boss, Andrew Hindmarsh, to get someone in to locate and remove the carcass but claims no action was taken.
Taking matters into her own hands, Morris tried to move a box stored under the bar but got caught up in a hose. She then attempted to untangle it using a long hooked rod usually used for adjusting blinds. The hook reportedly slipped, causing her to fall backwards, fracturing her wrist and injuring her shoulder.
She later underwent two surgeries on her wrist, received cortisone injections in her shoulder, and continues to experience pain and restricted movement.
Morris claims she didn’t feel safe to call in a tradesperson due to a previous incident where she was “severely reprimanded” by Hindmarsh for organising a plumber. As a result, she said she often relied on makeshift fixes and even asked customers for help.
Despite staying on until November 2024, she alleges ongoing injury left her unable to perform duties at full capacity and contributed to her termination. She is now unemployed and seeking compensation, including A$350,000 for future lost earnings.
Under Australian Occupational Health and Safety law, employers are required to provide a safe work environment and proper supervision. Workers also have obligations to act responsibly, but compensation laws generally cover injuries even in minor breaches—unless serious misconduct is involved.
Currumbin Hotel representatives have yet to file a defence and declined to comment while the matter is before the court.
Jonathan Jackson, 7th July 2025
