A raised concrete base with a protruding pipe left in an otherwise evenly paved, busy pedestrian precinct is not an 'obvious hazard' or expected irregularity that a pedestrian exercising reasonable care should be expected to avoid; it is an unacceptable hazard, particularly given the foreseeable distractions in such an environment. Where bollards on public land are removed to facilitate access to an adjacent building site, and the only reasonable hypotheses are that the removal was either unauthorised or authorised by a Territory officer, the court may infer the latter and hold the public authority responsible for ensuring the removal did not leave a tripping hazard.
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