Would imposing a duty of care, open the floodgates of liability or interfere with the high level policy or quasi legislative powers of that statutory authority?

The question you're asking is a complex one and involves a deep understanding of legal principles, particularly in the area of tort law and public policy. Here's a step-by-step breakdown:

1. Duty of Care: This is a legal obligation imposed on an individual requiring adherence to a standard of reasonable care while performing any acts that could foreseeably harm others. It's the first element that must be established to proceed with an action in negligence.

2. Floodgates of Liability: This is a metaphorical term used in law, particularly in tort, to refer to the fear that if a court allows a claim on a new point of law, there will be a huge number of similar claims, which a court system might find difficult to handle, and a defendant (or insurance industry) might find costly.

3. High Level Policy or Quasi Legislative Powers: These are the powers given to a statutory authority to make decisions that have the same kind of impact as laws passed by the legislature. They are often given to regulatory agencies to allow them to manage the details of implementing broad legislation.

Now, to answer your question:

Imposing a duty of care on a statutory authority could potentially open the floodgates of liability. If the authority is found to be negligent in its duties, it could be held liable for any harm that results. This could lead to a large number of claims, particularly if the authority has a broad mandate and interacts with many individuals or organizations.

However, whether this interferes with the high level policy or quasi legislative powers of the authority is a more complex question. On one hand, the threat of liability could make the authority more cautious in its decision-making and potentially slow down the policy-making process. On the other hand, it could also make the authority more careful and thorough in its work, which could lead to better, more effective policies.

In many jurisdictions, statutory authorities are given some level of immunity from lawsuits to prevent their work from being hampered by litigation. However, this immunity is often not absolute and may not apply if the authority has acted negligently or in bad faith.

In conclusion, while imposing a duty of care could potentially open the floodgates of liability, whether it interferes with the authority's policy-making powers is a complex issue that depends on a variety of factors, including the specific powers and responsibilities of the authority, the nature of the duty of care, and the legal framework in which the authority operates.