Roxborough v Rothmans of Pall Mall Australia Ltd [1999] FCA 1535

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Roxborough v Rothmans of Pall Mall Australia Ltd [1999] FCA 1535 CONTRACTS – contract between wholesaler and retailer – wholesaler passed on to retailer a tax by way of a "licence fee" – terms – implied term – whether term as to refund, by wholesaler to retailer, of "licence fee" in certain circumstances an implied term of contract – relevance of proposition that each party, if successful, stood to make a windfall gain – restitution – total failure of consideration – whether wholesaler undertook to perform particular obligation in consideration of payment to it by retailer of "licence fee" – unjust enrichment – nature of concept – whether retention of payments by wholesaler "unjust" in the absence of express or implied term requiring refund and of total failure of consideration – restitution – mistake – whether full amount payable by retailer to wholesaler, including "licence fee", due as a matter of contract – whether alleged mistake caused payment of "licence fee" TRUSTS – constructive trust – "personal" and "proprietary" constructive trusts – whether retailer paid "licence fees" to wholesaler in circumstances where constructive trust should be declared or imposed upon wholesaler in favour of retailer TRADE PRACTICES – conduct that is misleading or deceptive – whether alleged representation as to future matter made in wholesaler's invoice to retailers specifying an amount for "licence fee" WORDS AND PHRASES – "unjust enrichment" – "constructive trust" Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) s 51A and s52 Business Franchise Licences (Tobacco) Act 1987 (NSW) s 41(3) Ha v State of New South Wales (1997) 189 CLR 465 applied Walter Hammond & Associates Pty Ltd v State of New South Wales (1997) 189 CLR 465 applied Dennis Hotels Pty Ltd v The State of Victoria (1960) 104 CLR 529 cited Dickenson's Arcade Pty Ltd v The State of Tasmania (1974) 130 CLR 177 cited Phillip Morris Limited v The Commissioner of Business Franchises (Victoria) (1989) 167 CLR 399 cited Commissioner of State Revenue (Victoria) v Royal Insurance Australia Ltd (1994) 182 CLR 51 discussed Ling v Commonwealth of Australia (1994) 51 FCR 88 distinguished BP Refinery (Westernport) Pty Ltd v Shire of Hastings (1977) 180 CLR 266 applied Baltic Shipping Co v Dillon (1993) 176 CLR 344 applied Shirlaw v Southern Foundries (1926) Ltd [1939] 2 KB 206 cited Pavey & Mathews Pty Ltd v Paul (1987) 162 CLR 221 discussed David Securities Pty Ltd v Commonwealth Bank of Australia (1992) 175 CLR 353 applied Woolwich Equitable Building Society v Inland Revenue Commissioners [1993] AC 70 distinguished Hirst v Tolson (1850) 2 Mac & G 134 disapproved Muschinski v Dodds (1985) 160 CLR 583 distinguished Sabemo Pty Ltd v North Sydney Municipal Council [1977] 2 NSWLR 880 distinguished Barclays Bank Ltd v Quistclose Investments Ltd [1970] AC 567 referred to Re Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust; Lord v Commonwealth Bank of Australia (1991) 30 FCR 491 applied Giumelli v Giumelli (1999) 161 ALR 473 discussed 123 East Fifty‑Fourth Street, Inc v United States 157 F 2d 68 discussed Decorative Carpets, Inc v State Board of Equalization 373 P 2d 637 referred to Baumgartner v Baumgartner (1987) 164 CLR 137 distinguished Westdeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale v Islington London Borough Council [1996] AC 669 cited Commonwealth Quarries (Footscray) Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation (Cth) (1938) 59 CLR 111, cited Tanu Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation (Cth) (1999) 160 ALR 227, referred to Stephens v The Queen (1978) 139 CLR 315, referred to Maxitherm Boilers Pty Ltd v Pacific Dunlop Ltd [1998] 4 VR 559, cited Chattis Nominees Pty Ltd v Norman Ross Homeworks Pty Ltd (in Liq) (1992) 28 NSWLR 338, cited Hussey v Horne-Payne (1879) 4 App Cas 311, cited Howard Smith & Co Ltd v Varawa (1907) 5 CLR 68, cited Panorama Development (Guildford) Ltd v Fidelis Furnishing Fabrics Ltd [1971] 2 QB 711, cited Hospital Products Ltd v United States Surgical Corporation (1984) 156 CLR 41, cited Australian Broadcasting Corporation v XIVth Commonwealth Games Ltd (1988) 18 NSWLR 540, cited Hawkins v Clayton (1988) 164 CLR 539, cited Byrne v Australian Airlines Ltd (1995) 185 CLR 410, applied Fibrosa Spolka Akcyjna v Fairbairn Lawson Combe Barbour Ltd [1943] AC 32, applied Rugg v Minett (1809) 11 East 210, referred to Dimskal Shipping Co SA v International Transport Workers Federation [1992] 2 AC 152, considered Goss v Chilcott [1996] AC 788, cited Commonwealth v Ling (1993) 44 FCR 397, cited