Romero v Farstad Shipping (Indian Pacific) Pty Ltd (No 4) [2017] FCA 120

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Romero v Farstad Shipping (Indian Pacific) Pty Ltd (No 4) [2017] FCA 120 File number: TAD 72 of 2012

Judge: TRACEY J

Date of judgment: 20 February 2017

Catchwords: COSTS – applicant awarded nominal damages for breach of contract – settlement offers made by respondent in 2013 and 2014 – subsequent to both offers, claims including a claim part of subject proceeding settled by deed – consideration of whether applicant "successful", in light of award of nominal damages – whether settlement offers effective to enliven Pt 25 of the Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) or principles in Calderbank v Calderbank [1975] 3 All ER 333 – applicant not "successful" – offers not effective, in light of later execution of deed – award of costs on party/party basis from date of application of deed

Legislation: Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) Evidence Act 1995 (Cth), s 131(1), 131(2)(h) Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth), s 43 Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1992 (Cth), ss 3, 54(1), 58 Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth), rr 25.01(1), 25.14(1), 25.14(2), 25.14(3), 26.12(7)

Cases cited: Alexander v Australian Community Pharmacy Authority (No 2) [2010] FCA 467 Anchorage Capital Partners Pty Limited v ACPA Pty Limited (No 4) [2016] FCA 218 Anglo-Cyprian Trade Agencies Ltd v Paphos Wine Industries Ltd [1951] 1 All ER 873 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Australian Safeway Stores Pty Limited (No 3) [2002] FCA 1294 Beaumont v Greathead (1846) 135 ER 1039 at 1041; 2 CB 494 Calderbank v Calderbank [1975] 3 All ER 333 Colin R Price & Associates Pty Ltd v Four Oaks Pty Ltd (No 3) [2016] FCA 1031 Commonwealth of Australia v Gretton [2008] NSWCA 117 Computer Machinery Co Ltd v Drescher [1983] 1 WLR 1379 Gorst v Sydney Equine Coaches Pty Ltd [2016] FCA 1067 IFTC Broking Services Limited v Commissioner of Taxation [2010] FCAFC 31; 268 ALR 1 Marks v GIO Australia Holdings Ltd (No 2) (1996) 66 FCR 128 Motium Pty Ltd v Arrow Electronics Australia Pty Ltd (Supplementary Decision) [2011] WASCA 65 Nexus Minerals NL v Brutus Constructions Pty Ltd [1997] FCA 926 Pinot Nominees Pty Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (2009) 181 FCR 392 Rakic v Johns Lyng Insurance Building Solutions (Victoria) Pty Ltd (Trustee) (No 2) [2016] FCA 783 Romero v Farstad Shipping (Indian Pacific) Pty Ltd (2014) 231 FCR 403 Romero v Farstad Shipping (Indian Pacific) Pty Ltd (No 2) [2014] FCA 526 Romero v Farstad Shipping (Indian Pacific) Pty Ltd (No 2) [2015] FCAFC 26 Romero v Farstad Shipping (Indian Pacific) Pty Ltd (No 3) [2016] FCA 1453 Romero v Farstad Shipping (Indian Pacific) Pty Ltd [2014] FCA 439 Ruddock v Vardalis (No 2) (2001) 115 FCR 229 Skyy Spirits LLC v Lodestar Anstalt (No 2) [2015] FCA 575 State of New South Wales v Stevens (2012) 82 NSWLR 106 Tickell v Trifleska Pty Ltd (1990) 25 NSWLR 353 Veda Advantage Limited v Malouf Group Enterprises Pty Limited (No 2) [2016] FCA 470