Mistrina Pty Ltd v Australian Consulting Engineers Pty Ltd [2020] NSWCA 223

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Mistrina Pty Ltd v Australian Consulting Engineers Pty Ltd [2020] NSWCA 223 Hearing dates: 14 August 2020 Date of orders: 24 September 2020 Decision date: 24 September 2020 Before: Macfarlan JA at [1]; Ward JA at [2]; Leeming JA at [105] Decision: 1. Appeal allowed with costs. 2. Cross-appeal dismissed with costs. 3. Set aside the orders made on 26 February 2020 and in lieu thereof order that judgment be entered in favour of the first appellant in the sum of $2,265,556 and in favour of the second appellant in the sum of $1,105,000. Catchwords: CONTRACTS — Misleading conduct under statute — Misleading or deceptive conduct — Representations — Loss — Causation and remoteness CONTRACTS — Misleading conduct under statute — Remedies — Measure of damages — Where loss of opportunity Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), s 5D Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW), s 109(1)(c) Misrepresentation Act 1967 (UK), s 2(1) Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth), s 52 Cases Cited: ABN AMRO Bank NV v Bathurst Regional Council (2014) 224 FCR 1; [2014] FCAFC 65 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Hellicar (2012) 247 CLR 345; [2012] HCA 17 Badenach v Calvert (2016) 257 CLR 440; [2016] HCA 18 Bennett v Talacko [2020] VSCA 99 Berry v CCL Secure Pty Ltd [2020] HCA 27 Boland v Yates Property Corporation Pty Ltd (1999) 74 ALJR 209; [1999] HCA 64 Caffey v Leatt-Hayter (No 3) [2013] WASC 348 Carr v Baker (1936) 36 SR (NSW) 301 Commissioner of Taxation (Cth) v St Helens Farm (ACT) Pty Ltd (1981) 146 CLR 336; [1981] HCA 4 Dawson v LNG Holdings Pty Ltd [2008] NSWSC 137 Digi-Tech (Aust) Ltd v Brand [2004] NSWCA 58 Doolan v Renkon Pty Ltd (2011) 21 Tas R 156; [2011] TASFC 4 Elias v Alloha Formwork & Construction Pty Ltd [2017] NSWSC 1546 Financial Ombudsman Services Ltd v Utopia Financial Services Ltd [2016] WASCA 55 Hampic Pty Ltd v Adams [1999] NSWCA 455 Henville v Walker (2001) 206 CLR 459; [2001] HCA 52 Ho v Powell (2001) 51 NSWLR 572; [2001] NSWCA 168 HTW Valuers (Central Qld) Pty Ltd v Astonland Pty Ltd (2004) 217 CLR 640; [2004] HCA 54 I & L Securities Pty Ltd v HTW Valuers (Brisbane) Pty Ltd (2002) 210 CLR 109; [2002] HCA 41 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1959] HCA 8 Jones v Great Western Railway Co (1930) 144 LT 194 Kenny & Good Pty Ltd v MGICA (1992) Ltd (1999) 199 CLR 413; [1999] HCA 25 Lithgow City Council v Jackson (2011) 244 CLR 352; [2011] HCA 36 Maritime Union of Australia v Fair Work Ombudsman [2015] FCAFC 120 Marks v GIO Australia Holdings Ltd (1998) 196 CLR 494; [1998] HCA 69 McCartney v Orica Investments Pty Ltd [2011] NSWCA 337 McLean Bros & Rigg Ltd v Grice (1906) 4 CLR 835; [1906] HCA 1 Munchies Management Pty Ltd v Belperio (1988) 58 FCR 274 Olympic Holdings Pty Ltd v Lochel [2004] WASC 61 Royscot Trust Ltd v Rogerson [1991] 2 QB 297; [1991] 3 All ER 294 Sellars v Adelaide Petroleum NL (1994) 179 CLR 332; [1994] HCA 4 Seltsam Pty Ltd v McGuiness (2000) 49 NSWLR 262; [2000] NSWCA 29 Siegwerk Australia Pty Ltd (in liq) v Nuplex Industries (Aust) Pty Ltd [2016] FCA 158 Smith New Court Securities Ltd v Scrimgeour Vickers (Asset Management) Ltd [1997] AC 254; [1996] 4 All ER 769 Stryke Corporation Pty Limited v Miskovic [2007] NSWCA 72 Travel Compensation Fund v Robert Tambree t/as R Tambree and Associates (2005) 224 CLR 627; [2005] HCA 59 Wardley Australia Ltd v Western Australia (1992) 175 CLR 514; [1992] HCA 55 Texts Cited: Jeannie Marie Paterson and Elise Bant, 'Misrepresentation, Misleading Conduct and Statute Through the Lens of Form and Substance' in Andrew Robertson and James Goudkamp (eds), Form and Substance in the Law of Obligations (2019, Hart Publishing) 403 Justice James Edelman, McGregor on Damages (20th ed, 2018, Thomson Reuters) Justice Mark Leeming, 'Statutory Interpretation as Private Law' in Prue Vines and M Scott Donald (eds), Statutory Interpretation in Private Law (2019, The Federation Press) 28 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Mistrina Pty Ltd (In Liquidation) (First Appellant/First Plaintiff) The Estate of Elias Sikos (Deceased) (Second Appellant/Second Plaintiff) Australian Consulting Engineers Pty Ltd (Respondent/Defendant) Representation: Counsel: M Christie SC with J Steele and R Thrift (Appellants/Plaintiffs) TW Marskell with A Emmerson (Respondent/Defendant)