Cooper v The Owners – Strata Plan No 58068 [2020] NSWCA 250

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Cooper v The Owners – Strata Plan No 58068 [2020] NSWCA 250 Hearing dates: 23 September 2020 Decision date: 12 October 2020 Before: Basten JA at [1]; Macfarlan JA at [75]; Fagan J at [83] Decision: (1) Grant the applicants leave to appeal from the decision of the Appeal Panel of NCAT given on 27 May 2020. (2) Direct that the applicants file, within 7 days of these orders, the draft notice of appeal contained in the white folder. (3) Subject to compliance with order (2), allow the appeal and set aside orders (1)-(6) made by the Appeal Panel. (4) Order that the respondent pay the applicants' costs in this Court. Catchwords: LAND LAW – strata schemes – by-laws – scope of subject-matter – purposive limits to the power to make by-laws – Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW), s 136(1) LAND LAW – strata schemes – by-laws – restrictions on by-laws – requirement that by-law not be harsh, unconscionable or oppressive – whether by-law imposing blanket prohibition on keeping animals contravenes provision – Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW), s 139(1) STATUTORY INTERPRETATION – use of dictionaries – whether three words comprise a composite statutory criterion WORDS AND PHRASES – "harsh, unconscionable or oppressive" – Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW), s 139(1) Legislation Cited: Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013 (NSW), ss 80, 83 Contracts Review Act 1980 (NSW), ss 4, 7, 9 Industrial Relations Act 1996 (NSW), s 84 Police Act 1990 (NSW), s 181E Retirement Villages Act 1999 (NSW), ss 54, 134 Strata Schemes Development Act 2015 (NSW), s 4 Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW), ss 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 135, 136, 137, 137A, 139, 141, 142, 148, 150, 153, 157, 158, 246, 253; Pt 8 Strata Schemes Management Regulation 2016 (NSW), Sch 3 Cases Cited: ADCO Constructions Pty Ltd v Goudappel (2014) 254 CLR 1; [2014] HCA 18 Ainsworth v Albrecht (2016) 261 CLR 167; [2016] HCA 40 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Kobelt (2019) 93 ALJR 743; [2019] HCA 18 Buck v Bavone (1976) 135 CLR 110; [1976] HCA 24 Byrne v Australian Airlines Ltd (1995) 185 CLR 410; [1995] HCA 24 Carr v Western Australia (2007) 232 CLR 138; [2007] HCA 47 Casuarina Rec Club Pty Ltd v The Owners – Strata Plan 77971 (2011) 80 NSWLR 711; [2011] NSWCA 159 Eclairs Group Ltd v JKX Oil and Gas plc [2016] 3 All ER 641 Hope v Bathurst City Council (1980) 144 CLR 1; [1980] HCA 16 Houghton v Immer (No 155) Pty Ltd (1997) 44 NSWLR 46 In the matter of Jimmy's Recipe Pty Ltd (No 2) [2020] NSWSC 632 Owners – Strata Plan No 58068 v/ats Cooper [2019] NSWCATCD 62 Paciocco v ANZ Banking Group Ltd (2015) 236 FCR 199; [2015] FCAFC 50 Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd v Khoshaba [2006] NSWCA 41 Project Blue Sky v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355; [1998] HCA 28 South Western Sydney Local Health District v Gould (2018) 97 NSWLR 513; [2018] NSWCA 69 Sydney Diagnostic Services Pty Ltd v Hamlena Pty Ltd (1991) 5 BPR 11,432 TAL Life Ltd v Shuetrim (2016) 91 NSWLR 439; [2016] NSWCA 68 The Owners – Strata Plan No 55773 v Roden; Spiers v The Owners – Strata Plan No 77953 [2020] NSWCATAP 95 Westfield Management Ltd v Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd (2007) 233 CLR 528; [2007] HCA 45 White v Betalli (2007) 71 NSWLR 381; [2007] NSWCA 243 Texts Cited: C Sherry, Strata Title Property Rights – Private Governance of Multi-owned Properties (Routledge, 2017) F Callaway, Winding up on the just and equitable ground, (Law Book Co., 1978) P Harpur, "Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Australian Anti-Discrimination Laws: What Happened to the Legal Protections for People Using Guide or Assistance Dogs?" (2010) 29 U. Tas. L. Rev. 49 P Sales, "Use of Powers for Proper Purposes in Private Law" (2020) 136 LQR 384 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Johanna Anwar Cooper (First Applicant) Leo Bernard Cooper (Second Applicant) The Owners – Strata Plan No 58068 (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: C R C Newlinds SC / R J Pietriche (Applicants) G A Sirtes SC / L M Johnston (Respondent) Solicitors: Bartier Perry (Applicants) DEA Lawyers (Respondent) File Number(s): 2020/187160 Decision under appeal Court or tribunal: NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal Jurisdiction: Appeal Panel Citation: [2020] NSWCATAP 96 Date of Decision: 27 May 2020 Before: Armstrong J, President M Harrowell, Deputy President File Number(s): AP 19/55887