White Constructions Pty Ltd v PBS Holdings Pty Ltd [2020] NSWCA 277

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: White Constructions Pty Ltd v PBS Holdings Pty Ltd [2020] NSWCA 277 Hearing dates: 9-10 June 2020 Date of orders: 04 November 2020 Decision date: 04 November 2020 Before: Bell P at [1]; Leeming JA at [136]; White JA at [154] Decision: Appeal dismissed with costs. Catchwords: APPEAL – whether or not decision of primary judge based in part on demeanour findings – significance for standard of appellate review and intervention – where primary judge's decision was supported by contemporaneous documents – no basis for appellate interference with primary judge's findings of fact. CONTRACT – contractual interpretation – whether warranties in a multi-party deed were made in favour of all parties to the deed or only one party. Legislation Cited: State Owned Corporations Act 1989 (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) s 75A Sydney Water Act 1994 (NSW) ss 4, 12, 70, 73, 74, Div 9 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) r 31.54 Cases Cited: Boensch v Pascoe (2019) 94 ALJR 112; [2019] HCA 49 Fabre v Arenales (1992) 27 NSWLR 437 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118; [2003] HCA 22 Goodrich Aerospace Pty Ltd v Arsic (2006) 66 NSWLR 186; [2006] NSWCA 187 Lee v Lee (2019) 266 CLR 129; [2019] HCA 28 Masterton Homes Pty Ltd v Palm Assets Pty Ltd (2009) 261 ALR 382; [2009] NSWCA 234 Olsen v Olsen (2019) 101 NSWLR 225; [2019] NSWCA 278 Robinson Helicopter Co Inc v McDermott (2016) 90 ALJR 679; [2016] HCA 22 Wollongong Coal Ltd v Gujarat NRE India Pty Ltd (2019) 100 NSWLR 432; [2019] NSWCA 135 Texts Cited: H Bennett and Professor G Broe, "The civil standard of proof and the 'test' in Briginshaw: Is there a neurobiological basis to being 'comfortably satisfied'?" (2012) 86 ALJ 258 Category: Principal judgment Parties: White Constructions Pty Ltd (Appellant) PBS Holdings Pty Ltd (First Respondent) Illawarra Water & Sewer Design Pty Ltd (Second Respondent) Representation: Counsel: