Oikos Constructions Pty Ltd t/as Lars Fischer Construction v Ostin & Anor (No 2) [2021] NSWCA 98

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Oikos Constructions Pty Ltd t/as Lars Fischer Construction v Ostin & Anor (No 2) [2021] NSWCA 98 Hearing dates: On the papers Date of orders: 20 May 2021 Decision date: 20 May 2021 Before: Basten JA at [1]; Macfarlan JA at [2]; White JA at [3] Decision: (1) Dismiss the respondents' amended notice of motion filed on 11 March 2021 with costs. (2) In relation to the costs of the proceedings below, order that subject to orders (3) and (4) below, the respondents pay 50% of the appellant's costs of the proceedings below. (3) The appellant pay the respondents' costs of the appellant's notice of motion filed on 8 February 2018 to amend its defence. (4) The respondents pay the appellant's costs of 14 February 2018 on the ordinary basis. Catchwords: COSTS — Party/Party — General rule that costs follow the event — Application of the rule and discretion — Multiple issues — Where award in favour of plaintiff substantially reduced on appeal — Where issue on which defendant succeeded on appeal both severable and dominant — Costs award should reflect the parties' degree of success — Impossibility of precisely assessing proportions of time spent and likely costs of different issues JUDGMENTS AND ORDERS — Amending, varying and setting aside — Costs order of appeal — Effect of entering or recording — Where notice of motion is not filed within 14 days of judgment being entered — Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 36.16(3A) —Whether court can dispense with the rule — Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 14 — Costs order not to be varied irrespective of whether there is power to do so Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 14, 98 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 18.2, 36.16, 36.17, 42.1, 42.35 Cases Cited: Aktas v Westpac Banking Corporation Ltd (No 2) (2010) 241 CLR 570; [2010] HCA 47 AT v Commissioner of Police, NSW (No 2) [2010] NSWCA 337 Aukuso v Tahan [No 2] [2018] NSWCA 302 Baker v Towle [2008] NSWCA 73 Bennette v Cohen (No 2) [2009] NSWCA 162 Boateng v Dharamdas [2019] NSWCA 233 Bostik Australia Pty Ltd v Liddiard (No 2) [2009] NSWCA 304 Bowen Investments v Tabcorp Holdings Ltd (No 2) [2008] FCAFC 107 Cellarit Pty Ltd v Cawarrah Holdings Pty Ltd (No 2) [2018] NSWCA 266 Coastwide Fabrication & Erection Pty Ltd v Honeysett (No 2) [2009] NSWCA 291 Corbett Court Pty Ltd v Quasar Constructions (NSW) Pty Ltd [2008] NSWSC 1423 Cretazzo v Lombardi (1975) 13 SASR 4 Deputy Commissioner of Taxation v Meredith (No 2) (2008) 75 NSWLR 462; [2008] NSWCA 133 Griffith v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (No 2) [2011] NSWCA 145 Griffiths v Boral Resources (Qld) Pty Ltd (No 2) (2006) 157 FCR 112; [2006] FCAFC 196 Habib v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (No 2) [2010] NSWCA 291 Hagerty v Hills Central Pty Ltd (No 2) [2018] NSWCA 279 Kable v State of New South Wales (No 2) [2012] NSWCA 361 Malouf v Prince (No 2) [2010] NSWCA 51 Myers v Defries (No 2) [1880] 5 Ex D 180 Oikos Constructions Pty Ltd t/as Lars Fischer Construction v Ostin & Anor [2020] NSWCA 358 Permanent Trustee Australia v FAI General Insurance Co (Supreme Court of NSW, Hodgson CJ in Eq 3 June 1998, unrep) Reid, Hewitt & Co v Joseph [1918] AC 717 Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW v Palmer (No 2) [2005] NSWCA 140 Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW v Refrigerated Roadways Pty Ltd (No 2) [2009] NSWCA 336 Short v Crawley (No. 40) [2008] NSWSC 1302 Category: Costs Parties: Ostin Constructions Pty Ltd t/as Lars Fischer Construction (Appellant) Katherine Ostin (First Respondent) Craig Shortus (Second Respondent) Representation: Counsel: J Doyle with I King (Appellant) P Bambagiotti (Respondents)