Great Northern Developments Pty Ltd v Lane [2021] NSWCA 150

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Great Northern Developments Pty Ltd v Lane [2021] NSWCA 150 Hearing dates: 5 May 2021 Decision date: 21 July 2021 Before: Bathurst CJ at [1]; Leeming JA at [79]; Emmett AJA at [106] Decision: (1) Appeal allowed in part. (2) Set aside Order 1 of the orders made by the primary judge and in lieu thereof enter judgment for the plaintiff against the defendant in the sum of $126,097.13. (3) Order the appellant pay the respondent's costs of the appeal. Catchwords: APPEALS – right of appeal – scope of right – excess or lack of jurisdiction below – jurisdiction of the District Court – where there is a common law cause of action for money had and received APPEALS – right of appeal – scope of right – excess or lack of jurisdiction below – jurisdiction of the District Court – whether proceeding is for "relief against fraud of mistake" – District Court Act 1973 (NSW), s 134 CONTRACTS – breach of contract – consequences of breach – right to damages – where total failure of consideration CONTRACTS – termination – consequences of termination – restitutionary claims – where total failure of consideration JUDGMENTS AND ORDERS – interest – pre-judgment interest – rate applicable – where respondent succeeded on restitutionary claim – whether it was open to the primary judge to select the same rate of interest agreed to by the parties – Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 100 Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) District Court Act 1973 (NSW) District Courts Act 1858 (NSW) Law Reform (Law and Equity) Act 1972 (NSW) Cases Cited: Alati v Kruger (1955) 94 CLR 216; [1955] HCA 64 Anthony Hordern & Sons Ltd v Amalgamated Clothing and Allied Trades Union of Australia (1932) 47 CLR 1; [1932] HCA 9 Baltic Shipping Co v Dillon (1993) 176 CLR 344; [1993] HCA 4 Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Hadfield (2001) 53 NSWLR 614; [2001] NSWCA 440 David Securities Pty Ltd v Commonwealth Bank of Australia (1992) 175 CLR 353; [1992] HCA 48 Fistar v Riverwood Legion and Community Club Ltd (2016) 91 NSWLR 732; [2016] NSWCA 81 Franklins Pty Ltd v Metcash Trading Ltd (2009) 76 NSWLR 603; [2009] NSWCA 407 Hopkins v Governor-General of Australia [2013] NSWCA 365; 303 ALR 157 Lane v Great Northern Developments (District Court (NSW), Strathdee J, 16 February 2021, unrep Mann v Paterson Constructions Pty Limited (2019) 267 CLR 560; [2019] HCA 32 McCarthy v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (2013) 249 FCR 140; [2013] FCA 715 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs v B (2004) 219 CLR 365; [2004] HCA 20 Moses v Macferlan (1760) 2 Burr 1005 Nocton v Lord Ashburton [1914] AC 932 Re Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust; Lord v Commonwealth Bank of Australia (1991) 30 FCR 491 Re Culleton [2017] HCA 3; 91 ALJR 302 Re Wakim; Ex parte McNally (1999) 198 CLR 511; [1999] HCA 27 Roxborough v Rothmans of Pall Mall Australia Limited (2001) 208 CLR 516; [2001] HCA 68 Svanosio v McNamara (1956) 96 CLR 186; [1956] HCA 55 Texts Cited: J D Heydon, Heydon on Contract (2019, Thomson Reuters) W Gummow, "Moses v Macferlan: 250 years on" (2010) 84 ALJ 756 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Great Northern Developments Pty Ltd (Appellant) Dael Lane (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: S P Brennan (Appellant) E Peden SC with D J Townsend (Respondent)