McDonagh v Huxley (No. 4) [2021] NSWSC 987

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: McDonagh v Huxley (No. 4) [2021] NSWSC 987 Hearing dates: 26, 27, 28, 29 March 2018; 3, 4, 5, 6 April 2018; 8 May 2018; 20 June 2018; 20 August 2018; 13 December 2018; 5 March 2019; 27 September 2019 (and June 2020, resolution of personal costs orders) Date of orders: 05 August 2021 Decision date: 05 August 2021 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Lonergan J Decision: See par [557] Catchwords: CONSUMER LAW – unconscionable conduct – misleading and deceptive conduct TORTS – conversion – deceit – negligent misstatement Legislation Cited: Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth) Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth) Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW) Transfer of Land Act 1958 (Vic) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Cases Cited: Adler v Australian Securities and Investments Commission (2003) 179 FLR 1; [2003] NSWCA 131; Argy v Blunts (1990) 94 ALR 719; [1990] FCA 57 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336; [1938] HCA 34 Butcher v Lachlan Elder Realty Pty Ltd (2004) 218 CLR 592; [2004] HCA 60 Hedley Byrne & Co Ltd v Heller & Partners Ltd [1964] AC 465; [1963] 3 WLR 101; [1963] 2 All ER 575 In the Matter of Idylic Solutions Pty Ltd - Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Hobbs [2012] NSWSC 1276 In the Matter of McDonagh Management Pty Limited [2019] NSWSC 1099 In the Matter of ACN 063 346 708 (formerly known as South Passage Pty Limited) [2018] NSWSC 1709 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1959] HCA 8 Kakavas v Crown Melbourne Ltd (2013) 250 CLR 392; [2013] HCA 25 McDonagh v Huxley [2018] NSWSC 1316 McDonagh v Huxley (No 2) [2018] NSWSC 1317 McDonagh v Huxley (No 3) [2020] NSWSC 1181 Neat Holdings Pty v Karajan Holdings Pty Ltd (1992) 110 ALR 449; [1992] HCA 66 Morley v Australian Securities and Investments Commission (No 2) (2011) 83 ACSR 620; [2011] NSWCA 110; Paciocco v ANZ (2015) 236 FCR 199; 321 ALR 584; [2015] FCAFC 50; Polon v Dorian [2014] NSWSC 571 Schellenberg v Tunnel Holdings Pty Ltd (2000) 200 CLR 121; [2000] HCA 18 Tillett v Varnell Holdings Pty Ltd & Ors [2009] NSWSC 1040 Thorne v Kennedy (2017) 263 CLR 85; [2017] HCA 49 Tonto Home Loans Australia Pty Ltd v Tavares; Firstmac Ltd v Di Benedetto; Firstmac Ltd v O'Donnell [2011] NSWCA 3893 Turner v Windever [2005] NSWCA 73 Wu v Ling [2016] NSWCA 322 Yorke v Lucas (1985) 158 CLR 661; [1985] HCA 65 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Sharon McDonagh (First Plaintiff) McDonagh Management Pty Ltd (Second Plaintiff) Gregory Huxley (First Defendant) Vanessa Huxley (Second Defendant) Adam Huxley (Third Defendant) Rory McDonnell (Fourth Defendant) DIB Lawyers Pty Ltd (Fifth Defendant) James Edward Spencer (Sixth Defendant) Jeffrey Dougal Dawson (Seventh Defendant) Vangory Holdings Pty Ltd (Eighth Defendant) Vangory Services Pty Ltd (Ninth Defendant) Benitch Investments Pty Ltd (Tenth Defendant) Ghassan Dib (Eleventh Defendant) Representation: Counsel: R Goodridge; P Braham SC with R Goodridge on 13 December 2018 and 5 March 2019 (Plaintiffs)