Willcocks v Croft [2021] NSWSC 1610

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Willcocks v Croft [2021] NSWSC 1610 Hearing dates: 3-4 August 2021 Date of orders: 10 December 2021 Decision date: 10 December 2021 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Harrison AsJ Decision: The Court orders: (1) The defendants' notice of motion dated 10 July 2020 seeking summary dismissal is dismissed. (2) The plaintiff's notice of motion dated 12 November 2019 seeking to file the proposed second further amended statement of claim is granted. (3) The second further amended statement of claim is to be filed and served within 14 days (24 December 2021). (4) The sixth and seventh defendants are to pay the plaintiff's costs of their notice of motion filed 10 July 2020 and, the plaintiff should pay the defendants' costs thrown away by reason of the amendments. Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE - PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 13.4(1) and 50.16A – Application for dismissal – Whether proceedings frivolous or vexatious – Limitation Act 1969 (NSW), s 55 – Whether claims in the new pleading are statute barred – Whether claim is arguable – Dismissed Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) ss 64-65 Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (Cth) Div 124 Limitation Act 1969 (NSW) s 14, 55 Tax Assessment Act 1936 (Cth) ss 6, 44 and 45B Taxation Administration Act 1953 (Cth) Pt IVC Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) s 82 Uniform Civil Procedures Rules 2005 (NSW) rr 13.4, 14.28 Cases Cited: ACN 092 745 330 Pty Ltd [2018] NSWSC 1185 Agar v Hyde (2000) 201 CLR 552; HCA 41 AJG Pty Ltd v Mobile Communications Systems Pty Ltd [2015] VSCA 231 Almona Pty Ltd v Parklea Corporation Pty Ltd [2019] NSWSC 1868 Argyropoulos v Layton [2002] NSWCA 183 Banks v Alphatise Pty Ltd [2014] NSWSC 1437 Banque Commerciale SA En Liquidation v Akhill Holdings Ltd [1990] HCA 11; (1990) 169 CLR 279 BCI Finances Ply Ltd (in liq) v Binetter (No 4) (2016) 117 ACSR 18 Beach Petroleum NL v Johnson (1993) 115 ALR 411 Beach Petroleum NL v Kennedy (1999) 48 NSWLR 1 Blazai Pty Ltd & Ors v John Palasty [2009] NSWSC 50 Brimson v Rocla Concrete Pipes Ltd [1982] 2 NSWLR 937 Christie v Purves [2007] NSWCA 182 Clifton v Keyy J Investments Pty Ltd tlas Clenergy [2020] FCAFC 5; 379 ALR 593 Clifton v Keyy J Investments Pty Ltd tlas Clenergy [2020] FCAFC 5; 379 ALR 593 Clurname Pty Limited v McGraw-Hill Financial, Inc [2017] FCA 1319 Commonwealth v Cornwell (2007) 229 CLR 519 D'Agostino v Anderson [2012] NSWCA 443 Dey v Victorian Railway Commissioners (1949) 78 CLR 62 Esanda Finance Corporation Ltd v Peat Marwick Hungerfords (1997) 188 CLR 24 General Steel Industries Inc v Commissioner for Railways (NSW) (1964) 112 CLR 125 Gerace v Auzhair Supplies Pty Ltd (2014) 87 NSWLR 435 Hall v Poolman (2007) 65 ACSR 123 Hamilton v Kaljo (1987) 17 NSWLR 381 Hawkins v Clayton (1988) 164 CLR 539 Larking v Great Western (Nepean) Gravel Ltd (in liq) [1940] HCA 37; 64 CLR 221 Lee v Travers [2009] NSWSC 398 Lewis Securities v Carter (2018) 355 ALR 703 Loulach Developments Pty Ltd v Roads and Maritime Services [2019] NSWSC 438 Magill v Magill (2006) 226 CLR 551 Peter David and Ors v Halliday Financial Management Pty Ltd & Ors [2014] NSWSC 1371 Preston v Star City Pty Ltd [1999] NSWSC 1273 Segal v Fleming [2002] NSWCA 262 Seymour v Seymour (1996) 40 NSWLR 358 Sze Tu v Lowe (2014) 89 NSWLR 317 Wardley Australia Ltd v the State of Western Australia (1992) HCA 55; 175 CLR 514 Webster v Lampard (1993) 177 CLR 598 Texts Cited: Peter Cane, Tort Law and Economic Interests, (1991, Oxford University Press) Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Mark Willocks (Plaintiff) Bernard Croft (First Defendant) Croft Gooden Partners Pty Limited (Second Defendant) Gooden & Co Pty Lmited (Third Defendant) M Duggan & Associates Pty Limted (Fourth Defendant) Croft's CA Pty Limited (Fifth Defendant) Deloitte Tax Services Pty Limited (Sixth Defendant) Joshua Cardwell (Seventh Defendant) Representation: Counsel: A J McInerney SC with D Barnett (Plaintiff) D Williams SC with A Horvath (Sixth and Seventh Defendants)