Commonwealth of Australia (Royal Australian Navy) v Sims [2021] NSWDC 690

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Commonwealth of Australia (Royal Australian Navy) v Sims [2021] NSWDC 690 Hearing dates: 3, 4 November 2021 Date of orders: 19 November 2021 Decision date: 19 November 2021 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: R. J. Weber SC DCJ Decision: (1) Judgment and verdict for the plaintiff in the sum of $316,032.13. (2) Interest thereon at the rates pertaining from time to time pursuant to section 100 of the Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW). (3) The defendant is to pay the plaintiff's costs. Catchwords: Mistaken Payments – Payments made by the Commonwealth to a former member of the Royal Australian Navy after separation – Auckland Harbour Principle – whether the Auckland Harbour Principle is a separate form of a restitutionary claim Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) Limitation Act 1969 (NSW) Cases Cited: Attorney-General v Gray [1977] 1 NSWLR 406 Auckland Harbour Board v R [1924] A.C. 318 Blatch v Archer (1774) 1 Cowp 63 British Railways Board v Herrington [1972] AC 877 Commonwealth of Australia v Burns [1971] VR 825 at 827 Commonwealth v Crothall Hospital Services (Aust) Ltd (1981) 36 ALR 567; 54 FLR 439 Commonwealth v Davies Samuel Pty Ltd and Others (no 7) (2013) 244 FLR 1 Coshott v Lenin [2007] NSWCA 153 Cullen v Welsbach Light Co of Australasia Ltd (1907) 4 CLR 990 at 1002 Insurance Commissioner v Joyce (1948) 77 CLR 39 Jones v Dunkel (1958) 101 CLR 298 Pavey & Matthews Pty Ltd v Paul (1987) 162 CLR 221 Texts Cited: Mason and Carter's Restitution Law in Australia Category: Principal judgment Parties: The Commonwealth of Australia (Royal Australian Navy) (Plaintiff) Jeremy Mark Sims (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr Robertson for the Plaintiff Mr Duggan for the Defendant