Donnelly v Kempsey Local Aboriginal Land Council [2021] NSWSC 1699

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Donnelly v Kempsey Local Aboriginal Land Council [2021] NSWSC 1699 Hearing dates: 5 and 6 October 2021. Last submissions on 14 October 2021. Date of orders: 13 December 2021 Decision date: 13 December 2021 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Henry J Decision: Judgment for the plaintiff on her amended statement of claim in the amount of $115,000, subject to compliance with orders made on 19 October 2021. Judgment for the defendant on its cross-claim in the amount of $800. See [294]. Catchwords: ESTOPPEL ­– Proprietary estoppel – where plaintiff undertook works on land on expectation that 99-year lease had been granted – where defendant took back possession of land – where statute prevents enforcement of plaintiff's expectation of leasehold interest in land – where plaintiff seeks value of improvements made to land which have increased over period of plaintiff's continuing trespass on subject land – whether equitable compensation available – quantification of relief ESTOPPEL – Anshun estoppel – where consent orders in earlier proceeding dismissed plaintiff claims for declarations and specific performance regarding agreement for lease – where further orders in earlier proceeding dismissed plaintiff's cross-claim for monetary relief on terms that did not prevent plaintiff claiming same relief in fresh proceedings – whether unreasonable for plaintiff not to bring present claims in earlier proceeding LAND LAW – Indigenous land rights – Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (NSW) – Dealings by Aboriginal Land Councils – where agreement for lease entered into in 1992 between plaintiff and Local Aboriginal Land Council void as not approved by New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council – whether void agreement for lease is subject to new land dealing provisions introduced in 2010 – whether plaintiff denied relief for equitable compensation or restitution by operation of s 42E(5) Legislation Cited: Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (NSW) (as currently in force), ss 3, 40, 40B, 40C, 40D, 40E, Sch 4 Part 9 cll 50, 51 Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (NSW) (as in force before 31 March 2010), ss 40 and 40B Aboriginal Land Rights Amendment Act 2001 (NSW) Aboriginal Land Rights Amendment Act 2009 (NSW) Cases Cited: ADCO Constructions Pty Ltd v Goudappel (2014) 254 CLR 1; [2014] HCA 18 Angelopoulos v Sabatino (1995) 65 SASR 1 Arfaras v Vosnakis [2016] NSWCA 65 Austin v Hornby [2011] NSWSC 1059 Austotel Pty Ltd v Franklins Self-Serve Pty Ltd (1989) 16 NSWLR 582 Australian Education Union v General Manager of Fair Work Australia (2012) 246 CLR 117; [2012] HCA 19 Baumgartner v Baumgartner (1987) 164 CLR 137; [1987] HCA 59 Commonwealth v Verwayen (1990) 170 CLR 394; [1990] HCA 39 Conference & Exhibition Organisers Pty Ltd v Johnson [2016] NSWCA 118 Crawley v Short [2009] NSWCA 410 Donnelly v Kempsey Local Aboriginal Land Council [2020] NSWSC 1548 Eden Local Aboriginal Land Council v NTSCORP Ltd [2010] FCA 745 Eden Local Aboriginal Land Council v NTSCORP Ltd [2010] FCA 745 Farah Constructions Pty Ltd v Say-Dee Pty Ltd (2007) 230 CLR 89; [2007] HCA 22 Fensom v Cootamundra Racecourse Reserve Trust [2000] NSWSC 1072 Giumelli v Giumelli (1999) 196 CLR 101; [1999] HCA 10) Grace Bros Pty Ltd v Willoughby Municipal Council (1980) 44 LGRA 400 Hill v Higgins [2012] NSWSC 270 Illawarra Local Aboriginal Land Council v Stewart [2016] NSWSC 125 Illawarra Local Aboriginal Land Council v Stewart [2016] NSWSC 125 Kation Pty Ltd v Lamru Pty Ltd; Lewis v Nortex Pty Ltd (in liq) [2009] NSWCA 145 Maxwell v Murphy (1957) 96 CLR 261; [1957] HCA 7 Meyers v Casey (1913) 17 CLR 90; [1913] HCA 50 Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act v NSW Aboriginal Land Council (2008) 237 CLR 285; [2008] HCA 48 Muschinski v Dodds (1985) 160 CLR 583; [1985] HCA 78 New South Wales v McMullin (1997) 73 FCR 246 North Sydney Council v Michael Standley & Associates Pty Ltd (1998) 43 NSWLR 468 Pavey & Matthews Pty Ltd v Paul (1987) 162 CLR 221; [2987] HCA 5 Port Stephens Shire Council v Tellamist Pty Ltd [2004] NSWCA 353 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355; [1998] HCA 28 Ramsden v Dyson (1866) LR 1 HL 129 Rhodes v Badenach [2000] TASSC 160 Riches v Hogben [1985] 2 Qd R 292 Rodway v The Queen (1990) 169 CLR 515; [1990] HCA 19 Sidhu v Van Dyke (2014) 251 CLR 505; [2014] HCA 19 Sullivan v Sullivan [2006] NSWCA 312 Tomlinson v Ramsey Food Processing Pty Ltd (2015) 256 CLR 507; [2015] HCA 28 Vacik Pty Ltd v Penrith City Council (Land and Environment Court (NSW), Stein J, 24 February 1992, unrep) Van den Berg v Giles [1979] 2 NZLR 111 Van Dyke v Sidhu [2013] NSWCA 198 Vehicle Monitoring Systems Pty Ltd v SARB Management Group Pty Ltd t/as Database Consultants Australia [2020] FCA 6 Vella v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd [2009] NSWSC 123 Victrawl Pty Ltd v Telstra Corp Ltd (1995) 183 CLR 595; [1995] HCA 51 Waltons Stores (Interstate) Ltd v Maher (1988) 164 CLR 387; [1988] HCA 7 Workers' Compensation Board of Queensland v Technical Products Pty Ltd (1988) 165 CLR 642; [1988] HCA 49 Texts Cited: J D Heydon, M J Leeming and P G Turner, Meagher, Gummow & Lehane's Equity Doctrine and Remedies (5th ed, 2014, LexisNexis Butterworths) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Lynette Joy Donnelly (Plaintiff/Cross-Defendant) Kempsey Local Aboriginal Land Council (Defendant/Cross-Claimant) Representation: Counsel: P Batley (Plaintiff/ Cross-Defendant) M Maconachie (Defendant/Cross-Claimant)