Linkara Proprietary Ltd ATF the Karathanassis Family Trust v Telstra Corporation Ltd [2022] NSWDC 211

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Linkara Proprietary Ltd ATF the Karathanassis Family Trust v Telstra Corporation Ltd [2022] NSWDC 211 Hearing dates: 31 May 2022 Date of orders: 16 June 2022 Decision date: 16 June 2022 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Abadee DCJ Decision: See paragraph 183 Catchwords: CONTRACT – supply of telecommunications services – admitted breach by telco provider – whether loss or damage caused CONSUMER PROTECTION – whether plaintiff was a 'consumer' – Australian Consumer Law, s 3(3) – consideration of the price paid for services supplied under more than one contract – whether prices can be 'aggregated' for the purpose of considering the monetary threshold - whether purpose and/or result guarantee not complied with – whether non-compliance amounted to a 'major' non-compliance - whether limitation clause permitted by s 64A DAMAGES – construction and application of exclusion and limitation clauses – consideration of claim for compensation and damages for any non-compliance with consumer guarantee – Australian Consumer Law, ss 267(3)(b) and 267(4) LIMITATIONS OF ACTIONS – whether action for damages for breach of contract statute-barred – whether limitation period postponed by reason of mistake Legislation Cited: Australian Consumer Law ss 3, 60, 61, 62, 64, 64A, 236, 267, 268 Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) s 5B Competition and Consumer Regulations 2010 (Cth) r 100 Defamation Act 2005 (NSW) s 9 Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) s 80 Limitation Act 1969 (NSW) ss 14, 56, 63 Telecommunications (Customer Service Guarantee) Standard 2011 Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) s 51AC Treasury Laws Amendment (Acquisition as Consumer – Financial Thresholds) Regulations 2020 Cases Cited: Baltic Shipping Co v Dillon (1993) 176 CLR 344 Carr v J A Berriman Pty Ltd (1953) 89 CLR 327 Castle Constructions Pty Ltd v Fekala Pty Ltd (2006) 65 NSWLR 648 Commonwealth v Amann Aviation Pty Ltd (1991) 174 CLR 64 Darlington Futures Ltd v Delco Australia Pty Ltd (1986) 161 CLR 500 European Bank v Robb Evans of Robb Evans and Associates (2010) 240 CLR 432 Feletti v Koatoulas Pty Ltd [2000] NSWCA 59 Gacic v John Fairfax Publications [2005] NSWSC 1210 at [29]-[42] Gore v Montague Mining Pty Ltd [2001] ANZ Conv R 8 Hadley v Baxendale (1854) 156 ER at 151 Hawkins v Clayton (1986) 5 NSWLR 109 Hawkins v Clayton (1988) 164 CLR 539 Hillebrand v Council of the City of Penrith [2000] NSWSC 1058 Jefferson Ford Pty Ltd v Ford Motor Coy (2008) 167 FCR 372 Kirby v Sanderson (2002) 54 NSWLR 135 Larking v Great Western (Nepean) Gravel Ltd (in liq) (1940) 64 CLR 221 Moore v Scenic Tours (No.2) [2017] NSWSC 733 Moore v Scenic Tours Pty Ltd (2020) 268 CLR 326 Moore v Scenic Tours Pty Ltd (No.4) [2022] NSWSC 270 Phillips-Higgins v Harper [1954] 1 QB 411 Photo Production Ltd v Securicor Transport Ltd [1980] AC 827 Piening v Wanless (1968) 117 CLR 498 Placer (Granny Smith) Pty Ltd v Theiss Contractors Pty Ltd (2003) 196 ALR 257 Re F (2000) 161 FLR 189 Renshaw v NSW Lotteries Corporation [2018] NSWSC 1954 Schellenberg v Tunnel Holdings Pty Ltd (2000) 200 CLR 121 Seeley International Pty Ltd v Newtronics Pty Ltd (2002) Aust Contracts Rep Sellers v Adelaide Petroleum NL (1994) 179 CLR 332 Sheldon v McBeath (1993) Aust Torts Rep Sinclair v Registrar-General [2010] NSWSC 173 Tabet v Gett (2010) 240 CLR 537 Walker v Winborne (1976) 137 CLR 1 Texts Cited: G Dal Pont, Law of Limitation (2nd ed, 2021, LexisNexis electronic version) J Carter, "Exclusion of Liability for Consequential Loss" (2009) 25 JCL 118 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Linkara Pty Ltd as Trustee for the Karathanassis Family Trust (plaintiff) Telstra Corporation Limited (defendant) Representation: Mr L Karathanassis for the plaintiff (appearing with leave for the company) Ms A Ilic Counsel for the defendant File Number(s): 2020/00287807 Publication restriction: Nil