Cheng v Motor Yacht Sales Australia Pty Ltd t/as The Boutique Boat Company [2022] NSWCA 118

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Cheng v Motor Yacht Sales Australia Pty Ltd t/as The Boutique Boat Company [2022] NSWCA 118 Hearing dates: 28 June 2022 Date of orders: 06 July 2022 Decision date: 06 July 2022 Before: Bell CJ at [1]; Ward P at [34]; Basten AJA at [35] Decision: Application for leave to appeal dismissed with costs. Catchwords: APPEALS – leave to appeal – principles governing – monetary threshold – whether application identified issue of principle, question of public importance or reasonably clear injustice – where Parliament intended that matters involving relatively small amounts in issue should not come before the Court of Appeal as of right – where there is need for proportionality between value of matter and costs of proceedings CIVIL PROCEDURE – Court of Appeal – leave to appeal – monetary threshold – whether application identified issue of principle, question of public importance or reasonably clear injustice – where Parliament intended that matters involving relatively small amounts in issue should not come before the Court of Appeal as of right – where there is need for proportionality between value of matter and costs of proceedings Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) s 60 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) s 101(2) Cases Cited: Banque Commerciale SA (en liq) v Akhil Holdings Ltd (1990) 169 CLR 279; [1990] HCA 11 Be Financial Pty Ltd as trustee for Be Financial Operations Trust v Das [2012] NSWCA 164 Berry v Nicholls [2016] NSWCA 272 Burrows v Macpherson & Kelley Lawyers (Sydney) Pty Ltd [2021] NSWCA 148 Carolan v AMF Bowling Pty Ltd t/as Bennetts Green Bowl [1995] NSWCA 69 Condensing Vaporisers Aust Pty Ltd t/as RJ Tinker & Son v FDC Construction & Fitout Pty Ltd (No 2) (2014) 86 NSWLR 360; [2014] NSWCA 89 Daily Examiner Pty Ltd v Mundine; Brown v Mundine [2011] NSWCA 126 Fox v Wood (1981) 148 CLR 438; [1981] HCA 41 Gaynor v Attorney General for New South Wales (2020) 102 NSWLR 123; [2020] NSWCA 48 Gurr v Robinson (Court of Appeal (NSW), 10 February 1986, unrep) Jaycar Pty Limited v Lombardo [2011] NSWCA 284 M & L Watson Pty Ltd t/as BBR Designs v Rilsung Pty Ltd [2003] NSWCA 36 PPK Willoughby Pty Ltd v Baird [2019] NSWCA 48 Ritson v Commissioner of Police, New South Wales Police Force [2019] NSWCA 106 Secretary, Department of Family and Community Services v Smith (2017) 95 NSWLR 597; [2017] NSWCA 206 The Age Company Ltd v Liu (2013) 82 NSWLR 268; [2013] NSWCA 26 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Mr Jian Ling Cheng (Applicant) Motor Yacht Sales Australia Pty Ltd t/as The Boutique Boat Company (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: