Blackcitrus Pty Ltd (in liquidation) v Parramatta Rugby League Club Limited [2022] NSWSC 1329

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Blackcitrus Pty Ltd (in liquidation) v Parramatta Rugby League Club Limited [2022] NSWSC 1329 Hearing dates: 17 March 2022 Date of orders: 30 September 2022 Decision date: 30 September 2022 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Campbell J Decision: See [77] and [78] Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE – pleadings – striking out – no reasonable defence – tendency to cause embarrassment – where defence pleads contract void for illegality or a sham COSTS – security for costs – relevant factors – impecuniosity – whether the plaintiff's impecuniosity is attributable to the defendant's conduct – other relevant considerations Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 60, 100 Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), s 1335 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 140 Registered Clubs Act 1976 (NSW), ss 10, 57E, 57F Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 14.8, 14.14, 42.21 Cases Cited: Agar v Hyde (2000) 201 CLR 552; [2000] HCA 41 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336; [1938] HCA 34 Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union v Personnel Contracting Pty Ltd [2022] HCA 1; (2022) 96 ALJR 89 Equuscorp Pty Ltd v Glengallen Investments Pty Ltd (2004) 218 CLR 471; [2004] HCA 55 General Steel Industries Inc v Commissioner for Railways (NSW) (1964) 112 CLR 125; [1964] HCA 69 Harry Goudias Pty Ltd v Akakios (2007) 97 SASR 93; [2007] SASC 81 Ingot Capital Investments Pty Ltd v Macquarie Equity Capital Markets Ltd [2002] NSWSC 609 Jazabas Pty Ltd v Haddad [2007] NSWCA 291 Lewis v Condon (2013) 85 NSWLR 99; [2013] NSWCA 204 Nelson v Nelson (1995) 184 CLR 538; [1995] HCA 25 North v Marra Developments Limited (1981) 148 CLR 42; [1981] HCA 68 O'Brien v Bank of Western Australia Limited [2013] NSWCA 71 Official Assignee v Wilson [2008] 3 NZLR 45; [2007] NZCA 122 Spencer v The Commonwealth of Australia (2010) 241 CLR 118; [2010] HCA 28 Yango Pastoral Co Pty Ltd v First Chicago Australia Limited (1978) 139 CLR 410; [1978] HCA 42 Texts Cited: NC Seddon and RA Bigwood, Cheshire and Fifoot Law of Contract (11th ed, 2017, LexisNexis Butterworths) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Blackcitrus Pty Ltd (in liquidation) (Plaintiff) Parramatta National Rugby League Club Limited (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr AW Smith the Plaintiff Mr SJ Stanton with Mr DK Ratnam for the Defendant