Resolution Life Australasia Ltd v N. M. Superannuation Pty Ltd [2023] NSWSC 98

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Resolution Life Australasia Ltd v N. M. Superannuation Pty Ltd [2023] NSWSC 98 Hearing dates: 30 January – 1 February 2023; further written submissions received 6 and 7 February 2023 Date of orders: 16 February 2023 Decision date: 16 February 2023 Jurisdiction: Equity - Commercial List Before: Stevenson J Decision: On its proper construction, Contract 20555 does not prevent the defendant from engaging in the Request for Proposal tender process Catchwords: INSURANCE – life insurance – proper construction of contracts of insurance – whether the contracts contained implied term that defendant not hinder or prevent fulfilment of purposes of express promises made in the contract – whether the contract contained promise by defendant trustee to pay plaintiff insurer premiums – whether on their proper construction the contracts prevented defendant insurer from engaging in request for proposal process whereby it invited tenders for the insurance presently provided by the plaintiff insurer Legislation Cited: Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth) Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 (Cth) Cases Cited: Adaz Nominees Pty Ltd v Castleway Pty Ltd [2020] VSCA 201 Butt v M'Donald (1896) 7 QLJ 68 Byrne v Australian Airlines Ltd (1995) 185 CLR 410; [1995] HCA 24 Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Barker (2014) 253 CLR 169; [2014] HCA 32 Hoyt's Pty Ltd v Spencer (1919) 27 CLR 133; [1919] HCA 64 Manks v Whiteley [1912] 1 Ch 735 McVeigh v National Australia Bank Ltd (2000) 278 ALR 429; [2000] FCA 187 Mount Bruce Mining Pty Ltd v Wright Prospecting Pty Ltd (2015) 256 CLR 104; [2015] HCA 37 Nunn v Wily (2001) 10 BPR 18,983; [2001] NSWSC 317 Peters (WA) Ltd v Petersville Ltd (2001) 205 CLR 126; [2001] HCA 45 Secured Income Real Estate (Australia) Ltd v St Martins Investments Pty Ltd (1979) 144 CLR 597; [1979] HCA 51 Whiteley v Delaney [1914] AC 132 Texts Cited: P Herzfeld and T Prince, Interpretation (2nd ed, 2020, Thomson Reuters) W I B Enright and R M Merkin, Sutton on Insurance Law (4th ed, 2015, Thomson Reuters) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Resolution Life Australasia Limited (Plaintiff) N. M. Superannuation Proprietary Limited (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: G K J Rich SC with J Burnett (Plaintiff) T M Faulkner SC with D Klineberg (Defendant)