Ausbao (286 Sussex Street) Pty Ltd v The Registrar General of New South Wales [2023] NSWCA 18

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Ausbao (286 Sussex Street) Pty Ltd v The Registrar General of New South Wales [2023] NSWCA 18 Hearing dates: 14 September 2022 Date of orders: 17 February 2023 Decision date: 17 February 2023 Before: Bell CJ at [1] Beech-Jones JA at [2] Mitchelmore JA at [109] Decision: (1) Appeal dismissed. (2) The Appellant pay the Respondent's costs of the Appeal. Catchwords: LAND LAW – Torrens title – compensation for loss of interest in land – Torrens assurance fund – circumstances in which compensation is not payable – where the loss or damage arises because of an error or miscalculation in the measurement of land – Real Property Act 1900 (NSW), s 129(2)(e) – where developer purchased land in the Sydney CBD for $55 million – where Deposited Plan referred to in the folios for four titles recorded total site area of the land as 1337.4m2 – where developer attributed considerable significance to the total site area in formulating the purchase price – developer subsequently discovered that true total site area of the land was 1255.9m2 – inaccurate statement of area in plan referred to in one of the folios caused by transposition errors by officers of the Registrar General in 1978 and 1995 – developer brought claim for compensation from the Torrens assurance fund – whether developer's loss arose because of an error or miscalculation in the measurement of land – whether "measurement" refers to the fact of an erroneous statement of the dimensions and area of land or merely an error in the process of determining the dimensions or area – where s 129(2)(e) was introduced for a remedial purpose – where Torrens register disclaims accuracy in respect of dimensions and areas of land – extent to which the loss or damage is a consequence of any act or omission by the claimant – Real Property Act 1900 (NSW), s 129(2)(a) – whether the Appellant's loss or damage was a consequence of its own act or omission – where the risk of an erroneous statement of area on Deposited Plan was real albeit rare – where potential adverse consequences of materialisation of that risk were severe for developer – whether s 129(2)(a) of the Real Property Act 1900 (NSW) establishes a regime for the apportionment of liability between claimant and Registrar General – s 129(2)(a) lacks reference to any process by which a court would undertake apportionment exercise – whether registration of Deposited Plan occurs in the execution or performance of Registrar General's functions or duties under the Real Property Act 1900 (NSW) – whether registration of Deposited Plan occurs in the operation of the Real Property Act 1900 (NSW) – where Registrar General is required to make a record of a description of land in a folio of the Register – Real Property Act 1900 (NSW), s 32(1)(a) WORDS AND PHRASES – "measurement" – Real Property Act 1900 (NSW), s 129(2)(e) Legislation Cited: Conveyancing (General) Regulation 2018 (NSW) Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW) Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1946 (NSW) Main Roads Act 1924 (NSW) Real Property Act 1900 (NSW) Real Property (Computer Register) Amendment Act 1979 (NSW) Real Property Amendment (Certificates of Title) Act 2021 (NSW) Real Property Amendment (Compensation) Act 2000 (NSW) Real Property and Conveyancing Legislation Amendment Act 2009 (NSW) Real Property Regulation 2019 (NSW) Real Property Act Regulation 1970 (NSW) Surveying and Spatial Information Act 2002 (NSW) Cases Cited: Alcan (NT) Alumina Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Territory Revenue (Northern Territory) (2009) 239 CLR 27; [2009] HCA 41 Ausbao (286 Sussex St) Pty Ltd v The Registrar-General of New South Wales [2021] NSWSC 1651 Challenger Managed Investments Ltd v Direct Money Corporation Pty Ltd (2003) 59 NSWLR 452; [2003] NSWSC 1072 Chandra v Perpetual Trustees Victoria Ltd [2007] NSWSC 694; (2007) 13 BPR 24,675 Chandra v Perpetual Trustees Victoria Ltd [2008] NSWSC 178; (2008) 123 BPR 25,259 Coulton v Holcombe (1986) 162 CLR 1; [1986] HCA 33 Gould v Vaggelas (1985) 157 CLR 215; [1985] HCA 75 Harrison v Melhem (2008) 72 NSWLR 380; [2008] NSWCA 67 HTW Valuers (Central Qld) Pty Ltd v Astonland Pty Ltd (2004)217 CLR 640; [2004] HCA 54 Kumar v Registrar-General of New South Wales [2021] NSWSC 1103; (2021) 20 BPR 41,609 Lincu v Registrar-General [2019] NSWSC 568; (2019) 19 BPR 39,351 March v E & MH Stramare Pty Ltd (1991) 171 CLR 506; [1991] HCA 12 Moneywood Pty Ltd v Salamon Nominees Pty Ltd (2001) 202 CLR 351; [2001] HCA 2 Podrebersek v Australian Iron and Steel Pty Ltd (1985) 59 ALJR 492; [1985] HCA 34 Potts v Miller (1940) 64 CLR 282; [1940] HCA 43 Sellars v Adelaide Petroleum NL; Poseidon Ltd v Adelaide Petroleum NL (1994) 179 CLR 332; [1994] HCA 4 Svanosio v McNamara (1956) 98 CLR 186; [1956] HCA 55 Sydney Seaplanes Pty Ltd v Page (2021) 106 NSWLR 1; [2021] NSWCA 204 Toteff v Antonas (1952) 87 CLR 647; [1952] HCA 16 Voudouris v Registrar-General (1993) 30 NSWLR 195 Wassell v Ken Carr Bobcat & Tipper Hire Pty Ltd [2021] NSWSC 1415; (2021) 159 ACSR 473 Texts Cited: New South Wales Legislative Council, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), 31 May 2000, Real Property Amendment (Compensation) Bill Category: Principal judgment Parties: Ausbao (286 Sussex Street) Pty Ltd (Appellant) The Registrar General of New South Wales (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Mr G Sirtes SC; Mr H Grace (Appellant) Mr R Lancaster SC; Mr H Altan (Respondent)