Ratcliffe v Horizon Glass & Aluminium Pty Ltd [2023] NSWSC 196

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Ratcliffe v Horizon Glass & Aluminium Pty Ltd [2023] NSWSC 196 Hearing dates: 2 March 2023 Date of orders: 10 March 2023 Decision date: 10 March 2023 Jurisdiction: Equity - Technology and Construction List Before: Rees J Decision: Adjudication determination quashed. Catchwords: SECURITY OF PAYMENT ACT – jurisdictional error – whether construction contract existed between parties – principles at [4]-[7] – plaintiff is director of company – whether construction contract with plaintiff or company – contract with company – exercise of discretion to quash at [87] – adjudication determination void. CONTRACTS — when contract is formed – ascertaining parties to contract – principles at [70]-[73]. MISTAKE — unilateral mistake — mistake as to identity in the absence of fraud — principles at [80]-[84] — does not give rise to a construction contract between plaintiff and defendant. Legislation Cited: Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 (NSW) ss 7, 8 Cases Cited: Blackmore Design Group Pty Ltd v Mudge (2006) 4 DCLR(NSW) 30; [2006] NSWDC 160 Boulton v Jones (1857) 27 LJ Ex 117 Brambles Holdings Ltd v Bathurst City Council (2001) 53 NSWLR 153 Brodyn Pty Ltd v Davenport (2004) 61 NSWLR 421 at 441; [2004] NSWCA 394 Cundy v Lindsay (1878) 3 App Cas 459 Fifty Property Investments Pty Ltd v Barry O'Mara & Anor (2007) 23 BCL 35; [2006] NSWSC 428 Integrated Computer Services Pty Ltd v Digital Equipment Corp (Aust) Pty Ltd (1988) 5 BPR 11,110 IWD No 2 Pty Ltd v Level Orange Pty Ltd [2012] NSWSC 1439 Lewis v Averay [1972] 1 QB 198 MacMilllan v Mumby [2006] NSWCA 74 Mills v Walsh [2022] NSWCA 255 Nazero Group Pty Ltd v Top Quality Construction Pty Ltd [2015] NSWSC 232 Papas v Bianca Investments Pty Ltd [2002] SASC 190 Pethybridge v Stedikas Holdings Pty Ltd [2007] NSWCA 154 Probuild Constructions (Aust) Pty Ltd v Shade Systems Pty Ltd (2018) 264 CLR 1; [2018] HCA 4 Shogun Finance Ltd v Hudson [2004] 1 AC 919 Southdown Publications Pty Ltd v ACP Magazines Pty Ltd (2003) 60 IPR 367; [2003] NSWCA 347 Vassallo v Haddad Import & Export Pty Ltd (2004) 2 DCLR (NSW) 123 Watson v Foxman (1995) 49 NSWLR 315 Texts Cited: John Cartwright, Misrepresentation, Mistake and Non-Disclosure, 6th Edition (2022) JW Carter, Contract Law in Australia, 7th edition (2018) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Brendan Ratcliffe (Plaintiff) Horizon Glass & Aluminium Pty Ltd (First Defendant) David Anderson (Second Defendant – submitting appearance) Representation: Counsel: Mr JJ Young / Ms A Lim (Plaintiff) Mr P Rodionoff (First Defendant)