183 Eastwood Pty Ltd v Dragon Property Development & Investment Pty Ltd [2023] NSWCA 72

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: 183 Eastwood Pty Ltd v Dragon Property Development & Investment Pty Ltd [2023] NSWCA 72 Hearing dates: 17 February 2023 Date of orders: 19 April 2023 Decision date: 19 April 2023 Before: Bell CJ at [1]; Ward P at [2]; Leeming JA at [160] Decision: 1. Appeal dismissed with costs. Catchwords: EQUITY – Agency – Authority of agent – Ostensible authority – Representation by agent – Estoppel – Estoppel by representation – "Silence" – Where rogue altered the ASIC register and represented himself as sole director and shareholder of a company in his dealings with a third party – Where company directors became aware of the fraudulent alteration and took no steps to amend the ASIC register – 57 days after company directors became aware the rogue entered into a contract with a third party – Whether the company is bound by the rogue's dealings – Whether the failure to amend the ASIC register establishes estoppel by representation – Whether detriment suffered by third party caused by reliance on the relevant representation Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 56 Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), 128, 129, 175, 205B, 345A, 346A, 346C, 349A Evidence Act 1995 (Cth), s 87 Sale of Goods Act 1893 (Imp) Sale of Goods Act 1923 (NSW), s 26(1) Cases Cited: 183 Eastwood Pty Ltd v Dragon Property Development & Investment Pty Ltd [2022] NSWCA 195 Brick and Pipe Industries Ltd v Occidental Life Nominees Pty Ltd [1992] 2 VR 279 Calderbank v Calderbank [1975] 3 All ER 333 Commonwealth Homes Investment Co Ltd v Smith (1937) 59 CLR 443; [1937] HCA 73 Crabtree-Vickers Pty Ltd v Australian Direct Mail Advertising & Addressing Co Pty Ltd (1975) 133 CLR 72; [1975] HCA 49 Dragon Property Development & Investment Pty Ltd v 183 Eastwood Pty Ltd [2022] NSWSC 910 Dragon Property Development & Investment Pty Ltd v 183 Eastwood Pty Ltd (No 2) [2022] NSWSC 1000 Essington Investments Pty Ltd v Regency Property Pty Ltd [2004] NSWCA 375 Flexirent Capital Pty Ltd v EBS Consulting Pty Ltd [2007] VSC 158; (2007) 14 ANZ Ins Cas 61-732 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118; [2003] HCA 22 Freeman & Lockyer [1964] 2 QB 480 Greenwood v Martins Bank Ltd [1933] AC 51 Grundt v Great Boulder Proprietary Gold Mines Ltd (1937) 59 CLR 641; [1937] HCA 58 Haines Bros Earthmoving Pty Ltd v Rosecell Pty Ltd (2016) 92 NSWLR 47; [2016] NSWCA 112 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1959] HCA 8 Lee v Lee (2019) 266 CLR 129; [2019] HCA 28 Leonard v Lelasi (1987) 46 SASR 495 Low v Bouverie [1891] 3 Ch 82 Miller and Associates Insurance Broking Pty Ltd v BMW Australia Finance Ltd (2010) 241 CLR 357; [2010] HCA 31 Moorgate Mercantile Co Ltd v Twitchings [1977] AC 890 Mt Pleasant Stud Farm Pty Ltd v McCormick [2022] NSWCA 191 Northside Developments Pty Ltd v Registrar-General (1990) 170 CLR 146; [1990] HCA 32 Pacific Carriers Ltd v BNP Paribas (2004) 218 CLR 451; [2004] HCA 35 Re Jermyn Street Turkish Baths Ltd [1970] 3 All ER 57 Re Scottish Petroleum Co (1883) 23 ChD 413 Thomas Australia Wholesale Vehicle Trading Co Pty Ltd v Marac Finance Australia Ltd (1985) 3 NSWLR 452 Thompson v Palmer (1933) 49 CLR 507; [1933] HCA 61 Tobin v Broadbent (1947) 75 CLR 378; [1947] HCA 46 United Group Resources Pty Ltd v Calabro (No 5) [2011] FCA 1408 Wood v Inglis [2008] NSWSC 1147 Texts Cited: JD Heydon, MJ Leeming, PG Turner, Meagher, Gummow and Lehane's Equity: Doctrines & Remedies (2015, 5th ed, Lexis Nexis Butterworths) Professor Dal Pont, Law of Agency (4th ed, 2020) Category: Principal judgment Parties: 183 Eastwood Pty Ltd (Appellant) Dragon Property Development & Investment Pty Ltd (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: F Lim (Solicitor) (Appellant) AP Cheshire SC with A Rizk (Respondent)