Kennedy Civil Contracting Pty Ltd (subject to a Deed of Company Arrangement) v Total Construction Pty Ltd [2023] NSWDC 325

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Kennedy Civil Contracting Pty Ltd (subject to a Deed of Company Arrangement) v Total Construction Pty Ltd [2023] NSWDC 325 Hearing dates: 9, 10 August 2023 Date of orders: 18 August 2023 Decision date: 18 August 2023 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Abadee DCJ Decision: See paragraph 165 Catchwords: BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION – whether a sub-contractor's claim for payment constituted a valid 'payment claim' – Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 (NSW), s 13 – whether claim properly characterised as a 'letter of demand' (only) – whether multiple claims – whether sub-contractor engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct or committed an abuse of process – relevance of contractual requirements for progress claims to assessment of statutory requirements under s 13 CIVIL PROCEDURE – anticipatory stay application in the event subcontractor obtains judgment for statutory debt – subcontractor concedes serious issues to be tried from contractor's muted claim - significance of Deed of Company Arrangement providing for proceeds from judgment being held on trust Legislation Cited: Australian Consumer Law ss 236, 237, 243 Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 (NSW) ss 5, 11, 13, 14, 15, 34, 112 Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) s 67 Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) ss 444D, 444E Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) r 14.4 Cases Cited: A-Civil Aust Pty Ltd v Meso Solutions Pty Ltd [2023] NSWSC 372 Alan Conolly and Co v Commercial Indemnity [2005] NSWSC 339 Apollo Shower Screens Pty Ltd v Building and Construction Industry Long Service Payments Corporation (1985) 1 NSWLR 561 ASIC v Lawrenson Light Metal Die Casting Pty Ltd (1999) 158 FLR 307 Beckhaus v Brewarrina Council [2002] NSWSC 960 Bitannia Pty Ltd v Parkline Constructions Pty Ltd (2006) 67 NSWLR 9 Blatch v Archer (1774) 1 Cowp 63; 98 ER 969 Ceerose Pty Ltd v A-Civil (Aust) Pty Ltd [2022] NSWSC 1487 Civil v Meso Solutions Pty Ltd [2023] NSWSC 372 Clarence Street Pty Ltd v Isis Projects Pty Ltd [2005] NSWCA 391 Fernandes Constructions v Tahmoor Coal (t/as Centennial Coal) [2007] NSWSC 381 Grosvenor Constructions (NSW) Pty Ltd (in admin) v Musico [2004] NSWSC 344 Hakea Holdings Pty Ltd v Denham Constructions Pty Ltd [2016] NSWSC 1120 Isis Projects Pty Ltd v Clarence Street Pty Ltd [2004] NSWSC 714 John Beevor (Aust) Pty Ltd v Paper Australia Pty Ltd [2019] VSC 126 John Holland Pty Ltd v RTA (NSW) [2007] NSWCA 19 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Kennedy Civil Contracting Pty Ltd (Administrators appointed) v Richard Crookes Construction Pty Ltd [2023] NSWSC 99 Marques Group Pty Ltd v Parkview Constructions Pty Ltd [2023] NSWSC 625 MGW Engineering Pty Ltd t/as Forefront Services v CMOC Mining Pty Ltd [2021] NSWSC 514 Modog Pty Ltd v ZS Constructions (Queenscliff) Pty Ltd [2019] NSWSC 1743 Multiplex Constructions Pty Ltd v Luikens [2003] NSWSC 1140 Nepean Engineering Pty Ltd v Total Process Services Pty Ltd (in liq) (2005) 64 NSWLR 462 Pacific General Securities Ltd v Solimon & Sons Pty Ltd [2005] NSWSC 378 Paul Michael Pty Ltd v Urban Traders Pty Ltd [2010] NSWSC 1246 Piety Constructions Pty Ltd v Megacrane Holdings Pty Ltd [2023] NSWSC 309 Probuild Constructions (Aust) Pty Ltd v Shade Systems Pty Ltd (2018) 264 CLR 1 Seymour White Constructions Pty Ltd v Ostwald Bros Pty Ltd (2019) 99 NSWLR 317 Southern Han Breakfast Point Pty Ltd (in liq) v Lewence Construction Pty Ltd (2016) 260 CLR 340 Style Timber Floor Pty Ltd v Krivosudsky [2019] NSWCA 171 Thiess Pty Ltd & Anor v Lane Cove Tunnel Nominee Company Pty Ltd [2009] NSWSC 53 Traderight (NSW) Pty Ltd v Bank of Queensland Ltd [2015] NSWCA 94 Veolia Water Solutions v Kruger Engineering (No.3) [2007] NSWSC 459 Texts Cited: Nil Category: Principal judgment Parties: Kennedy Civil Contracting Pty Ltd (subject to a Deed of Company Arrangement) (plaintiff) Total Construction Pty Ltd (defendant) Representation: Counsel: Dr AJ Greinke with Mr P Hick for the plaintiff Mr D Weinberger for the defendant