Brose v Slade [2023] NSWSC 1025

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Brose v Slade [2023] NSWSC 1025 Hearing dates: 29-31 May; 1 and 14 June 2023 Decision date: 29 August 2023 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Lindsay J Decision: Upon conditions designed to accommodate financial adjustments serving the purpose of intergenerational succession planning of a farming family, a declaration and consequential orders are to be made for three of five disputed blocks of land to be transferred to the younger, by the older, generation of the family. Catchwords: EQUITY – Estoppel – Proprietary Estoppel – Estoppel by encouragement – Representations of future benefits – Expectations arising from representations – Conduct in reliance upon representations – Representors renounce any obligation to confer future benefits – Representees suffer detriment if departure from representations allowed – Unconscionability of departure from representations – Acceleration of expectations – Equitable remedy granted on conditions – Representees required to do equity Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 NSW Real Property Act 1900 NSW Succession Act 2006 NSW Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 NSW Cases Cited: Baumgartner v Baumgartner (1987) 164 CLR 137 Bijkerk Investments Pty Ltd v Bikic [2020] NSWSC 1336 Brose v Slade [2022] NSWSC 1785 Byrnes v Kendle (2011) 243 CLR 253 Clayton v Clayton [2023] NSWSC 399 Dillwyn v Llewelyn (1862) 45 ER 1285 Galati v Deans [2023] NSWCA 13 Giumelli v Giumelli (1999) 196 CLR 101 Green v Green (1989) 17 NSWLR 343 Kauter v Hilton (1953) 90 CLR 86 Plimmer v Mayor of Wellington (1884) 9 App Cas 699 Q (a pseudonym) v E Co (a pseudonym) [2020] NSWCA 220; 383 ALR 469 S&E Promotions Pty Ltd v Tobin Bros Pty Ltd (1994) 122 ALR 637 Shepherd v Doolan [2005] NSWSC 42 Sidhu v Van Dyke (2014) 251 CLR 505 The Commonwealth v Verwayen (1990) 170 CLR 394 Waltons Stores (Interstate) Ltd v Maher (1988) 164 CLR 387 DHJPM Pty Ltd v Blackthorn Resources Ltd (2011) 83 NSWLR 728 Texts Cited: Meagher, Gummow and Lehane, Equity: Doctrines and Remedies (LexisNexis Butterworths, Australia, 5th ed, 2015) PW Young, C Croft and ML Smith, On Equity (Lawbook Co, Sydney, 2009) Category: Principal judgment Parties: First Plaintiff: Kellie Lisa Brose Second Plaintiff: Garreth Owen Brose First Defendant: Bruce Roland Slade Second Defendant: Donna Maree Slade Third Defendant: IJAAMOTT Pty Ltd ACN 636037922 Representation: Counsel: