Equity Trustees Wealth Services Limited v Astill [2023] NSWSC 1209

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Equity Trustees Wealth Services Limited v Astill [2023] NSWSC 1209 Hearing dates: 7 June 2023 Date of orders: 11 October 2023 Decision date: 11 October 2023 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Richmond J Decision: See [76]–[78] parties to bring in short minutes of order to reflect these reasons. Catchwords: SUCCESSION — construction — general principles — presumption against intestacy SUCCESSION — construction — general principles — structure and scheme of will SUCCESSION — construction — use of extrinsic evidence — ambiguity on the face of the will SUCCESSION — construction and effect — validity of gift — conflicting instructions to executor Legislation Cited: Family Provision Act 1982 (NSW) Succession Act 2006 (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) Trustee Act 1925 (NSW) Real Property Act 1900 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Cases Cited: Betts v Connolly (1970) 120 CLR 417; [1970] HCA 18 Butlin v Butlin (1966) 113 CLR 353; [1966] HCA 4 Cobcroft v Bruce (2013) 9 ASTLR 397; [2013] NSWSC 774 De Lorenzo v De Lorenzo (2020) 104 NSWLR 155; [2020] NSWCA 351 Estate of Kallidis; Kallidis v Kallidis [2012] NSWSC 1485 Fairbairn v Varvaressos (2010) 78 NSWLR 577; [2010] NSWCA 234 Farrelly v Phillips (2017) 128 SASR 502, [2017] SASCFC 111 Fell v Fell (1922) 31 CLR 268; [1922] HCA 55 In re Harrison (1885) 30 Ch D 390 In re Solomon [1946] VLR 115 Marley v Rawlings [2015] AC 129, [2014] UKSC 2 Parry v Haisma [2012] NSWSC 290 Perrin v Morgan [1943] AC 399 Rawstron v Freud [2014] EWHC 2577 Re Bowen (deceased) [1965] VR 113 Re Doland's Will Trusts [1970] Ch 267 Re Michell (deceased) (1971) 2 SASR 312 at 320 Re Redfern (1877) 6 Ch D 133 Re Smith [1948] Ch 49 Re Whelan [1961] VR 706 Re Whitrick (deceased) [1957] 1 WLR 884 Tatham v Huxtable (1950) 81 CLR 639; [1950] HCA 56 Thomson v Thomson [2008] VSC 375 Towns v Wentworth (1858) XI Moore 526; 14 ER 794 Texts Cited: Alexander Learmonth QC et al, Theobold on Wills (Thomson Reuters, 19th ed, 2021) G E Dal Pont, Law of Succession (LexisNexis, 3rd ed, 2021) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Equity Trustees Wealth Services Limited (Plaintiff) Peter John Astill (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr H Morrison with Ms A Green (Plaintiff) Ms P Thew (Defendant)