Mie Force Pty Ltd v Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd [2024] NSWCA 23

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Mie Force Pty Ltd v Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd [2024] NSWCA 23 Hearing dates: 31 October 2023 Date of orders: 13 February 2024 Decision date: 13 February 2024 Before: Ward P at [1]; White JA and Kirk JA at [122] Decision: Appeal dismissed with costs. Catchwords: CONTRACTS – Construction – Interpretation – Construction of insurance contract – Whether appellant fell within definition of "Named Insured" in the Policy – Where appellant supplied labour to a sub-contractor undertaking demolition works for principal contractor – Whether "agent" in Policy bore the strict legal meaning of "agent" or more colloquial meaning of intermediary or someone who provides services for another – Whether as a sub-sub-contractor of principal contractor the appellant was a sub-contractor of the principal within the meaning of the policy – Whether appellant was an "agent" of the sub-contractor Legislation Cited: Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), s 50 Cases Cited: Allianz Australia Limited v Rawsons Homes Pty Ltd [2021] NSWCA 224 Australian Broadcasting Commission v Australasian Property Rights Association Ltd (1973) 129 CLR 99; [1973] HCA 36 Cherry v Steele-Park (2017) 96 NSWLR 548; [2017] NSWCA 295 Comalco Aluminum Ltd v Garraway Metals Pty Ltd (Full Federal Court of Australia, 8 December 1993, unrep) Electricity Generation Corporation v Woodside Energy Ltd (2014) 251 CLR 640; [2014] HCA 7 Falkiner v Commissioner of Stamp Duties [1973] AC 565 George 218 Pty Ltd v Bank of Queensland (No 2) (2016) 313 FLR 287; [2016] WASCA 182 GIO General Ltd v Centennial Newstan Pty Ltd [2014] NSWCA 13 International Harvester Co of Australia Pty Ltd v Carrigan's Hazeldene Pastoral Co (1958) 100 CLR 644; [1958] HCA 16 Kennedy v De Trafford [1897] AC 180 McMurray v AIG Insurance Limited [2018] WASC 144 Menz v Wagga Wagga Show Society Inc (2020) 103 NSWLR 103; [2020] NSWCA 65 Mie Force Pty Ltd v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2022] NSWSC 1606 NMFM Property Pty Ltd v Citibank Ltd (No 10) (2000) 107 FCR 207; [2000] FCA 1558 Petrofina (UK) Ltd v Magnaload Ltd [1984] QB 127 Phoenix Commercial Enterprises Pty Ltd v City of Canada Bay Council [2010] NSWCA 64 Rawson Homes Pty Ltd v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited [2020] NSWSC 1654 South Seas Drilling Co v Esso Australia Ltd (Supreme Court (Vic), Crockett AJC, O'Bryan and Vincent JJ, 21 September 1988, unrep) Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co Ltd v Hans Bo Kristian Holgersson trading as Holgerssons Complete Home Service [2019] WASCA 114 Texts Cited: Halsbury's Laws of England (4th ed), vol 1, Agency P Watts, W Bowstead and F M B Reynolds, Bowstead and Reynolds on Agency (22nd ed 2021, Sweet & Maxwell) The Interpretation of Contracts in Australia (2nd ed) Lewison & Hughes Category: Principal judgment Parties: Mie Force Pty Ltd (Appellant) Allianz Australia Insurance Limited (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: H Insall SC (Appellant) D Lloyd SC with C Coventry and J Hart (Respondent)