Campbell v Tran [2024] NSWSC 204

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Campbell v Tran [2024] NSWSC 204 Hearing dates: 30-31 January, 1 February 2024 Date of orders: 06 March 2024 Decision date: 06 March 2024 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Meek J Decision: Findings made in favour of the plaintiffs — parties to bring in short minutes of order. Catchwords: CONSUMER LAW — First plaintiff embarks upon a career change and engages in training to qualify as a mortgage broker — First plaintiff claims first defendant arranged for mentoring of the first plaintiff — First plaintiff claims the first defendant made ownership and investment representations regarding a mortgage broking business (MAP Business) and induced the first plaintiff and his wife (the second plaintiff) to sell properties and transfer proceeds to the first defendant based on a promise of a 50% interest in the mortgage broking business, which were misleading and deceptive in that the first defendant had no such interest to sell — Other claims in relation to breach of mentoring agreement and sales and marketing promises CONSUMER LAW — Misleading or deceptive conduct — Discussion regarding the operation of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) as a law of the Commonwealth and as a State "application" law — Discussion of s 6(3)(a) of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) (CCA) — CCA extends the operation of s 18 of the ACL (in addition to certain other parts of the ACL) to persons who are not corporations where the impugned conduct involves the use of postal, telegraphic or telephonic services — The expression "postal, telegraphic or telephonic services" extends to conduct involving the use of the internet CONSUMER LAW — Misleading or deceptive conduct — Measure of damages — ACL, sections 18 and 236(1) UNREPRESENTED LITIGANTS — Content of procedural fairness PLEADINGS — Discussion (obiter) of pleading of claims in fraud and restitution TRUSTS — Discussion (obiter) regarding intention to create a trust and claims involving Quistclose trusts Legislation Cited: Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) Fair Trading Act 1987 (NSW) Jurisdiction of Courts (Cross-vesting) Act 1987 (Cth) Jurisdiction of Courts (Cross-vesting) Act 1987 (NSW) Cases Cited: Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd v Westpac Banking Corp (1988) 164 CLR 662; [1988] HCA 17 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Jutsen (No 3) (2011) 206 FCR 264; [2011] FCA 1352 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Kaye [2004] FCA 1363 Baltic Shipping Co v Dillon (1993) 176 CLR 344; [1993] HCA 4 Barclays Bank Ltd v Quistclose Investments Ltd [1970] AC 567 Barrett v Maradaca Pty Ltd [2020] NSWSC 440 Barton v Morris [2023] AC 684 Bauskis v Liew [2013] NSWCA 297 Browne v Dunn (1893) 6 R 67 Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd v Gayle; The Age Company Pty Ltd v Gayle; The Federal Capital Press of Australia Pty Ltd v Gayle (2019) 100 NSWLR 155; [2019] NSWCA 172 Forrest v Australian Securities and Investments Commission (2012) 247 CLR 486; [2012] HCA 39 Fostif Pty Ltd v Campbells Cash & Carry Pty Ltd (2005) 63 NSWLR 203; [2005] NSWCA 83 HTW Valuers (Central Qld) Pty Ltd v Astonland Pty Ltd (2004) 217 CLR 640; [2004] HCA 54 Kazal v Thunder Studios Inc (California) [2023] FCAFC 174 Krakowski v Eurolynx Properties Ltd (1995) 183 CLR 563; [1995] HCA 68 Mann v Paterson Constructions Pty Ltd (2019) 267 CLR 560; [2019] HCA 32 Mills v Walsh [2022] NSWCA 255 Oneflare Pty Ltd v Chernih [2017] NSWCA 195 Phillips v Ellinson Brothers Pty Ltd (1941) 65 CLR 221; [1941] HCA 35 Pollock v Hicks [2015] NSWCA 122 Potts v Miller (1940) 64 CLR 282; [1940] HCA 43 Puddick v Dyamond Developments Pty Ltd [2019] NSWSC 431 Purcell v Bacon (1914) 19 CLR 241; [1914] HCA 86 Raulfs v Fishy Bite Pty Ltd [2012] NSWCA 135 Roxborough v Rothmans of Pall Mall Australia Ltd (2001) 208 CLR 516; [2001] HCA 68 Smith New Court Securities Ltd v Citibank NA [1997] AC 254 Toteff v Antonas (1952) 87 CLR 647; [1952] HCA 16 West v Mead [2003] NSWSC 161; (2003) 13 BPR 24,431 White v Shortall (2006) 68 NSWLR 650; [2006] NSWSC 1379 YTO Construction Pty Ltd v Innovative Civil Pty Ltd [2019] NSWCA 110 Zervas v Burkitt (No 2) [2019] NSWCA 236 Zhong v Shield Resources Pty Ltd [2023] NSWSC 1611 Texts Cited: Glister, J, "Mutual intention and Quistclose trusts" (2012) 6 J Eq 221 Halsbury's Laws of Australia Mason, K, JW Carter and GJ Tolhurst, Mason & Carter's Restitution Law in Australia (4th ed, 2021, LexisNexis) Miller, Russell V, Miller's Australian Competition and Consumer Law Annotated (45th ed, 2023, Lawbook Co) Sappideen, Carolyn et al, Fleming's The Law of Torts (11th ed, 2024, Thomson Reuters) Seddon, NC and RA Bigwood, Cheshire and Fifoot Law of Contract (11th ed, 2017, LexisNexis Butterworths) Young, PW, C Croft and ML Smith, On Equity (2009, Lawbook Co) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Anthony Campbell (First Plaintiff) Sherne Alice Campbell (Second Plaintiff) Monika Thao Than Tran (First Defendant) Red Sienna Pty Ltd (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: M Bennett (Plaintiffs) Self-represented (First Defendant)