Liu v Wang [2024] NSWSC 697

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Liu v Wang [2024] NSWSC 697 Hearing dates: 16 and 30 May 2024 Decision date: 30 May 2024 Jurisdiction: Equity - Real Property List Before: Peden J Decision: (1) Judgment for the plaintiff in the sum of $418,328.43. (2) Statement of claim otherwise dismissed. Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE — Application for leave to reopen — Where application to reopen made at time of judgment — Where applicant made a conscious decision not to bring forward certain evidence — Where evidence not probative EQUITY — Equitable charges and liens — Contribution to acquisition or improvement of another's property — Intention — Where defendant had an obligation to repay money — Whether money extended was a loan or a contribution which entitled the plaintiff to an equitable charge EQUITY — Defences — Illegality — Where no defence raised — Where Court raised issue of Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975 (Cth) — Whether declaration should be refused in circumstances where the issue of statutory illegality arose Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) ss 56-60 Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975 (Cth) ss 4, 12, 45, 47, 49, 81, 84, 94 Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Regulation 2015 (Cth) regs 19, 52 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) rr 2.1, 14.3, 29.5 Cases Cited: Chalmers v Pardoe [1963] 1 WLR 677 Delaforce v Simpson-Cook [2010] NSWCA 84 Elite Realty Development Pty Ltd v Sadek [2022] NSWSC 1333 Giumelli v Giumelli (1999) 196 CLR 101 Huang v Fu [2011] NSWSC 316 Macdonald v Australian Securities and Investments Commission (2007) 73 NSWLR 612 Meshumar v Otmy (2018) 97 NSWLR 615 Morris v Morris (1982) 1 NSWLR 61 Nelson v Nelson (1995) 184 CLR 538 Quality Bakers Australia Pty Ltd v Yassin Modern Bakery Pty Ltd (t/as Yassin Lebanese Bakery) [2007] NSWSC 804 Re Central Management (NSW) Pty Ltd (in liq) [2017] NSWSC 1258 Re Refugee Review Tribunal; Ex parte Aala (2000) 204 CLR 82 Roberts v Investwell Pty Ltd (in liquidation) [2012] NSWCA 134 Shaw (as liquidator of ACN 166 338 138 Pty Ltd (in liq) (formerly Structural Projects Pty Ltd) v KPR Recruitment Australia Pty Ltd (No 2) [2017] NSWSC 707 Sheikholeslami v Tolcher [2011] FCA 1050 Sneddon v New South Wales [2012] NSWCA 351 Szetu v Situ (No 2) [2019] NSWSC 1312 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Shouping Liu (Plaintiff) Wei Ming Wang (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: 16 May 2024 N Kabilafkas, H Zhao (Plaintiff)