Commonwealth of Australia v Winston [2024] NSWCA 277

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Commonwealth of Australia v Winston [2024] NSWCA 277 Hearing dates: 6 November 2024 Decision date: 28 November 2024 Before: Gleeson JA at [1]; Leeming JA at [2]; Adamson JA at [188] Decision: 1. Grant leave to appeal. 2. Direct the Commonwealth to file within seven days a notice of appeal in accordance with the draft notice of appeal, and dispense with compliance with the rules as to service. 3. Appeal allowed. 4. Set aside the orders made on 26 April and 7 June 2024, and in lieu thereof order that the amended notice of motion dated 10 November 2023 be dismissed with costs. 5. Mr Winston to pay the Commonwealth's costs of the application for leave to appeal and the appeal. 6. Direct Mr Winston to file and serve any amended statement of claim on or before 28 February 2025. Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE – amendments – extension of time previously granted for statute-barred claim – whether proposed amendment pleaded the same cause of action – whether proposed amendment pleaded new cause of action arising out of the same or substantially the same facts – consideration of Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 64 and 65 – consideration of principles relevant to determining whether a proposed amendment arises out of substantially the same facts – whether further extension of time should be granted Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 64, 65 Common Law Procedure Act 1852 (UK), s 222 Common Law Procedure Act 1854 (UK), s 96 Common Law Procedure Act 1860 (UK), s 36 Constitution, s 75 International Organisations (Privileges and Immunities) Act 1963 (Cth) Judicature Act 1875 (UK) Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth), ss 39, 64, 79, 80 Limitation Act 1969 (NSW), Pt 3, Sch 5, ss 14, 15, 18A, 60G, 60I, 60M, 63 Rules of the Supreme Court 1883 (Eng) South East Asia Treaty Organization (Privileges and Immunities) Regulations 1967 (Cth), r 9 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), ss 101, 126, Sch 4 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 51.53 Cases Cited: Abdulla v Birmingham City Council [2012] UKSC 47; [2013] 1 All ER 649 Adam v Shiavon [1985] 1 Qd R 1 Air Link Pty Ltd v Paterson (2005) 223 CLR 283; [2005] HCA 39 Air Link Pty Ltd v Paterson (No 2) (2003) 58 NSWLR 388; [2003] NSWCA 251 Allonnor Pty Ltd v Doran [1998] QCA 372 Anthony Hordern & Sons Ltd v Amalgamated Clothing & Allied Trades Union of Australia (1932) 47 CLR 1; [1932] HCA 9 Aon Risk Services Australia Ltd v Australian National University (2009) 239 CLR 175; [2009] HCA 27 Austral Pacific Group Ltd (in liq) v Airservices Australia (2000) 203 CLR 136; [2000] HCA 39 Baldry v Jackson [1976] 2 NSWLR 415 Bebonis v Angelos (2002) 56 NSWLR 127 Black v The Mayor, Councillors and Citizens of the City of South Melbourne (1964) 38 ALJR 309 Blunden v Commonwealth (2003) 218 CLR 330; [2003] HCA 73 Brickfield Properties Ltd v Newton [1971] 1 WLR 862 Bridge Shipping Pty Ltd v Grand Shipping SA (1991) 173 CLR 231; [1991] HCA 45 Brisbane South Regional Health Authority v Taylor (1996) 186 CLR 541; [1996] HCA 25 British American Tobacco Australia Ltd v Western Australia (2003) 217 CLR 30; [2003] HCA 47 Chief Executive Officer, Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority v Director of National Parks [2024] HCA 16 City of South Melbourne v Black [1964] VR 403 Clayton v Bant (2020) 272 CLR 1; [2020] HCA 44 Commonwealth of Australia v Smith [2007] NSWCA 168 Commonwealth v Dixon (1988) 13 NSWLR 601 Commonwealth v Mewett (1995) 59 FCR 391; 140 ALR 99 Commonwealth v Mewett (1997) 191 CLR 471; [1997] HCA 29 Commonwealth v Shaw (2006) 66 NSWLR 325; [2006] NSWCA 209 Commonwealth v Smith [2005] NSWCA 478 Commonwealth v Verwayen (1990) 170 CLR 394; [1990] HCA 39 CPCF v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (2015) 255 CLR 514; [2015] HCA 1 Dedousis v Water Board (1994) 181 CLR 171; [1994] HCA 57 Dornan v JW Ellis and Co Ltd [1962] 1 QB 583; [1962] 1 All ER 303 Fernance v Nominal Defendant (1989) 17 NSWLR 710 Garden Estate Hackham Pty Ltd v Angas Securities Ltd [2018] SASCFC 140 Gladstone Ports Corporation Limited v Murphy Operator Pty Ltd [2024] QCA 74 Golski v Kirk (1987) 14 FCR 143; 72 ALR 443 Greater Lithgow City Council v Wolfenden [2007] NSWCA 180 Groves v The Commonwealth (1982) 150 CLR 113; [1982] HCA 21 Horton v Jones (No 2) (1939) 39 SR (NSW) 305 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 In re Westbourne Galleries [1973] AC 360 Jones v Corry (1840) 6 Bing NC 247; 133 ER 97 Lanai Unit Holdings Pty Ltd v Mallesons Stephen Jaques [2018] 3 Qd R 28; [2017] QSC 251 Lawson v Serco Ltd [2006] UKHL 3; [2006] 1 All ER 823 Masson v Parsons (2019) 266 CLR 554; [2019] HCA 21 McGee v Yeomans [1977] 1 NSWLR 273 Minister for Home Affairs v DMA18 as litigation guardian for DLZ18 (2020) 270 CLR 372; [2020] HCA 43 Moubarak by his tutor Coorey v Holt (2019) 100 NSWLR 218; [2019] NSWCA 102 Naidu v Fergusson (2013) 8 ACTLR 150; [2013] ACTSC 208 Parker v Commonwealth (1965) 112 CLR 295; [1965] HCA 12 Parkview Constructions Pty Ltd v The Owners – Strata Plan No 90018 [2023] NSWCA 66 Patterson v Richards [1963] VR 179 Penrith Municipal Council v Australian Blue Metal Ltd (1960) 60 SR (NSW) 608 Penrith Municipal Council v Australian Blue Metal Ltd may be contrasted with Stone James v Pioneer Concrete (WA) Pty Ltd [1985] WAR 233 Port of Melbourne Authority v Anshun Pty Ltd (1981) 147 CLR 589; [1981] HCA 45 Proctor v Jetway Aviation Pty Ltd [1984] 1 NSWLR 166 Rizeq v Western Australia (2017) 262 CLR 1; [2017] HCA 23 Robinson v Unicos Property Corporation Ltd [1962] 1 WLR 520; [1962] 2 All ER 24 Rolls Royce Industrial Power (Pacific) Ltd v James Hardie & Co Pty Ltd (No 3) (1999) 18 NSWCCR 396; [1999] NSWDDT 18 Shaw Savill and Albion Co Ltd v The Commonwealth (1940) 66 CLR 344; [1940] HCA 40 Sidaway v Bethlem Royal Hospital [1985] 1 AC 871 Smith v The Ministry of Defence [2014] 1 AC 52; [2013] UKSC 41 Smith v Wilkins and Davies Construction Co Ltd [1958] NZLR 958 State of New South Wales v Radford (2010) 79 NSWLR 327; [2010] NSWCA 276 Sydney Trains v Argo Syndicate AMA 1200 [2024] NSWCA 101 THG PLC v Zedra Trust Company (Jersey) Ltd [2024] Ch 318; [2024] EWCA Civ 158 Thomas v State of Queensland [2001] QCA 336 Vadisanis & Vadisanis (2014) 53 Fam LR 345; [2014] FamCAFC 97 Vere v Glynn (1771) Dick 442; 21 ER 341 Weldon v Neal (1887) 19 QBD 394 Winston v Commonwealth of Australia [2021] NSWSC 62 Winston v Commonwealth of Australia [2024] NSWSC 464 Wolfe v State of Queensland [2009] 1 Qd R 97; [2008] QCA 113 WorkCover Queensland v Amaca Pty Ltd (2010) 241 CLR 420; [2010] HCA 34 Texts Cited: J Basten, "Judiciary Act, Section 80 – A Special Statutory Provision?" (2024) 98 Australian Law Journal 727 S Campbell, "Amendments and Limitations: The Rule in Weldon v Neal" (1980) 54 Australian Law Journal 643 R Creyke, D Stephens and P Sutherland, Military Law in Australia (Federation Press, 2nd ed 2024) J Day, The Common Law Procedure Acts (2nd ed 1863, Henry Sweet, London) W Gummow and A Mohseni, "The Use and Misuse of Metaphors" (2024) 98 Australian Law Journal 738 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Commonwealth of Australia (Applicant) Robert Wilson Winston (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: N Owens SC, A Lyons, A Khadra (Applicant) AG Melick SC, C Thomson (Respondent)