Exxon Coal v Chadtech [1999] NSWSC 574

New South Wales Supreme Court CITATION : Exxon Coal v Chadtech [1999] NSWSC 574 CURRENT JURISDICTION : Equity Division - Construction List FILE NUMBER(S) : 55044/98 HEARING DATE(S) : 30 April 1999 JUDGMENT DATE : 11 June 1999

PARTIES : Exxon Coal Australia Ltd (formerly White Industries Ltd) (Plaintiff) Chadtech Pty Limited (Defendant) JUDGMENT OF : Einstein J

COUNSEL : P.R. Callaghan SC (Plaintiff) D.R. Sibtain (Defendant) SOLICITORS : Mallesons Stephen Jaques (Plaintiff) Clayton Utz (Defendant) CATCHWORDS : Administrative law - Arbitration - Application to set aside Award pursuant to section 42 of Commercial Arbitration Act 1984(NSW) - Alleged misconduct of arbitrator in having reached conclusions in respect of matters said not to have been the subject of any claim or submission - Leave to appeal against Interim Award in respect of questions of law said to arise out of the Award - Whether manifest error of law on the face of the Award - Discretion to refuse leave - Whether strong evidence that arbitrator made errors of law and whether determindation of the questions of law may add or be likely to add substantially to the certainty of commercial law. ACTS CITED : Commercial Arbitration Act 1984 (NSW) ss 38(4), 38(5)(a); 38(5)(b)(i) and (ii) Re Association of Architects of Australia; Ex parte Municipal Officers Association of Australia (1989) 63 ALJR 298 Edible Oil Products (Malaysia) BHD v Jayant Oil Mills Private Ltd & Ors [1982] 2 Lloyd's Rep 95 Faghirzadeh v Rudolff Wolff (SA) Pty Ltd [1977] 1 Lloyd's Rep 630 Fox & Ors v P.G. Wellfair Ltd (In Liquidation) [1981] 2 Lloyd's Rep 514 Horizons Pty Ltd v Lahey Constructions Pty Ltd, [Unreported, Supreme Court of NSW, 11 March 1999, Einstein J]. Interbulk Ltd v Aiden Shipping Co Ltd ('The Vimeira') [1984] 2 Lloyd's Rep 66 CASES CITED : Natoli v Walker [Unreported, Court of Appeal, 26 May 1996]. Port Jackson Stevedoring Pty Ltd v Salmond & Spraggon (Aust) Pty Ltd (1977-78) 139 CLR 231 Promenade Investments Pty Ltd v State of New South Wales (1991) 26 NSWLR 203 Suisse Atlantique Societe d'Armement Maritime SA v NV Rotterdamsche Kolen Centrale [1967] 1 AC 361 Societe Franco-Tunisienne d'Armement-Tunis v Government of Ceylon [1959] 1 WLR 787 Mabanaft GmbH v Consentino Shipping Co SA ('The Achillet') [1984] 2 Lloyd's Rep 191. Thiess Watkins White Construction Ltd (Receivers and Managers Appointed) (In Liquidation) v Commonwealth of Australia, (Unreported, Supreme Court of NSW, 23 April 1992, Giles J) DECISION : Short Minutes to be brought in.