OCEANIC LIFE LIMITED & ANOR v CHIEF COMMISSIONER OF STAMP DUTIES [1999] NSWCA 416

Reported Decision : (2000) 11 ANZ Insurance Cases 90-106

New South Wales Court of Appeal CITATION : OCEANIC LIFE LIMITED & ANOR v CHIEF COMMISSIONER OF STAMP DUTIES [1999] NSWCA 416 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40154/98 HEARING DATE(S) : 26 October 1999 JUDGMENT DATE : 19 November 1999

Oceanic Life Limited - First Appellant PARTIES : Tyndall Life Insurance Company Limited - Second Appellant Chief Commissioner of Stamp Duties - Respondent JUDGMENT OF : Sheller JA at 1; Beazley JA at 40; Fitzgerald JA at 41

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Supreme Court Administrative Law Division LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : 30125/96 LOWER COURT JUDICIAL OFFICER : Howie AJ

COUNSEL : R A Conti QC/M M Macrossan - Appellants H R Sorensen - Respondents SOLICITORS : Abbott Tout - Appellants I V Knight - Respondent CATCHWORDS : INSURANCE - stamp duty payable - whether policy was a policy of life insurance pursuant to s86 (1) of the Stamp Duties Act 1920 Insurance Acts 1932 (Cth) ACTS CITED : Life Insurance Act 1945 (Cth) Stamp Act 1891 Stamp Duties Act 1920 Ausfield Pty Ltd v Leyland Motor Corp of Australia Ltd (No 2) (1977) 14 ALR 457 Bambro [No 2] Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Stamp Duties (1963) SR (NSW) 522 Butler v Johnston (1984) 55 ALR 265 Carlill v Carbolic Smokeball Company [1893] 1 QB 256 Colakovski v Telecommunications Corporation (1991) 100 ALR 111 Commissioner of Stamp Duties (NSW) v Pendal Nominees Pty Ltd (1989) 167 CLR 1 Fountain v Alexander (1982) 150 CLR 615 General Accident Assurance Corporation Ltd v Commissioners of Inland Revenue [1906] 8 SC 477 Hatfield v Health Insurance Commission (1987) 77 ALR 103 In re Commonwealth Homes & Investment Company Ltd (1943) SASR 211 IRC v Maple & Co (Paris) Ltd [1908] AC 22 CASES CITED: Joye v Beach Petroleum NL & Cortans Ltd (In Liq) (1996) 137 ALR 506 Limmer Asphalt Paving Co v Commissioners of Inland Revenue [1872] LR 7 Ex 211 Marac Life Insurance Ltd v Commissioners of Inland Revenue (1986) 1 NZLR 694 N M Superannuation Pty Ltd v Young (1993) 41 FCR 182 National Mutual Life Association of Australasia Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1959) 102 CLR 29 National Mutual Life Association of Australasia Ltd v Commissioner of State Taxation (WA) (1996) 96 ATC 4615 Perlman v Perlman (1984) 51 ALR 317 PMT Partners Pty Ltd (In Liq) v ANPWS (1995) 131 ALR 377 Re Carter deceased (1963) QdR 45 Re Dinigjan; ex parte Wagner (1995) 128 ALR 81 Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade v Boswell (1992) 108 ALR 77 Tooheys Ltd v Commissioner of Stamp Duties ( NSW) (1961) 105 CLR 602 DECISION : Appeal dismisssed with costs