Abigroup v Peninsula (No 2) [2001] NSWSC 1016

[2001] NSWSC 1016 Reported Decision : [2001] ACL Rep 325 NSW 414 [2001] ACL Rep 65 NSW 9

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Abigroup v Peninsula (No 2) [2001] NSWSC 1016 CURRENT JURISDICTION: Equity Division Construction List FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 55034/99 HEARING DATE(S) : 26/10/01 JUDGMENT DATE : 13 November 2001

PARTIES : Abigroup Contractors Pty Limited - Plaintiff Peninsula Balmain Pty Limited - Defendant JUDGMENT OF : Barrett J

COUNSEL : Mr B.W. Walker SC/Mr I.D. Faulkner - Plaintiff Mr F.M. Douglas QC/Mr M.G. Rudge SC/Mr M. Christie - Defendant SOLICITORS : Clayton Utz - Plaintiff Deacons - Defendant CATCHWORDS : CONTRACTS - building contracts - position of superintendent - whether superintendent is as a matter of law an agent of the proprietor - PROCEDURE - re-opening of decision before entry of orders - applicable principles discussed - not appropriate to re-open - appeal, if warranted, is proper course - PROCEDURE - interest on judgment - date from which interest should run - PROCEDURE - costs - where party succeeds on basis pleaded late - costs awarded only from date successful basis pleaded - offer of compromise made and rejected before successful basis pleaded should not be taken into account LEGISLATION CITED : Trade Practices Act 1974 Cullen v Trappell (1980) 146 CLR 1 Autodesk Inc v Dyason (No 2) (1993) 176 CLR 300 Haines v Bendall (1991) 172 CLR 60 Brodie v Singleton Shire Council (2001) 75 ALJR 992 Henville v Walker (2001) 75 ALJR 1410 Fexuto Pty Ltd v Bosnjak Holdings Pty Ltd (No 3) (1998) 30 ACSR 20, on appeal (2001) 37 ACSR 672 Fowdh v Fowdh (unreported, NSWCA, 4 November 1999) Trimis v Mina [1999] NSWCA 140 Leadenhall Australia Ltd v Peptech Ltd [2001] NSWCA 272 Semrani v Manoun [2001] NSWCA 337 R v Nitin Giri (No 2) [2001] NSWCCA 234 NRMA Ltd v Morgan (No 3) [1999] NSWSC 768 Hughes Bros Pty Ltd v The Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Archdiocese of Sydney [1999] NSWSC 1051 Grogan v Thiess Contractors Pty Ltd [2000] NSWSC 1101 Owners Strata Plan No 13218 v Woollahra Municipal Council [2001] NSWSC 158 CASES CITED : Bennett v Jones [1977] 2 NSWLR 355 John Fairfax & Sons Ltd v Kelly (1987) 8 NSWLR 131 Falkner v Bourke (1990) 19 NSWLR 574 McWilliams Wines Pty Ltd v Liaweena (1993) 23 NSWLR 190 Metropolitan Meat Industry Board v Williams (1991) 24 NSWLR 54 Tickell v Trifleska Pty Ltd (1990) 25 NSWLR 353 Riddle v McPherson (1995) 37 NSWLR 338 Council of the City of Sydney v Woodward (2001) 17(1) BCL 42 Home Owners Insurance Pty Ltd v Job (1983) 2 ANZ Ins Cas 60-635 Chambers v Goldthorp Restell [1901] 1 QB 624 Gray Ltd v Earl Cathcart (1922) 38 TLR 562 R.B. Burden Ltd v Swansea Corporation [1957] 1 WLR 1167 Compagnie Noga D'Importation et D'Exportation SA v Abacha [2001] 3 All ER 513 Sutcliffe v Thackrah [1974] AC 727 Cookson v Knowles [1979] AC 556 London Borough of Merton v Leach (1985) 32 BLR 68 DECISION : Refer paragraph 45