Brambles Holdings Limited v Bathurst City Council [2001] NSWCA 61

Reported Decision : 53 NSWLR 153

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Brambles Holdings Limited v Bathurst City Council [2001] NSWCA 61 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40972/99 HEARING DATE(S) : 16 February 2001 JUDGMENT DATE : 23 March 2001

PARTIES : Brambles Holdings Limited (Appellant) Bathurst City Council (Respondent) JUDGMENT OF : Mason P at 1; Heydon JA at 4; Ipp AJA at 95

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Supreme Court LOWER COURT SC 50187/96 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Hodgson CJ in Eq JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : Mr S J Rushton SC/Mr P R Whitford/Ms N Obrart (Appellant) Mr W R Davison SC/Mr P R Clay (Respondent) SOLICITORS : Corrs Chambers Westgarth (Appellant) McIntosh McPhillamy & Co (Respondent) CATCHWORDS : Contract - Offer and acceptance - Whether letter constituted contractual offer to vary existing contract and create new contract between parties - Where language of offer ambiguous - Assessment of mutually known facts re contractual background and shared beliefs of parties - Whether conduct partially conforming to letter of offer constituted implied acceptance - Mutually understood purpose of offer - Whether response to offer was rejection of it - Whether response to offer merely constituted posturing and negotiation - Contract - Consideration - No immediate or guaranteed increase in earnings - likelihood of future increases in earnings - Contract - Construction of terms - Meaning of "General commercial refuse" - In context of agreement with local Council to operate waste depot - Meaning of "additional income" - In context of moneys required to be remitted to local Council from fees charged for receipt of liquid waste at waste depot - Remedies - Restitution - Doctrine of unjust enrichment - Discussion about controversy and debate in Australia surrounding development of doctrine and its applicability to claims in contract - D Bank of New Zealand v Simpson [1900] AC 182 Barrier Wharfs Ltd v W Scott Fell & Co Ltd (1908) 5 CLR 647 B & B Constructions (Aust) Pty Limited v Brian A Cheeseman & Associates Pty Limited (1994) 35 NSWLR 227 Brogden v Metropolitan Railway Co (1877) 2 App Cas 666 Carlton & United Breweries Ltd v Tooth & Co Ltd (1986) 7 IPR 581 Clarke v Earl of Dunraven (The 'Satanita') [1897] AC 59 Codelfa Construction Pty Ltd v State Rail Authority of New South Wales (1982) 149 CLR 337 Empirnall Holdings Pty Ltd v Machon Paull Partners Pty Ltd (1988) 14 NSWLR 523 FAI Traders Insurance Co Ltd v Savoy Plaza Pty Ltd [1993] 2 VR 343 Film Bars Pty Ltd v Pacific Film Laboratories Pty Ltd (1979) 1 BPR [97023] Gibson v Manchester City Council [1979] 1 All ER 972 Hide & Skin Trading Pty Ltd v Oceanic Meat Traders Ltd (1990) 20 NSWLR 310 Howard Smith & Co Ltd v Varawa (1907) 5 CLR 68 Integrated Computer Services Pty Ltd v Digital Equipment Corp (Aust) Pty Ltd (1988) 5 BPR [97326] CASES CITED: MacRobertson Miller Airline Services v Commissioner of State Taxation (Western Australia) (1975) 133 CLR 125 Manufacturers Mutual Insurance Limited v Withers (1988) 5 ANZ Insurance Cases para 60 - 853 New Zealand Shipping Co Ltd v A M Satterthwaite & Co Ltd [1975] AC 154 Pagnan SpA v Feed Products Ltd [1987] 2 Lloyd's Rep 601 Pobjie Agencies Pty Ltd v Vinidex Tubemakers Pty Ltd [2000] NSWCA 105 Quadling v Robinson & Anor (1976) 137 CLR 192 Raguz v Sullivan [2000] NSWCA 240 Reardon Smith Line Limited v Hansen-Tangen (1976) 1 WLR 989 Ryan v Textile Clothing & Footwear Union of Australia [1996] 2 VR 235 B Seppelt & Sons Ltd v Commissioner for Main Roads (1975) 1 BPR [97011] Stevenson, Jacques & Company v McLean (1880) 5 QBD 346 Sullivan v Constable (1932) 48 TLR 369 The Administration of Territory of Papua and New Guinea v Leahy (1961) 105 CLR 6 Toyota Motor Corporation Australia Ltd v Ken Morgan Motors Pty Ltd [1994] 2 VR 106 Vroon BV v Foster's Brewing Group [1994] 2 VR 32 Way & Waller Ltd v Ryde [1944] 1 All ER 9 DECISION : Appeal dismissed. The appellant is to pay the respondent's costs of the appeal.