Brewarrina Shire Council v Beckhaus Civil Pty Ltd [2003] NSWCA 4

Reported Decision : (2002-2003) 56 NSWLR 576

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Brewarrina Shire Council v Beckhaus Civil Pty Ltd [2003] NSWCA 4 HEARING DATE(S) : 19/11/02 JUDGMENT DATE : 17 February 2003

JUDGMENT OF : Mason P at 1; Ipp JA at 2; Young CJ in Eq at 60 DECISION : (1) Appeal upheld (2) Summary judgment orders set aside and leave granted to defend (3) The Respondent to pay the costs of the application for summary judgment and the costs of the appeal.

CATCHWORDS : CONTRACT - Superintendent's obligation under AS2124 - 1992 to issue a payment certificate is subject to a condition precedent that contractor support payment claims with evidence and information - Requirement of contractor to provide evidence and information constitutes a condition precedent on either of two bases: a non-promissory condition or an obligation imposed on the contractor, which conditions the superintendent's obligation to issue payment certificate - Requirement of contractor to provide evidence and information is comparable to purchaser's obligation to service notice to complete - Meaning of term "monthly". LEGISLATION CITED : Corporations Act, 2001 (Cth), s 459G Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999, s 8(2)(b) Algons Engineering Pty Ltd v Abigroup Contractors Pty Ltd (1997) 14 BCL 21 Brown v Great Eastern Railway Co (1877) 2 QBD 406 Cohen & Co v Ockerby & Co Ltd (1917) 24 CLR 288 Daysea Pty Ltd v Watpac Australia Pty Ltd [2001] QCA 49 Development Underwriting (Queensland) Pty Limited v Weaber [1971] Qd R 182 Federated Seamen's Union of Australasia v Commonwealth Steamship Owners' Association (1922) 30 CLR 144 Foran v Wight (1989) 168 CLR 385 Forrestt & Son Ltd v Aramayo (1900) 83 LT 335 Graywinter Properties Pty Ltd v Gas & Fuel Corporation Superannuation Fund (1996) 70 FCR 452 CASES CITED : Hoenig v Isaacs [1952] 2 All ER 176 Kodak (Australasia) Pty Limited v Hally; Ex parte Hally [1960] Qd R 452 McPherson v Lawless [1960] VR 357 Michael Realty Pty Limited v Carr [1977] 1 NSWLR 553 Ninubon v Gag Pty Ltd (unreported, NSWSC, 21 July 19998) Palmer v Lark [1945] 1 CH 182 Panoutsos v Raymond Hadley Corp of New York [1917] 2 KB 473 Peter Turnbull & Co Pty Ltd v Mundus Trading Co (Australasia) Pty Ltd (1954) 90 CLR 235 Perini Corp v Commonwealth [1969] 2 NSWR 530 Perri v Coolangatta Investments Pty Limited (1982) 149 CLR 537 Re Concrete Constructions Group Pty Ltd [1997] 1 Qd R 6 Vyse v Wakefield (1840) 6 M & W 442; 151 ER 485 PARTIES : Brewarrina Shire Council (Appellant) Beckhaus Civil Pty Ltd (Respondent) FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 41021/02 COUNSEL : B Walker SC/M Christie/V Culkoff (Appellant) I Harrison SC (Respondent) SOLICITORS : Paul Ward-Harvey & Co (Appellant) Sutton Lawyers (Respondent)