Eden Productions Pty Ltd v Southern Star Group Limited [2002] NSWSC 1166

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Eden Productions Pty Ltd v Southern Star Group Limited [2002] NSWSC 1166 FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 50022/00 HEARING DATE(S) : 11/11/02, 12/11/02, 13/11/02, 14/11/02, 15/11/02, 20/11/02, 21/11/02, 22/11/02, 25/11/02, 26/11/02, 27/11/02, 28/11/02, 29/11/02, 04/12/02 JUDGMENT DATE : 17 December 2002

Eden Productions Pty Ltd - Plaintiff PARTIES : Southern Star Entertainment Pty Ltd - 1st Defendant Southern Star Group Limited - 2nd Defendant JUDGMENT OF : Gzell J

COUNSEL : Mr D J Hammeschlag SC/ Mr A P Coleman - Plaintiff Mr P M Wood/ Mr V F Kerr - Defendants SOLICITORS : Holding Redlich Freehills, Solicitors CATCHWORDS : CONTRACTS - General Contractual Principles - Construction of Interrelated Contracts - Estoppel - Best Endeavours - Implication of Term of Trade, Custom or Usage - Implied Term of Good Faith - No Separate Issue - EQUITY - Fiduciary Obligations - No Separate Issue - RESTITUTION - Mistake - Subjective Element of Enrichment irrelevant - Trustee Distribution to Beneficiaries - Whether Change of Position Defence - EVIDENCE - Limitations of Principle in Jones v Dunkel - PROCEDURE - Discovery - Legal Professional Privilege in NSW Governed by Evidence Act 1995 - No Waiver of Client Legal Privilege by Employee or Agent unless Authorised to do so - LIMITATION OF ACTIONS - Effect of Amendment after Expiration of Limitation Act 1969 Period - INTEREST - As of Right Entitlement and Discretion under Supreme Court Act 1970, s 94 Supreme Court Act 1970 LEGISLATION CITED : Evidence Act 1995 Limitation Act 1969 Supreme Court Rules 1970 Hilton Hotels (Aust) Pty Ltd v Sunrise Resource (Aust) Pty Ltd [2000] NSWSC 46 Waltons Stores (Interstate) Ltd v Maher (1987-1988) 164 CLR 387 at 404 The Commonwealth v Verwayen (1990) 170 CLR 394 at 444-446 Hospital Products Ltd v United Surgical Corporation (1984) 156 CLR 46 at 64 Williams v Minister Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (1994) 35 NSWLR 497 Cubillo v Commonwealth (2000) 103 FCR 1 at 120 Schellenberg v Tunnel Holdings Pty Ltd (2000) 200 CLR 121 at 141-143 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Con-Stan Industries of Australia Pty Ltd v Norwich Winterthur Insurance (Australia) Ltd (1985-1986) 160 CLR 226 at 236 Grundt (1937) 59 CLR at 675 Thomson ((1933) 49 CLR at 547 Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd v Westpac Banking Corporation (1987-1988) 164 CLR 662 at 673 David Securities Pty Ltd v Commonwealth Bank of Australia (1991-1992) 175 CLR 353 at 379 Lipkin Gorman v Karpnale Ltd [1991] 2 AC 548 at 580 Ing v Stewart (1892) 66 LT 339 Holmark Construction Co Pty Ltd v Kekatos (1994) 12 ACLC 400 at 403 Breen v Williams (1995-1996) 186 CLR 71 at 82 CASES CITED : Pilmer v Duke Group Ltd (in liq) (2001) 207 CLR 165 at 217-218 Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Spira [2002] NSWSC 905 Burger King Corporation v Hungry Jack's Pty Ltd [2001] NSWCA 187 Overlook v Foxtel [2002] NSWSC 17 at par 62 Esso Australia Resources Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation (1999) 201 CLR 49 The Daniels Corporation International Pty Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission [2002] HCA 49 at par 11 Potter v Minahan (1908) 7 CLR 277 at 304 Baker v Campbell (1983) 153 CLR 52 Re Bolton; Ex parte Beane (1987) 162 CLR 514 Bropho v Western Australia (1990) 171 CLR 1 Coco v The Queen (1994) 179 CLR 427 Commissioner of Australian Federal Police v Propend Finance Pty Ltd (1997) 188 CLR 501 Ampolex Ltd v Perpetual Trustee Co (Canberra) Ltd (1996) 40 NSWLR 12 at 18 NRMA Ltd v Morgan [1999] NSWSC 694 at par 10 - par 16 The Adelaide Steam Ship Pty Ltd v Spalvins (1998) 81 FCR 360 at 371 Yuill (1991) 172 CLR 319 Hood v Reeve (1828) 3 C & P 532 (172 ER 534) Bond Media v Ltd v John Fairfax Group Pty Ltd (1988) 16 NSWLR 82 Mason and Carter, Restitution Law in Australia Butterworths, Sydney, 1995, at par 228 McCormick On Evidence, 4th ed at 131 DECISION : Matter stood over for further hearing.