Fair Trading Administration Corporation v Tebbutt and Anor [2003] NSWSC 340

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Fair Trading Administration Corporation v Tebbutt and Anor [2003] NSWSC 340 HEARING DATE(S) : 10 March 2003 JUDGMENT DATE : 24 April 2003 JURISDICTION: Equity Division JUDGMENT OF : Palmer J DECISION : Appeal from Tribunal allowed; orders set aside.

CATCHWORDS : FAIR TRADING TRIBUNAL - APPEAL - Statutory construction - what is a "decision" by the Building Services Corporation under the Building Services Corporation Act - what is an "appeal" from such a decision - power of the Tribunal. BUILDING SERVICES CORPORATION INSURANCE SCHEME - CONSTRUCTION - INDEMNITY - Whether Corporation liable under Insurance Scheme to indemnify claim in respect of cost of rectifying defective building work regardless of whether claimant carries out any rectification work or incurs any liability in respect of carrying out rectification work. - HELD: Corporation liable to indemnify only for reimbursement of costs of rectification actually incurred or to save harmless a claimant from liability to pay costs of carrying out rectification work. Building Services Corporation Act 1989 (NSW) - s.85(1), s.86, s.87, s.88, s.91(1) Building Services Corporation Regulation 1990 (NSW) - Regulation 33 LEGISLATION CITED : Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal Act 2001 (NSW) Fair Trading Tribunal Act 1998 (NSW) - s.61(1) Home Building Act 1989 (NSW) - Fair Trading Administration Corporation v The Owners of Strata Plan 54421 (unrep., NSWSC 21.08.2001, Palmer J) [2003] NSWSC 338 - Metal Manufacturers Ltd v Lewis (1988) 13 NSWLR 315 CASES CITED : - Southern Cross Interiors Pty Ltd (in liq) v Deputy Commissioner of Taxation (2001) 39 ACSR 305 - Hardy Ivamy "General Principles of Insurance Law" (6th Ed., at p.483) - Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Fair Trading Administration Corporation - Plaintiff PARTIES : Ronald Ernest Tebbutt - First Defendant Fair Trading Tribunal of New South Wales - Second Defendant FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 4758/02 P.M. Strickland - Plaintiff COUNSEL : R.A. Campbell - First Defendant Submitting appearance - Second Defendant Solicitor for Department of Fair Trading - Plaintiff SOLICITORS : N/A (direct access) - First Defendant I.V. Knight - Second Defendant