Optus Vision P/L v Australian Rugby Football League Ltd & 5 Ors [2004] NSWCA 61

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Optus Vision P/L v Australian Rugby Football League Ltd & 5 Ors [2004] NSWCA 61 HEARING DATE(S) : 05/02/04, 10/02/04 JUDGMENT DATE : 12 March 2004

JUDGMENT OF : Meagher JA at 1; Santow JA at 2; Stein AJA at 117 DECISION : 1. The appeal be allowed; 2. The respondents pay the appellant's costs of the appeal and at first instance; 3. Judgment for the appellant in the sum of $2.5 million.

CATCHWORDS : CONTRACT - INTERPRETATION - Context in form of interconnected agreements does not overrule primary text in absence of ambiguity or anomaly - context can be ambiguous or itself give rise to anomaly - effect of this on construction - text of contract the primary source and starting point for interpretation - construction of contract to avoid absurd or unreasonable result frustrating commercial purpose of contract - party bound in all its capacities and does not escape obligation by acting as a partner - meaning of sponsorship and exclusivity. LEGISLATION CITED : Partnership Act 1892 (NSW) Investors Compensation Scheme Ltd v West Bromwich Building Society (1998) 1 WLR 896 Maggbury Pty Limited v Hafele Australia Pty Limited (2001) 76 ALJR 246 at 248 Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust v South Sydney Council (2002) 186 ALR 289 at 292-3 Codelfa Construction Pty Ltd v State Rail Authority of NSW (1982) 149 CLR 337 at 352-3 B & B Constructions (Australia) Pty Ltd v Brian A Cheeseman & Associates Pty Ltd (1994) 35 NSWLR 227 CASES CITED : Kingston v Keprose Pty Ltd (1987) 11 NSWLR 404 at 421 Mannai Investment Co Ltd v Eagle Star Life Assurance Co Ltd [1997] AC 749 State Bank of New South Wales v Commonwealth Savings Bank of Australia (1984) 154 CLR 579 Shoshana Pty Ltd & Anor v 10th Cantanae Pty Ltd & Ors (1988) 14 FCR 285 at 286 Hospital Products Ltd v United States Surgical Corp (1984) 156 CLR 41 Transfield Pty Ltd v Arlo International Ltd (1980) 144 CLR 83 Hide & Skin Trading Pty Ltd v Oceanic Meat Traders Ltd (1990) 2 NSWLR 310 at 313 Optus Vision Pty Limited (ACN 066 518 821) PARTIES : v Asutralian Rugby Football League Limite (ACN 003 107 293) & 5 Ors FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40400 of 2003 COUNSEL : Apellant: I M Jackman SC Respondents: A Sullivan QC & A S Bell SOLICITORS : Apellant: Baker & McKenzie Respondents: Blake Dawson Waldron