Sydney Airport Corporation Limited v Baulderstone Hornibrook Engineering Pty Limited & Ors [2003] NSWSC 486

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Sydney Airport Corporation Limited v Baulderstone Hornibrook Engineering Pty Limited & Ors [2003] NSWSC 486 HEARING DATE(S) : 2 June 2003 JUDGMENT DATE : 2 June 2003

JURISDICTION: Equity Division Technology and Construction List JUDGMENT OF : Einstein J DECISION : Leave to cross-claimants to replead certain allegations.

CATCHWORDS : Practice and Procedure - Building and construction matter - Application to dismiss or strike out cross-claim - Application for further and better particulars - Approach of court to successive motions on same or similar issues - Reticence of courts to strike out pleadings - Overriding purpose rule - Pass through of liability - Considerations applicable to large complex litigation - Part 13 Rule 5 and Part 15 Rule 26 Supreme Court Rules Airports (Transitional) Act 1996 LEGISLATION CITED : Trade Practices Act 1974 Fair Trading Act 1987 Agar v Hyde (2000) 201 CLR 552 Bailey v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1977) 136 CLR 214 Brimaud v Honeysett Instant Print (unreported, Supreme Court of NSW, McLelland J, 19 September 1988) Bruce v Odhams Press Limited [1936] 1 KB 697 Commercial Bank of Australia Ltd v Thomson (1964) 81 WN (Pt 1) (NSW) 553 Dare v Pulham (1982) 148 CLR 658 Dey v Victorian Railways Commissioners (1949) 78 CLR 62 Ellis v Grant (1970) 91 WN (NSW) 920 Emmerton v University of Sydney [1970] 2 NSWR 633 CASES CITED : General Steel Industries v Commissioner for Railways (NSW) (1964) 112 CLR 125 H.1976 Nominees Pty Limited v Galli (1979) 40 FLR 242 Kelly v Kelly (1950) 50 SR (NSW) 261 McSpedden v Harnett (1942) 42 SR (NSW) 116 Penthouse Publications Ltd v McWilliam (unreported, New South Wales Court of Appeal, full court, 14 March 1991) Pinson v Lloyds and National Provincial Foreign Bank Limited [1941] 2 KB 72 R v Associated Northern Collieries (1910) 11 CLR 738 Saunders v Jones (1877) 7 Ch D 435 Trade Practices Commission v David Jones (Australia) Pty Limited (1985) 7 FCR 109 Turner v Dalgety & Co Ltd (1952) 69 WN (NSW) 228 Sydney Airport Corporation Limited (Plaintiff) Baulderstone Hornibrook Engineering Pty Limited (First Defendant) Dredeco Pty Ltd (Second Defendant) PARTIES : Dredging International N.V. (Third Defendant) N.V. Baggerwerken Decloedt En Zoon (Fourth Defendant) A W Baulderstone Holdings Pty Limited (Fifth Defendant) Bilfinger Berger AG (Sixth Defendant) FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 55027/02 MA Pembroke SC, S Goldstein (Plaintiff) J Gleeson SC, I Griscti (First and Fifth Defendant) COUNSEL : RA Cavanagh (Second, Third and Fourth Defendant) C Morton (Sixth Defendant) MLD Einfeld QC, J Horowitz (Cross Defendants to Third Cross Claim) J Bicknell (First Cross Defendant to Fourth Cross Claim) Mallesons (Plaintiff) Phillips Fox (First and Fifth Defendant) SOLICITORS : Hicksons (Second, Third and Fourth Defendants) Clayton Utz (Sixth Defendant) Deacons (Cross Defendants to Third Cross Claim) Minter Ellison (First Cross Defendant to Fourth Cross Claim)