Liverpool City Council v Casbee Pty Ltd & Anor; Liverpool City Council v Casbee Pty Ltd & Anor [2005] NSWSC 590

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Liverpool City Council v Casbee Pty Ltd & Anor; Liverpool City Council v Casbee Pty Ltd & Anor [2005] NSWSC 590

HEARING DATE(S) : 29/03/05; 30/03/05; 31/03/05; 01/04/05

JUDGMENT DATE : 24 June 2005

JUDGMENT OF : Nicholas J

DECISION : para 93

CATCHWORDS : Arbitration - Commercial Arbitration Act 1984 s 46 - dispute arising under construction contract - whether arbitration agreement exists - whether grounds for termination of arbitration or removal of dispute into court - whether inordinate or inexcusable delay - whether a substantial risk of unfair trial - whether the delay likely to cause, or to have caused, serious prejudice - power of court turns on own facts

LEGISLATION CITED : Commercial Arbitration Act 1984 s 4, s 46

Brisbane South Regional Health Authority v Taylor (1996) 186 CLR 541 Carob Industries Pty Ltd (in liq) v Simto Pty Ltd [1999] WASC 258 Clements v Simto Pty Ltd [2001] WASCA 183 Gill v Walton (1991) 25 NSWLR 190 Herron v McGregor (1986) 6 NSWLR 246 CASES CITED : Mulgrave Central Mill Company Ltd v Hagglunds Drives Pty Ltd [2002] 2 Qd R 514 PMT Partners Pty Ltd (in liq) v Australian National Parks & Wildlife Service (1995) 184 CLR 301 Re John Holland Construction and Engineering Pty Ltd [1999] 2 Qd R 593 Re Peat Resources of Australia Pty Ltd; Ex parte Pollock (2004) 181 FLR 454 Savcor Pty Ltd v State of New South Wales (2001) 52 NSWLR 587 Victims Compensation Fund v Brown (2002) 54 NSWLR 668

55009/05 Liverpool City Council - Plaintiff Casbee Pty Ltd - First Defendant Timothy Sullivan - Second Defendant PARTIES : 55015/05 Liverpool City Council - Plaintiff Casbee Pty Ltd - First Defendant Robert Hunt - Second Defendant