St George Soccer Football Association Inc v Soccer NSW Ltd [2005] NSWSC 1288

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : St George Soccer Football Association Inc v Soccer NSW Ltd [2005] NSWSC 1288

HEARING DATE(S) : 22/11/05, 23/11/05, 24/11/05, 25/11/05, 29/11/05, 30/11/05 Written submissions: 30/11/05, 01/12/05, 02/12/05

JUDGMENT DATE : 13 December 2005

JURISDICTION : Equity Division

JUDGMENT OF : Barrett J

DECISION : Proceedings dismissed with costs

CATCHWORDS : CONTRACTS - application by member clubs to football governing body to participate in new competition - whether "process contract" formed - CORPORATIONS - constitution of company as statutory contract - whether implied term of good faith performance and fair dealing where directors perform functions under constitution - CORPORATIONS - oppression and related conduct - whether directors performing functions under constitution acted otherwise than in good faith - whether decision such that no board acting reasonably could have made it - TRADE AND COMMERCE - statutes relating to misleading or deceptive conduct - whether football governing body engaged in trade or commerce - whether "12 teams representation" and "criteria representation" made - whether "criteria representation" misleading or deceptive - whether statement as to future matter - whether statutory injunction would be granted - whether club members to which representation was made suffered damage "by" such conduct - ESTOPPEL - whether applicant member clubs acted to their detriment on basis of "criteria representation"

Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), ss.140(1), 232, 233 LEGISLATION CITED : Fair Trading Act 1987, ss.41, 42, 65, 72 Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth), ss.51A, 52, 80, 87

Aussie Home Security Pty Ltd v Sales Systems Australia Pty Ltd [1999] FCA 1458 Australian Football League v Carlton Football Club Ltd [1998] 2 VR 546 Australian Metropolitan Life Assurance Co Ltd v Ure (1923) 33 CLR 199 Bailey v New South Wales Medical Defence Union Ltd (1995) 184 CLR 399 Bratton Seymour Service Co Ltd v Oxborough [1992] BCLC 693 Burger King Corporation v Hungry Jack's Pty Ltd [2001] NSWCA 187 Commonwealth v Verwayen (1990) 170 CLR 394 Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd v Southern Pacific Petroleum NL [2005] VSCA 228 Fraser v NRMA Holdings Ltd (1995) 15 ACSR 590 Hughes Aircraft Systems International v Airservices Australia (1997) 76 FCR 151 ICI Australia Operations Pty Ltd v Trade Practices Commission (1992) 38 FCR 248 Lyndel Nominees Pty Ltd v Mobil Oil Australia Ltd (1997) 37 IPR 599 Manifest Shipping Co Ltd v Uni-Polaris Shipping Co Ltd [2003] 1 AC 649 Marks v GIO Australia Holdings Ltd (1998) 196 CLR 494 Mitchell v Royal New South Wales Canine Council Ltd (2001) 52 NSWLR 242 Modahl v British Athletic Federation Ltd [2002] 1 WLR 1192 CASES CITED : New South Wales Rugby League Ltd v Wayde (1985) 1 NSWLR 86 News Ltd v Australian Rugby Football League Ltd (1996) 64 FCR 410 Phoenix Court Pty Ltd v Melbourne Central Pty Ltd (1997) ATPR (Digest) 46-179 Pioneer Electronics Australia v Edge Technology Pty Ltd [1999] FCA 142 Pratt Contractors Ltd v Transit New Zealand [2005] 2 NZLR 433 Rush v WA Amateur Football League (Inc) [2003] WASC 70 Quancorp Pty Ltd v Macdonald (1999) 32 ACSR 50 Scott v Frank F Scott (London) Ltd [1940] Ch 794 Smith v South Australian Hockey Association Inc (1988) 48 SASR 263 Stanham v The National Trust of Australia (New South Wales) (1989) 15 ACLR 87 Sydney United Football Club Pty Ltd v Soccer NSW Ltd [2005] NSWSC 474 Thomas v H W Thomas Ltd [1984] 1 NZLR 686 Truth About Motorways Pty Ltd v Macquarie Infrastructure Investment Management Ltd (2000) 200 CLR 591 Waltons Stores (Interstate) Ltd v Maher (1988) 164 CLR 387 Wayde v New South Wales Rugby League Ltd (1985) 180 CLR 459 Wayde v New South Wales Rugby League Ltd (1984) 9 ACLR 349