Film Financial Consultants Ltd v Becker Group Ltd & anor [2006] NSWSC 319

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Film Financial Consultants Ltd v Becker Group Ltd & anor [2006] NSWSC 319

HEARING DATE(S) : 10 May 2005, 11 May 2005, 12 May 2005

JUDGMENT DATE : 21 April 2006

JURISDICTION : Supreme Court

JUDGMENT OF : Rothman J

DECISION : 1. Judgment for the Defendants;; 2. The proceedings are otherwise dismissed;; 3. The plaintiff will pay the defendants' costs as agreed or assessed.

CATCHWORDS : TORT - Economic Torts - interference with contractual rights - unlawful interference with economic interests - unconscionability under s.51AA of Trade Practices Act - necessity to show breach of contract - necessity to prove damage - existence of tort unlawful interference with economic interests - justification - no special disadvantage.

LEGISLATION CITED : Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth)

Lumley v Gye (1853) 118 ER 749 Independent Oil Industries v Shell Co of Australia Limited (1937) 37 SR (NSW) 394 Short v City Bank of Sydney (1912) 15 CLR 148 Allstate Life Insurance Co v ANZ Banking Group (1995) 58 FCR 26 Sanders v Snell (1998) 196 CLR 329 Tutte v Buck (1909) 119 NW 946 British Airways Limited v Laker Airways [1984] QB 142 Dunlop v Woollahra Municipal Council [1982] AC 158 Lonrho v Shell Petroleum Limited [1982] AC 173 CASES CITED : Sid Ross Agency Pty Ltd v Actors and Announcers Equity Association (1970) 2 NSWR 47 Pinky's Pizza Ribs on the Run Pty Ltd v Pinky's Seymour Pizza & Pasta Pty Ltd (1997) ATPR 41-600 Beaudesert Shire Council v Smith (1966) 120 CLR 145 Northern Territory v Mengel (1995) 185 CLR 307 Copyright Agency Limited v Haines [1982] 1 NSWLR 182 Zhu v Treasurer of NSW (2004) 218 CLR 530 Blomley v Ryan (1956) 99 CLR 362 Commercial Bank of Australia Ltd v Amadio (1983) 151 CLR 447 ACCC v CG Berbatis Holdings Pty Ltd (2003) 214 CLR 51 Woolley v Dunford (1972) 3 SASR 243