Maitland Main Collieries Pty Limited v Xstrata Mt Owen Pty Limited [2006] NSWSC 1235

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Maitland Main Collieries Pty Limited v Xstrata Mt Owen Pty Limited [2006] NSWSC 1235

HEARING DATE(S) : 5/6/06, 6/6/06, 7/6/06, 7/8/06, 20/9/06.

JUDGMENT DATE : 23 November 2006

JUDGMENT OF : Bergin J

DECISION : Declarations made in relation to implied duty to co-operate and implied duty to act reasonably and in good faith.

CATCHWORDS : [CONTRACTS] - Deed - construction - whether implied duty to co-operate - whether implied duty to act reasonably and in good faith - whether defendant in breach of Deed for failure to indemnify plaintiff for costs of preparing Plan required by condition imposed on its approval to mine under the defendant's Rail Line - whether defendant in breach of implied duty to co-operate. [DECLARATIONS] - whether proposed declarations should be made - whether utility in making declarations.

LEGISLATION CITED : Rail Safety Act 2002

Alcatel Australia Ltd v Scarcella (1998) 44 NSWLR 349 Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd v Southern Pacific Petroleum NL [2005] VSCA 228 Maitland Main Collieries Pty Ltd v Hunter Valley Coal Corporation Pty Ltd [2005] NSWSC 1327 CASES CITED : Maitland Main Collieries Pty Ltd v Hunter Valley Coal Corporation Pty Ltd [2006] NSWCA 258 Park v Brothers (2005) 222 ALR 421 Secured Income Real Estate (Australia) Ltd v St Martins Investments Pty Ltd (1979) 144 CLR 596 Stirling v Maitland (1864) 5 B & S 840

PARTIES : Maitland Main Collieries Pty Limited - Plaintiff Xstrata Mt Owen Pty Limited - Defendant

FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 50050/06

COUNSEL : RJ Ellicott QC/D Miller - Plaintiff BR McClintock SC/RC Beasley - Defendant