Trajkovski v R K Findlay Pty Ltd [2008] NSWSC 273

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Trajkovski v R K Findlay Pty Ltd [2008] NSWSC 273

HEARING DATE(S) : 2-12 April, 17 April and 21 September 2007; final submissions 2 November 2007

JUDGMENT DATE : 31 March 2008

JUDGMENT OF : Harrison J

DECISION : Defendants to pay the plaintiff $10,000 together with interest at court rates from 25 November 1994

CATCHWORDS : CONTRACT – agreement to provide engineering advice for obtaining full volume approval to import Porsche motor vehicles complying with Australian design rules and compliance plate approval – whether agreement extended to scheme to import motor vehicles in parts – terms of agreement vague – agreement void for uncertainty – money paid on a consideration that wholly failed - TORT – duty of care – scope and content of duty coextensive with terms of agreement – not possible to determine whether breach occurred

LEGISLATION CITED : Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989

CATEGORY : Principal judgment

Australis Media Holdings Pty Ltd v Telstra Corporation Ltd (1998) 43 NSWLR 104 F & G Sykes (Wessex) Ltd v Fine Fare Ltd [1967] 1 Lloyd's Rep 53 CASES CITED : Hammond v Vam Ltd [1972] 2 NSWLR 16 McRae v Commonwealth Disposals Commission (1951) 84 CLR 377 Mobile Innovations Limited v Vodafone Pacific Limited & Ors [2003] NSWSC 166 York Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (A'asia) Pty Ltd v The Commonwealth (1949) 80 CLR 11

TEXTS CITED : J W Carter and D J Harland, Contract Law in Australia, 4th ed, (2002) Butterworths

Petar Trajkovski (Plaintiff) PARTIES : R K Findlay Pty Ltd (First defendant) Russell K Findlay (Second defendant)