Metlife Insurance Ltd v Visy Board Pty Ltd & 25 ors [2007] NSWSC 1481

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Metlife Insurance Ltd v Visy Board Pty Ltd & 25 ors [2007] NSWSC 1481

HEARING DATE(S) : 12 November 2007

JUDGMENT DATE : 13 November 2007

JURISDICTION : Equity Division Expedition List

JUDGMENT OF : Brereton J

EX TEMPORE JUDGMENT DATE : 13 November 2007

DECISION : Rectification ordered

CATCHWORDS : EQUITY – Rectification – Insurance policy – test for rectification – whether certainty is required as to meaning as opposed to form of omitted words – comparative weight of pre-contractual and post-contractual evidence – significance of evidence from participants or absence thereof – where contract negotiated through agent – whether evidence of principal necessary – discretionary considerations

Australasian Performing Right Association Limited v Austarama Television Pty Limited [1972] 2 NSWLR 467 Australian Gypsum Limited v Hume Steel Limited (1930) 45 CLR 54 Australian Gypsum Ltd v Australian Plaster Company Ltd (1930) 45 CLR 54 Bush v National Australia Bank (1992) 35 NSWLR 390 CASES CITED : Fowler v Fowler (1859) 45 ER 97 Maralinga Pty Limited v Major Enterprises (1973) 128 CLR 336 Pukallus v Cameron (1982) 180 CLR 447 Sayseng v Kellogg Superannuation Pty Limited [2003] NSWSC 945 Spry, Equitable Remedies, 5th ed.

Metlife Insurance Limited (plaintiff) Visy Board Pty Limited (1st defendant) Visy Paper Pty Limited (2nd defendant) Visy Board Superannuation Pty Limited (3rd defendant) Arpad Kozma (4th defendant) Colin Frewen (5th defendant) Reginald De Livera (6th defendant) Stephen Smith (7th defendant) Florian Karwacki (8th defendant) Sylvia Kleinman (9th defendant) Oscar Marconi (10th defendant) Petru Suciu (11th defendant) Thomas Hall (12th defendant) PARTIES : Mark Williams (13th defendant) Concetta Tedesco (14th defendant) Don Rakoci (15th defendant) Slako Gorguc (16th defendant) Shane Rogers (17th defendant) Maurice Rafidi (18th defendant) Edward Denko (19th defendant) Maria Drago (20th defendant) Milenco Baloi (21st defendant) Cane Mickovski (22nd defendant) Eyup Turkoglu (23rd defendant) Ugur Arslan (24th defendant) Gregory Sabitino (25th defendant) Ramadan Salievski (26th defendant)