Byrne v Macquarie Group Services Australia Pty Ltd [2011] NSWCA 68

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Byrne v Macquarie Group Services Australia Pty Ltd [2011] NSWCA 68 Hearing dates: 14 March 2011 Decision date: 11 April 2011 Before: Campbell JA at [1] Macfarlan JA at [13] Whealy JA at [14] Decision: (1) Leave to appeal be granted (2) Appeal dismissed (3) The applicant to pay the respondent's costs of the leave application and the appeal. [Note: The Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 provide (Rule 36.11) that unless the Court otherwise orders, a judgment or order is taken to be entered when it is recorded in the Court's computerised court record system. Setting aside and variation of judgments or orders is dealt with by Rules 36.15, 36.16, 36.17 and 36.18. Parties should in particular note the time limit of fourteen days in Rule 36.16.] Catchwords: CONTRACT - separate questions - construction of commercial contract - employer and employee - profit retention policy - natural meaning of words - lack of ambiguity - post contractual conduct cannot contradict terms of contract Legislation Cited: Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 r28.2 Cases Cited: Thomas v State of New South Wales [2008] NSWCA 316; 74 NSWLR 34 at [22] Frankins Pty Ltd v Metcash [2009] NSWCA 407; 264 ALR 15 per Allsop P [1] - [24], per Campbell JA [239] - [292] The Movie Network Channels Pty Ltd v Optus Vision Pty Ltd [2010] NSWCA 111 per Macfarlan JA at [97] - [106] QBE Insurance Australia Ltd v Vasic [2010] NSWCA 166; 16 ANZ Ins Cases 61-851 per Allsop P [28] - [35] McCann v Switzerland Insurance Australia Ltd [2000] HCA 65; (2000) CLR 579 at 589 [22] per Gleeson CJ International Air Transport Association v Ansett Australia Holdings Ltd [2008] HCA 3; (2008) 234 CLR 151 at 160 [8] per Gleeson CJ Pacific Carriers Ltd v BNP Paribas [2004] HCA 35; 218 CLR 451 at 461 - l462 [22] Toll (FGCT) Pty Ltd v Alphapharm Pty Ltd [2004] HCA 52; 219 CLR 165 at 179 - 181 [40] - [46] Agricultural and Rural Finance Pty Ltd v Gardiner [2008] HCA 57; 238 CLR 570 at 582 [35] General Surgery PA v Suppes 24 Kan App 2d 753 (1998) Andar Transport Pty Ltd v Brambles Ltd [2004] HCA 28; 217 CLR 424 North v Marina [2003] NSWSC 64; 11 BPR 21359 per Campbell JA World's Best Holdings Ltd v Sarker [2010] NSWCA 24 at [22] per Handley AJA Batterham v Makeig [2010] NSWCA 86 at [36] per Young JA Texts Cited: Spigelman CJ, 'From text to context: Contemporary contractual interpretation' (2007) 81 ALJ 322 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Maghnus P Byrne (Applicant) Macquarie Group Services Australia Pty Ltd (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: B Walker SC / V R W Gray (Applicant) I M Jackman SC / A B Gotting (Respondent) Solicitors: Somerset Ryckmans Lawyers (Applicant) Maddocks (Respondent) File Number(s): CA 09/288820 Publication restriction: Nil Decision under appeal Citation: [2010] NSWSC 417 Date of Decision: 2010-05-07 00:00:00 Before: Tamberlin AJ File Number(s): 2009/288820