Gillies v Downer EDI Ltd [2011] NSWSC 1055

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Gillies v Downer EDI Ltd [2011] NSWSC 1055 Hearing dates: 09/05/2011, 10/05/2011, 11/05/2011, 16/05/2011, 18/05/2011 Decision date: 09 September 2011 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Rothman J Decision: (i) Judgment for the plaintiff on the Statement of Claim; (ii) Judgment for the cross-defendant on the cross-claim; (iii) Cross-claim dismissed; (iv) The parties are directed to file an agreed form of orders to reflect the calculation of the amounts owing in accordance with the reasons for judgment; (v) Failing agreement in accordance with order (iv) above, the plaintiff shall file a form of order that he seeks within 21 days from the date hereof and the defendant shall file, within 7 days thereafter, any alternative proposed order; (vi) The parties have liberty to address the Court on the calculation of damage, including any particular aspects that have not been specifically dealt with in the foregoing reasons, and on costs and interest. Catchwords: EMPLOYMENT - contract of employment - interpretation - misconduct - summary dismissal; DAMAGES - loss of opportunity damages - necessity to identify breach upon which loss of opportunity is to depend Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (Cth) Long Service Leave Act 1955 Taxation Administration Act 1996 Cases Cited: Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Healey [2011] FCA 717 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Healey (No 2) [2011] FCA 1003 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Macdonald (No 11) [2009] NSWSC 287 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Rich [2009] NSWSC 1229 Blyth Chemicals Ltd v Bushnell [1933] HCA 8; (1933) 49 CLR 66 Boston Deep Sea Fishing and Ice Company v Ansell (1888) 39 Ch D 339 Brent v Federal Commissioner of Taxation [1971] HCA 48; (1971) 125 CLR 418 Bruce v AWB Ltd (2000) 100 IR 129 (FCA) Chalmers v the Commonwealth [1946] HCA 37; (1946) 73 CLR 19 Clouston & Co Limited v Corry [1906] AC 122 Codelfa Construction Pty Ltd v State Rail Authority of NSW [1982] HCA 24; (1982) 149 CLR 337 Commissioner of Taxation v Reliance Carpet Co Pty Limited [2008] HCA 22; (2008) 236 CLR 342 Contractors Ltd v Fareham Urban District Council [1956] UKHL 3; [1956] AC 696 Deputy Commissioner of Taxes (SA) v Executor Trustee & Agency Company of South Australia Ltd [1938] HCA 69; (1938) 63 CLR 108 Downe v Sydney West Area Health Service (No 2) [2008] NSWSC 159; (2008) 71 NSWLR 633 Fabre v Arenales (1992) 27 NSWLR 437 Foggo v O'Sullivan [2011] NSWSC 501 Fraser v NRMA Holdings Limited (1995) 55 FCR 452 Hong Kong Fir Shipping Co Ltd v Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd [1962] 2 QB 26 Immer (No 145) Pty Ltd v Uniting Church In Australia Property Trust (NSW) [1993] HCA 27; (1993) 182 CLR 26 Johnson v Agnew [1980] AC 367 Johnson v Unisys Ltd [2003] 1 AC 518 Jones v Dunkel [1959] HCA 8; (1959) 101 CLR 298 Koompahtoo Local Aboriginal Land Council v Sanpine Pty Limited [2007] HCA 61; (2007) 233 CLR 115 Lennon v State of South Australia [2010] SASC 272 Mahmud v Bank of Credit and Commerce International [1998] AC 20 McDonald v Dennys Lacelles [1933] HCA 25; (1933) 48 CLR 457 McDonald v State of South Australia [2008] SASC 134; (2008) 172 IR 256 North v Television Corporation Ltd (1976) 11 ALR 599 Pepper v Webb [1969] 1 WLR 514 Photo Production v Securicor Transport Ltd [1980] AC 827 Quality Lodges International Pty Ltd v Bibby (No 2) [2002] SASC 147 R v Burdett (1820) 4 B & Ald 95; 106 ER 823 Rogan-Gardiner v Woolworths Ltd (No 2) [2010] WASC 290 RPS v R [2000] HCA 3; (2000) 199 CLR 620 Russell v The Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Archdiocese of Sydney [2007] NSWSC 104; (2007) 69 NSWLR 198 Russell v The Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Archdiocese of Sydney [2008] NSWCA 217; (2008) 72 NSWLR 559 Sanders v Snell [1998] HCA 64; (1998) 196 CLR 329 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd v Lindley [2010] NSWCA 357 State of South Australia v McDonald [2009] SASC 219; (2009) 103 SASR 344 T D Preece & Co Pty Ltd v Industrial Court of New South Wales [2008] NSWCA 285 Taske v Occupation and Medical Innovations Ltd (2007) 167 IR 298; [2007] QSC 118 The State of Victoria v Sutton [1998] HCA 56; (1998) 195 CLR 291 The Queen on the Prosecution of J.B. Saunders v The Postmaster-General (1878) 1 QBD 658 The Queen on the Prosecution of J.B. Saunders v The Postmaster-General (1878) 3 QBD 428 Thomson v Orica [2002] FCA 939 Vines v Australian Securities and Investments Commission [2007] NSWCA 75; (2007) 62 ACSR 1 Texts Cited: J W Carter, E Peden and G J Tolhurst, Contract Law in Australia, 5th Ed, (2007), LexisNexis Butterworths, at 856-858 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Stephen John Gillies (Plaintiff / Cross-Defendant) Downer EDI Ltd (Defendant / Cross-Claimant) Representation: Counsel: