TF Industrial Pty Ltd v Career Tech Pty Ltd & Anor [2011] NSWSC 1303

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: TF Industrial Pty Ltd v Career Tech Pty Ltd & Anor [2011] NSWSC 1303 Hearing dates: 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 May 2011 Decision date: 31 October 2011 Before: Slattery J Decision: Plaintiff's claim dismissed. Judgment for the cross claimant on the cross claim in the sum of $28,265.15 plus interest up to the date of judgment to be calculated. Directions made to deal with any issues of costs arising. Catchwords: EQUITY - Equitable remedies - injunctions - to restrain breach of confidence - database of information for recruitment/labour hire business - whether information can be identified - how far information confidential - information database created as the result of joint enterprise with the defendants - whether information communicated to the defendants in circumstances importing an obligation of confidence - whether defendants are using the information in breach of contract - whether defendants are estopped from denying the confidentiality of the information - HELD: information not confidential to the plaintiff to the exclusion of the defendants - information not communicated to defendants in circumstances importing an obligation of confidence - defendants not estopped from denying confidentiality of the information. Cases Cited: Coco v A N Clark (Engineers) Ltd [1969] RPC 41 Corrs Pavey Whiting & Byrne v Collector of Customs (Vic) (1987) 14 FCR 434 Del Casale & Ors v Artedomus (Aust) Pty Limited [2007] NSWCA 172 O'Brien v Komesaroff (1982) 150 CLR 310 The Commonwealth v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd (1980) 147 CLR 39 Waltons Stores (Interstate) Limited v Maher & Anor (1988) 164 CLR 387 Wentworth Partners Estate Agents Pty Limited trading as Re Max Gold v Gordony [2007] NSWSC 1135 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Plaintiff- TF Industrial Pty Limited First defendant- Career Tech Pty Limited Second defendant- Vincent Paul Rayfield Representation: Plaintiff- L. Ang Defendants- A.D. Crossland Plaintiff- Branston Neville Defendants- Low Doherty & Stratford File Number(s): 2010/423281 Publication restriction: No.