Miwa Pty Ltd v Siantan Properties Pte Ltd (No 2) [2011] NSWCA 344

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Miwa Pty Ltd v Siantan Properties Pte Ltd (No 2) [2011] NSWCA 344 Hearing dates: On the papers Decision date: 10 November 2011 Before: McColl JA at 1; Basten JA at 2; Campbell JA at 26 Decision: (1) Dismiss the appellant's motion dated 22 September 2011. (2) Order the appellant to pay the first respondent's costs of the motion. [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: COSTS - appeal costs - Calderbank offer made pre-trial and open for a limited time - failure of the offerer to renew offer - reasonable inference that offer did not refer to possibility of appeal - whether offer significant with respect to discretion to award costs of appeal - need to discourage futile applications based on pre-trial offers

COSTS - exception to general rule that costs follow the event - indemnity costs - offer of compromise - Calderbank letter - offer not in accordance with the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) r 20.26 - construction of offer where no express reference to costs - inference that each party to pay its own costs - offer involved capitulation without the obligation to pay the costs of the proceedings up to that point when the offer was made - not unreasonable to refuse offer - positive prospects of success in defending the proceedings - order for payment of costs below on the usual basis Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 98 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 20.26, 42.1, 42.2, 42.14 Cases Cited: Amaca Pty Ltd v Novek [2009] NSWCA 50 Ambulance Service of New South Wales v Worley (No 2) [2006] NSWCA 236; 67 NSWLR 719 Associates Confectionary (Aust) Ltd v Mineral and Chemical Traders Pty Ltd (1991) 25 NSWLR 349 Black v Lipovac [1998] FCA 699; 217 ALR 386 Brymount Pty Ltd v Cummins (No 2) [2005] NSWCA 69 Calderbank v Calderbank [1976] Fam 93 Cutts v Head [1984] Ch 290 CGU Insurance Limited v Corrections Corporation of Australia Staff Superannuation Pty Ltd [2008] FCAFC 173 Ettingshausen v Australian Consolidated Press Ltd (1995) 38 NSWLR 404 Evans of Robb Evans & Associates v European Bank Ltd (No 2) [2009] NSWCA 170 Fotheringham v Fotheringham [No 2] [1999] NSWCA 21; 46 NSWLR 194 Grace v Thomas Street Cafe Pty Ltd (No 2) [2008] NSWCA 72 Grbavac v Hart [1997] 1 VR 154 Hancock v Arnold; Dodd v Arnold (No 2) [2009] NSWCA 19 Hazeldene's Chicken Farm Pty Ltd v Victorian WorkCover Authority (No 2) [2005] VSCA 298; 13 VR 435 Hobartville Stud Pty Ltd v Union Insurance Co Ltd (1991) 25 NSWLR 358 Jones v Bradley (No 2) [2003] NSWCA 258 Kooee Communications Pty Ltd v Primus Telecommunications Pty Ltd (No 2) [2008] NSWCA 85 Leichhardt Municipal Council v Green [2004] NSWCA 341 Maitland Hospital v Fisher (No 2) (1992) 27 NSWLR 721 Messiter v Hutchinson (1987) 10 NSWLR 525 Miwa Pty Ltd v Siantan Properties Pte Ltd [2011] NSWCA 297 Monie v Commonwealth (No 2) [2008] NSWCA 15 Regency Media Pty Ltd v AAV Australia Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 368 SMEC Testing Services Pty Ltd v Campbelltown City Council [2000] NSWCA 323 Stuart Pty Ltd v Condor Commercial Insulation Pty Ltd (No 2) [2006] NSWCA 379 The Anderson Group Pty Ltd v Tynan Motors Pty Ltd (No 2) [2006] NSWCA 120; 67 NSWLR 706 Trustee for Salvation Army (NSW) Property Trust v Becker (No 2) [2007] NSWCA 194 Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Miwa Pty Ltd - Applicant Siantan Properties Pte Ltd - First Respondent Macquarie Bank Ltd - Second Respondent Representation: Counsel: