Benjamin Victor Francis Robinson and Aballa Pty Limited (Plaintiffs) v Genevieve Nancy Gollan and Malcolm John Gollan (Defendants) [2012] NSWSC 51

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Benjamin Victor Francis Robinson and Aballa Pty Limited (Plaintiffs) v Genevieve Nancy Gollan and Malcolm John Gollan (Defendants) [2012] NSWSC 51 Hearing dates: 16 and 17 November 2011 Decision date: 09 February 2012 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: Black J Decision: Entitlement to compensation for expenditures granted, subject to clarification of matters arising from Plaintiffs not pressing for order for possession. Parties to be heard as to costs. Catchwords: Estoppel - Equitable - Principles to be applied - Representations - Detriment - Unconscionable conduct - Whether compensation for expenditures should be granted. Legislation Cited: - Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) s 90(1), s 104 - Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) s 23C - Fair Trading Act 1987 (NSW) s 41, s 42, s 68 - Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) s 51A, s 52 - Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) r 36.1, 39.1 Cases Cited: - Austotel Pty Ltd v Franklins Self-Serve Pty Ltd (1989) 16 NSWLR 582 - Commercial Union Assurance Co of Australia Pty Ltd v Ferrcom Pty Ltd (1991) 22 NSWLR 389 - Commonwealth of Australia v Verwayen [1990] HCA 39; (1990) 170 CLR 394 - Concrete Constructions (NSW) Pty Ltd v Nelson [1990] HCA 17; (1990) 169 CLR 594 - Delaforce v Simpson-Cook [2010] NSWCA 84 - DHJPM Pty Ltd v Blackthorn Resources Ltd [2011] NSWCA 348 - Equity Access Pty Ltd v Westpac Banking Corporation (1990) ATPR 40-994 - Evans v Evans [2010] NSWSC 170 - Evans v Evans [2011] NSWCA 92 - Farrell v Mulroney [1978] 1 NSWLR 221 - Fasold v Roberts (1997) 70 FCR 489 - Firewatch Australia Pty Ltd v Country Fire Authority [1999] FCA 761; (1999) 93 FCR 520 - GEC Marconi Systems Pty Ltd v BHP Information Technology Pty Ltd [2003] FCA 50; (2003) 128 FCR 1 - Giumelli v Giumelli [1999] HCA 10; (1999) 196 CLR 101 - Green v Green (1989) 17 NSWLR 343 - Houghton v Arms [2006] HCA 59; (2006) 225 CLR 553 - Hoy Mobile Pty Ltd v Allphones Retail Pty Ltd (No 2) [2008] FCA 810 - Joseph Saliba & Anor v Thomas Tarmo [2009] NSWSC 581 - Kuhl v Zurich Financial Services Australia Ltd [2011] HCA 11; (2011) 276 ALR 375 - Khoury v Government Insurance Office (NSW) [1984] HCA 55; (1984) 165 CLR 622 - Legione v Hateley [1983] HCA 11; (1983) 152 CLR 406 - National Commercial Banking Corporation of Australia Ltd v MRM Holdings (1983) 3 BPR 9339 - New South Wales Trustee and Guardian v Schneider [2011] NSWSC 424 - Prestia v Aknar (1996) 40 NSWLR 165 - S&E Promotions Pty Ltd v Tobin Bros Pty Ltd (1994) 122 ALR 637 - Sargent v ASL Developments Ltd (1974) 131 CLR 634 - Silovi v Barbero (1988) 13 NSWLR 466 - Summer Hill Business Estate Pty Ltd v Equititrust Ltd [2010] NSWSC 776 - Thorner v Major [2009] 1 WLR 776 - Varma v Varma [2010] NSWSC 786 - Vukic v Luca Grbin & Ors; Estate of Zvonko Grbin [2006] NSWSC 41 - Waltons Stores (Interstate) Limited v Maher [1988] HCA 7; (1988) 164 CLR 387 - Watson v Foxman (1995) 49 NSWLR 315 - Weeks v Hrubala [2008] NSWSC 162 - Woolcock Street Investments Pty Ltd v CDG Pty Ltd [2004] HCA 16; (2004) 216 CLR 515 Texts Cited: - R Kako, "When I die, all this will be yours (unless I change my mind): Proprietary estoppel by Encouragement" (2010) LSJ 57 - L Aitken, "The future of the 'minimum equity' and the appropriate 'fault line' in promissory and proprietary estoppel" (2010) 33 ABR 212 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Benjamin Victor Francis Robinson (First Plaintiff/First Cross-Defendant) Aballa Pty Limited (Second Plaintiff/Second Cross-Defendant) Genevieve Nancy Gollan (First Defendant/First Cross-Claimant) Malcolm John Gollan (Second Defendant/Second Cross-Claimant Representation: Counsel: D.K.L. Raphael (Plaintiffs/Cross-Defendants) K. Morrissey (Defendants/Cross-Claimants) Solicitors: Cole & Butler (Plaintiffs/Cross-Defendants) Stockman & Evans (Defendants/Cross-Claimants) File Number(s): 10/209272