NSW Rifle Association Inc v The Commonwealth of Australia [2012] NSWSC 818

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: NSW Rifle Association Inc v The Commonwealth of Australia [2012] NSWSC 818 Hearing dates: 12-15 June 2012 Decision date: 20 July 2012 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: White J Decision: Refer to paras [276]-[278] of judgment. Catchwords: CONTRACT - termination - contractual licence to occupy Commonwealth land - doctrine of executive necessity - whether the Commonwealth can terminate licence contrary to express contractual terms because of a change of policy concerning use of the land - contract entered into as present exercise of power as owner of land - not a fetter on future exercise of duty or discretion under statute or prerogative - held termination not justified on ground of executive necessity

CONTRACT - implied terms - whether the Commonwealth required to act reasonably and in good faith in exercising contractual power to require licensee to remedy default and to fix time for default to be remedied

CONTRACT - performance - obligation to keep buildings in good and safe repair - obligation to keep in good and safe repair includes requirement to first put into good and safe repair - whether obligation displaced by expectation of parties when entering into licence for anticipated short duration

REAL PROPERTY - whether agreement for use and occupation of land was lease or licence

CONTRACT - whether jurisdiction to grant relief against forfeiture of contractual licence to occupy land - if Commonwealth entitled to terminate licence for licensee's failure to remedy defaults within specified time limited, whether licensee entitled to relief against forfeiture Legislation Cited: Associations Incorporation Act 1984 (NSW) Defence Act 1903 (Cth) Pipeline Authority Act 1973 (Cth) Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) Firearms Act 1996 (NSW) National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NSW) Cases Cited: NSW Rifle Association Inc v The Commonwealth of Australia (26 April 1990, Waddell CJ in Eq, unreported; BC9002511) NSW Small-Bore and Air Rifle Association Inc v Commonwealth of Australia; NSW Rifle Association Inc v Commonwealth of Australia (Supreme Court of New South Wales, Bryson J, 22 July 1994, unreported; BC9405172) NSW Rifle Association Inc v Commonwealth of Australia (Court of Appeal, 15 August 1997, unreported; BC9703604) Ayr Harbour Trustees v Oswald (1883) 8 HL 623; (1882-83) LR 8 App Cas 623 Watson's Bay and South Shore Ferry Co Ltd v Whitfeld (1919) 27 CLR 268 William Cory & Son Ltd v London Corporation [1951] 2 KB 476 Commissioners of Crown Lands v Page [1960] 2 QB 274 Cugden Rutile (No. 2) Pty Ltd v Chalk [1975] AC 520 L'Huillier v State of Victoria [1996] 2 VR 465 City of Subiaco v Heytesbury Properties Pty Ltd [2001] WASCA 140; (2001) 24 WAR 146 Attorney-General (NSW) v Quin [1990] HCA 21; (1990) 170 CLR 1 Rederiaktiebolaget Amphitrite v R [1921] 3 KB 500 ("The Amphitrite") Robertson v Minister of Pensions [1949] 1 KB 227 Reilly v R [1934] AC 176 Suttling v Director-General of Education [1985] 3 NSWLR 427 Dunn v R [1896] 1 QB 116 Director-General of Education (NSW) v Suttling [1987] HCA 3; (1987) 162 CLR 427 Jarratt v Commissioner of Police for NSW and State of New South Wales [2005] HCA 50; (2005) 224 CLR 44 Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd v The Commonwealth [1977] HCA 71; (1977) 139 CLR 54 A v Hayden [1984] HCA 67; (1984) 156 CLR 532 Board of Trade v Temperley Steam Shipping Co Ltd (1926) 26 Ll L Rep 76 Board of Trade v Temperley Steam Shipping Co. Ltd (1927) 27 Lloyds L Rep 230 William Cory & Son Limited v London Corporation [1951] 2 KB 476 Portland Pty Ltd v State of Victoria [2009] VSC 282; (2009) 27 VR 366 Northern Territory of Australia v Skywest Airlines Pty Ltd (1987) 48 NTR 20; 90 FLR 270 Johnson v Kent [1975] HCA 4; (1975) 132 CLR 164 Maguire v Simpson [1977] HCA 63; (1977) 139 CLR 362 Commonwealth v Evans Deakin Industries Ltd [1986] HCA 51; (1986) 161 CLR 254 State of New South Wales v Bardolph [1934] HCA 74; (1934) 52 CLR 455 Wood v Leadbitter (1845) 13 M & W 838; 153 ER 351 Cowell v Rosehill Racecourse Co. Ltd (1937) 56 CLR 605 Graham H Roberts Pty Ltd v Maurbeth Investments Pty Ltd [1974] 1 NSWLR 93 Manock v State of South Australia (1979) 83 LSJS 64 Hughes Aircraft Systems International v Airservices Australia (1997) 76 FCR 151 Byrne & Frew v Australian Airlines Limited [1995] HCA 24; (1995) 185 CLR 410 Breen v Williams [1996] HCA 57; (1996) 186 CLR 71 Central Exchange Ltd v Anaconda Nickel Ltd [2002] WASCA 94; (2002) 26 WAR 33 Vodafone Pacific Limited & Ors v Mobile Innovations Limited [2004] NSWCA 15 Alcatel Australia Limited v Scarcella (1998) 44 NSWLR 349 BP Refinery (Westernport) Pty Ltd v Hastings Shire Council (1977) 180 CLR 266 Godfrey Constructions Pty Ltd v Kanangra Park Pty Ltd [1972] HCA 36; (1972) 128 CLR 529 Pierce Bell Sales Pty Ltd v Frazer [1972] HCA 13; (1972) 130 CLR 575 Gardiner v Orchard [1910] HCA 18; (1910) 10 CLR 722 Brambles Holdings Limited v Bathurst City Council [2001] NSWCA 61; (2001) 53 NSWLR 153 Oliver v Commonwealth Bank of Australia [2011] FCA 1440 Burger King Corporation v Hungry Jack's Pty Ltd [2001] NSWCA 187; (2001) 69 NSWLR 588 Macquarie International Health Clinic Pty Ltd v Sydney South West Area Health Service [2010] NSWCA 268 Proudfoot v Hart (1890) 25 QBD 42 Garry Rogers Motors (Aust) Pty Ltd v Subaru (Aust) Pty Ltd (1999) ATPR 41-703 Mannai Investment Co Limited v Eagle Star Life Assurance Co Ltd [1997] AC 749 Delta Vale Properties Ltd v Mills [1990] 1 WLR 445 Hometeam Constructions Pty Ltd v McCauley [2005] NSWCA 303 Fletcher v Nokes [1897] 1 Ch 271 Radaich v Smith (1959) 101 CLR 209 Addiscombe Garden Estates Limited v Crabbe [1958] 1 QB 513 Chaka Holdings Pty Limited v Sunsim Pty Ltd (1987) NSW ConvR 55-367 Lewis v Bell (1985) 1 NSWLR 731 Lace v Chantler [1944] KB 368 Proctor v Milton (1987) NSW ConvR 55-321 Federal Airports Corporation v Makucha Developments Pty Ltd (1993) 115 ALR 679 Scandinavian Trading Tanker Co AB v Flota Petrolera Ecuatoriana [1983] 2 AC 694 Legione v Hateley [1983] HCA 11; (1983) 152 CLR 456 Stern v McArthur [1988] HCA 51; (1988) 165 CLR 489 Tanwar Enterprises Pty Ltd v Cauchi [2003] HCA 57; (2003) 217 CLR 315 Hewitt v Debus [2004] NSWCA 54; (2004) 59 NSWLR 617 Australis Media Holdings Pty Ltd v Telstra Corp Limited (1998) 43 NSWLR 104 Perpetual Executors and Trustees Association of Australia Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (Thomson's Case) [1948] HCA 24; (1948) 77 CLR 1 Texts Cited: "A Case Book on Constitutional Law" (1929) 45 LQR 162 A History of English Law, 1938 Vol 10 Hogg & Monahan, Liability of the Crown, 3rd ed (2000) Mitchell, "The Contracts of Public Authorities", London School of Economics and Political Science, 1954 M Allars, Administrative Law, Government Contracts and the Level Playing Field, (1989) 12 UNSWLJ 114 Commonwealth of Australia v Hooper [1992] NSWCA 44; (1992) Aust Contract R 90-010 Seddon, Government Contracts, 5th ed, Federation Press Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, 1765, Book 1 R P Meagher, J D Heydon & M J Leeming, Meagher, Gummow & Lehane's Equity: Doctrines & Remedies, 4th ed LexisNexis Butterworths Greig & Davis, The Law of Contract, Law Book Co 1987 P Butt, Land Law, 6th ed, Thomson Reuters Category: Principal judgment Parties: NSW Rifle Association (Plaintiff) Representation: Counsel: R J Ellicott QC with N Kabilafkas (Plaintiff) B R McClintock SC with B D Kaplan (Defendant) Solicitors: Hunt & Hunt (Plaintiff) Ashurst (Defendant) File Number(s): 2011/393228 2012/41950