Kemble v Gate Gourmet Services Pty Ltd [2012] NSWDC 101

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Kemble v Gate Gourmet Services Pty Ltd [2012] NSWDC 101 Hearing dates: 21 June 2012; written submissions to 2 July 2012; 20 July 2012 Decision date: 20 July 2012 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Gibson DCJ Decision: (1) First defendant's application for the plaintiff to pay the first defendant's costs in respect to the plaintiff's claim, assessed on an indemnity basis, from the beginning of 2 March 2012, dismissed. (2) The first defendant is to pay the plaintiff's costs of this application. Catchwords: COSTS - whether offer of compromise inconsistent with UCPR r20.26 - whether offer capable of acceptance - whether offer contravened legislation applicable to a work injury damages defendant - estoppel by convention - whether s 14 Civil Procedure Act applicable - whether exceptional circumstances existed - whether offer was in fact better than the result obtained by the plaintiff Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 14 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 20.26, 42.14 and 42.15 Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW), s 151Z Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998 (NSW), ss 346 and 347 Cases Cited: Barakat v Bazdarova [2012] NSWCA 140 Berowra Holdings Pty Ltd v Gordon (2006) 225 CLR 364; [2006] HCA 32 Bullock v London General Omnibus Company [1907] 1 KB 264 Chubs Constructions Pty Ltd v Chamma [2009] NSWCA 98 Chubs Constructions Pty Ltd v Chamma (No 2) (2010) 78 NSWLR 679; [2010] NSWCA 225 Clark v State of New South Wales [2012] NSWCA 139 Con-Stan Industries v Norwich Winterthur Insurance (Aust) Ltd (1986) 160 CLR 226 Dean v Stockland Property Management Pty Ltd (No 2) [2010] NSWCA 141 Hancock v Arnold (No 2) [2009] NSWCA 19 Kemble v Gate Gourmet Services Pty Ltd [2012] NSWDC 52 Kooee Communications Pty Ltd v Primus Telecommunications Pty Ltd (No 2) [2008] NSWCA 85 Leda v Weerden (No. 3) [2006] NSWSC 220 Masters v Cameron (1954) 91 CLR 353 Old v McInnes [2011] NSWCA 410 Palavi v Radio 2UE Sydney Pty Ltd [2011] NSWCA 264 Palavi v Queensland Newspapers Pty Ltd [2012] NSWCA 182 Pittorino v Yates [2009] NSWCA 87 Pritchard v Trius Constructions Pty Ltd (No 2) [2011] NSWSC 1114 Sanderson v Blyth Theatre Co [1903] 2 KB 533 Smith v Sydney West Area Health Service (No 2) [2009] NSWCA 62 Tuheta Pty Ltd v Ehrenfeld [2010] NSWSC 799 Vieira v O'Shea (No 2) [2012] NSWCA 121 Texts Cited: Cameron and Liberman, in "Destruction of documents before proceedings commence: what is the court to do?" (2003) 27 Melbourne University Law Rev 273 The Hon Sir Anthony Mason, The Use and Abuse of Precedent (1988) 4 Aust Bar Rev 93 Category: Costs Parties: Plaintiff: Harry John Kemble First Defendant: Gate Gourmet Services Pty Ltd Second Defendant: Blue Collar Airport Services Pty Ltd Representation: Plaintiff: Mr D Campbell SC / Mr T Meakes First Defendant: Mr D Grieve QC / Mr S Kettle Second Defendant: Mr C Robertson Plaintiff: Bryan Gorman & Co First Defendant: Norton White Lawyers Second Defendant: Stephen Lee Legal File Number(s): 2010/99877 Publication restriction: None