SingTel Optus Pty Limited & Ors v Weston (Costs) [2012] NSWSC 1002

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: SingTel Optus Pty Limited & Ors v Weston (Costs) [2012] NSWSC 1002 Hearing dates: 3 August 2012 Decision date: 29 August 2012 Jurisdiction: Equity Division - Corporations List Before: Bergin CJ in Eq Decision: Defendant entitled to indemnity. Catchwords: [INDEMNITY] - [LIQUIDATORS] - "general rule" in relation to indemnity for liquidators' costs in defending removal proceedings - whether conduct in defending proceedings for removal a basis for denial of indemnification for costs of the litigation. Legislation Cited: Legal Profession Act 2004 Cases Cited: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Commission v Jurnkurakurr Aboriginal Resource Centre Aboriginal Corporation (in liq) (1992) 110 FLR 1; 10 ACSR 121 Adsett v Berlouis (1992) 37 FCR 201; 109 ALR 100 City & Suburban Pty Ltd v Smith (liq of Conpaq (Aust) Pty Ltd (in liq)) (Unreported, Federal Court of Australia, Merkel J, 31 July 1998) Cresvale Far East Ltd (in liq) v Cresvale Securities Ltd & Others (No 2) [2001] NSWSC 791; (2001) 39 ACSR 622 Fountain Selected Meats (Sales) Pty Ltd v International Produce Merchants Pty Ltd and Others (1988) 81 ALR 397 Gatsios Holdings v Kritharas Holdings (in Liquidation) [2002] NSWCA 29 In Re Chennell (1878) 8 Ch 492 Kirwan v Cresvale Far East Ltd (in liq) and Others [2002] NSWCA 395; (2002) 44 ACSR 21 Re Beddoe; Downes v Cottam [1893] 1 Ch 547 Re Biposo Pty Ltd; Condon v Rodgers (No 3) (1995) 17 ACSR 730 Re Queensland Stations Pty Limited (1991) 9 ACLC 1341 Re Shanks Byrne Industries Pty Ltd [1979] 2 NSWLR 880 Ruhani v Director of Police (2005) 222 CLR 489 SingTel Optus Pty Limited & Ors v Weston [2012] NSWSC 674 Weston (in his capacity as special purpose liquidator of One.Tel Ltd (in liq)) & Anor v Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd (now known as Consolidated Media Holdings Ltd) & Ors [2011] NSWSC 433; (2011) 83 ACSR 206 Category: Costs Parties: SingTel Optus Pty Limited (1st Plaintiff) Optus Networks Pty Limited (2nd Plaintiff) Optus Mobile Pty Limited (3rd Plaintiff) Optus Vision Pty Limited (4th Plaintiff) Optus Insurance Services Pty Limited (5th Plaintiff) Paul Gerard Weston (Defendant) Steven Sherman and Peter Walker in their Capacities as General Purpose Liquidators of One.Tel Limited (in liquidation) (Second Defendants) Representation: RCA Higgins (Plaintiffs) N Cotman SC/R Glasson (Defendant) V Whittaker (Second Defendants) Baker & McKenzie (Plaintiffs) O'Neill Partners (Defendant) Kemp Strang (Second Defendants) File Number(s): 2010/71799