Traderight (NSW) Pty Ltd (ACN 108 880 968) & Ors v Bank Of Queensland Limited (ACN 009 656 740) (No 10) and 15 related matters [2012] NSWSC 1181

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Traderight (NSW) Pty Ltd (ACN 108 880 968) & Ors v Bank Of Queensland Limited (ACN 009 656 740) (No 10) and 15 related matters [2012] NSWSC 1181 Hearing dates: 25 September 2012 Decision date: 04 October 2012 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: Ball J Decision: See paragraph 54 of this judgment. Catchwords: EVIDENCE - admissibility of evidence - whether evidence relevant to issues in case as pleaded - where evidence concerned whether defendant had "reasonable grounds" for representations made with respect to future matters - where plaintiff relied on deeming provisions in s 51A of the Trade Practices Act 1974 and s 41 of the Fair Trading Act and defendant had pleaded specific "reasonable grounds" - where plaintiff had not replied and there was deemed joinder of issue. PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE - pleadings - UCPR r 14.14, the "surprise rule" - whether rule applies where party is aware of the new matter by way of evidence already served in the proceeding - held that it does not. TRADE PRACTICES - misleading and deceptive conduct - existence of "reasonable grounds" for representation as to future matter - whether representor's knowledge, experience and expertise relevant when considering whether "reasonable grounds" existed - whether qualifications and experience of expert relevant to "reasonable grounds". Legislation Cited: Fair Trading Act 1987 (NSW) Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) (now the Competition & Consumer Act 2010) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Cases Cited: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Danoz Direct Pty Ltd [2003] FCA 881; (2003) 60 IPR 296 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Universal Sports Challenge Ltd [2002] FCA 1276 Bowler v Hilda Pty Ltd (1998) 80 FCR 191 Chapple v Electrical Trades Union [1961] 3 All ER 612; [1961] 1 WLR 1290 Cummings v Lewis (1993) 41 FCR 559 Darbyshire v Leigh [1896] 1 QB 554 Davis v Veigel [2011] NSWCA 170 Dib Group Pty Ltd v Ventouris Enterprises Pty Ltd [2011] NSWCA 300; (2011) 284 ALR 601 Forrest v Australian Securities and Investments Commission [2012] HCA 39 Lake Koala Pty Ltd v Walker [1991] 2 Qd R 49 Lewame v Momentum Productions Pty Ltd [2007] FCA 1136 McGrath; in the matter of Pan Pharmaceuticals Ltd (in liq) v Australian Naturalcare Products Pty Ltd [2008] FCAFC 2; (2008) 165 FCR 230 Makita (Australia) Pty Limited v Sprowles [2001] NSWCA 305; (2001) 52 NSWLR 705 Re Rica Gold Washing Co (1879) 11 Ch D 36 Sykes v Reserve Bank of Australia (1998) 88 FCR 511 Traderight Pty Ltd v Bank of Queensland [2010] NSWSC 139; (2010) 266 ALR 503 Truth About Motorways Pty Ltd v Macquarie Infrastructure Investment Ltd (1998) 42 1 PR 1; (1998) ATPR 41-633 Wheeler Grace & Pierucci Pty Ltd v Wright (1989) 16 IPR 189; (1989) ATPR 40-940 X v Sydney Children's Hospitals Specialty Network (No 4) [2011] NSWSC 1310 Category: Interlocutory applications Parties: Traderight (NSW) Pty Ltd (ACN 108 880 968) (First Plaintiff in 06/258216 and First Defendant in 06/258225) Bronwyn Smith (Second Plaintiff in 06/258216 and Second Defendant in 08/258225) Geoffrey Versace (Third Plaintiff in 06/258216 and Third Defendant in 08/258225) Smith Partners Development Pty Ltd (Fourth Plaintiff in 06/258216) Verich Holdings Pty Ltd (Fifth Plaintiff in 06/258216) Bank of Queensland Limited (ACN 009 656 740 (Defendant in 06/258216; Plaintiff in 08/258225; Plaintiff in 08/279848; Defendant in 08/281332; First Defendant in 08/282126; First Defendant in 08/282304; First Plaintiff in 09/287360; Defendant in 09/287814; First Defendant in 07/256081; Fourth Defendant in 09/287816; First Defendant in 09/287824; Defendant in 10/304306; Defendant in 10/305568; Defendant in 10/306022; Defendant in 10/367086; Defendant in 10/367117) SME Business Assist Pty Limited (ACN 108 524 232) (First Defendant in 08/279848; Tenth Defendant in 09/287360; First Plaintiff in 09/287814; Sixth Plaintiff in 07/256081) Scott Rolfe McCoy (Second Defendant in 08/279848; Eleventh Defendant in 09/287360; Second Plaintiff in 09/287814; Seventh Plaintiff in 07/256081) Geraghty & Palmer (NSW) Pty Ltd (First Plaintiff in 08/281332) Shauna Margaret Geraghty (Second Plaintiff in 08/281332) Barry Palmer (Third Plaintiff in 08/281332) Rossmick No 1 Pty Limited (First Plaintiff in 08/282126; Second Defendant in 09/287360; First Plaintiff in 07/256081; First Plaintiff in 09/287816) Rossmick No 2 Pty Limited (Second Plaintiff in 08/282126; Third Defendant in 09/287360; Second Plaintiff in 07/256081; Second Plaintiff in 09/287816) Michael Bradley (Third Plaintiff in 08/282126; Fourth Defendant in 09/287360; Third Plaintiff in 07/256081; Third Plaintiff in 09/287816) Ross Chapman (Fourth Plaintiff in 08/282126; Fifth Defendant in 09/287360; Fourth Plaintiff in 07/256081; Fourth Plaintiff in 09/287816) Luke Nolan (Fifth Plaintiff in 08/282126; Sixth Defendant in 09/287360; Fifth Plaintiff in 07/256081; Fifth Plaintiff in 09/287816) David Liddy (Second Defendant in 08/282126; Second Plaintiff in 09/287360; Second Defendant in 07/256081; First Defendant in 09/287816; Second Defendant in 09/287824) Jude Financial Services Pty Ltd (ACN 115 763 481) (First Plaintiff in 08/282304; Seventh Defendant in 09/287360; Eighth Plaintiff in 07/256081; First Plaintiff in 09/287824) Russell Jude Edward Gardner (Second Plaintiff in 08/282304; Eighth Defendant in 09/287360; Ninth Plaintiff in 07/256081; Second Plaintiff in 09/287824) Penelope Ann Gardner (Third Plaintiff in 08/282304; Ninth Defendant in 09/287360; Tenth Plaintiff in 07/256081; Third Plaintiff in 09/287824) Industrial Court of New South Wales (First Defendant in 09/287360) Donna Quinn (Third Plaintiff in 09/287360; Third Defendant in 07/256081; Second Defendant in 09/287816; Fourth Defendant in 09/287824) Gary Allsop (Fourth Plaintiff in 09/287360; Fourth Defendant in 07/256081; Third Defendant in 09/287816; Third Defendant in 09/287824) Southpole Financial Services Pty Ltd (First Plaintiff in 10/304306) Harunur Rashid Chowdhury (Second Plaintiff in 10/304306) Iftekhar Tarek Hassan (Third Plaintiff in 10/304306) Ikthedar Hassan Murad (Fourth Plaintiff in 10/304306) Best Deal Pty Limited (ACN 119 366 433) (First Plaintiff in 10/305568) Jeffrey Bruce Jones (Second Plaintiff in 10/305568) LJH Group Pty Limited (ACN 123 507 497) (First Plaintiff in 10/306022) Leslie Xu (Second Plaintiff in 10/306022) Jin Yu Yang (Third Plaintiff in 10/306022) Leokate Pty Ltd (ACN 111 162 068) (First Plaintiff in 10/367086) Stephen Sargent (Second Plaintiff in 10/367086) Lauren Sargent (Third Plaintiff in 10/367086) Shamarbre Pty Ltd (First Plaintiff in 10/367117) Ronald George Johnson (Second Plaintiff in 10/367117) Representation: NA Cotman SC with RD Glasson (OMB Parties) S Couper QC with JV Gooley, GAF Connolly and RM Higgins (Bank Parties) McCabes (OMB Parties) HWL Ebsworths (Bank Parties) File Number(s):