Australian & New Zealand Banking Group v RQA Accountants Pty Ltd & ors [2013] NSWSC 165

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Australian & New Zealand Banking Group v RQA Accountants Pty Ltd & ors [2013] NSWSC 165 Hearing dates: 12 March 2013 Decision date: 21 March 2013 Before: Adamson J Decision: (1) An order for possession of the Property against the first and second defendants. (2) An order that the plaintiff have leave to issue a writ of possession forthwith. (3) That the defence filed 20 August 2012 be struck out. (4) Dismiss the whole of the first cross-claim filed on 22 August 2010. (5) Dismiss the first defendant's notice of motion filed on 3 September 2012. (6) Order the defendants to pay the costs of: (a) the plaintiff's motion filed on 29 November 2012; (b) the first defendant/cross-claimant's motion filed on 3 September 2012; (c) the cross-defendant's amended motion filed on 12 October 2012. Catchwords: PROCEDURE-application for summary judgment for possession of property-effect of clause in mortgage excluding reliance on defence, counter-claim or set-off in response to claim for possession of secured property PROCEDURE-application to strike out defence-whether defence discloses a reasonable cause of action per UCPR r. 14.28(1)(a) EQUITY- whether bank owes fiduciary duty to customer EQUITY-unconscionability-superior bargaining position of bank GUARANTEE-nature of bank guarantee- equivalent to cash Legislation Cited: - Civil Liability Act 2002, s 31 - Insurance Contracts Act 1982 (Cth), s 13, s 54 - National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 (Cth), sch 1 (National Credit Code), s 88 - Real Property Act 1900, s 57(2)(b), s 60 - Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005, r 13.1(1)(b), r. 14.26(1), r. 14.28(1)(a), r. 13.4 Cases Cited: - Adams v Bank of New South Wales [1984] 1 NSWLR 285 - Agar v Hyde [2000] HCA 41; 201 CLR 552 - Anthony John Sharp & Anor v Sphere Drake Insurance PLC & Ors [1992] 2 Lloyds Rep. 501 - Claude R. Ogden & Co Pty Ltd v Reliance Fire Sprinkler Co Pty Ltd [1975] 1 Lloyd's Rep. 52 - Commercial Bank of Australia Ltd v Amadio [1983] HCA 14; 151 CLR 447 - Eureka 2 Holdings Pty Limited v Palasty [2010] NSWSC 526 - GE Capital Australia v Davis [2002] NSWSC 1146; 180 FLR 250 - Hammer Waste Pty Ltd v QBE Mercantile Mutual Ltd [2002] NSWSC 1006 - McGuirk v University of New South Wales [2009] NSWSC 1424 - National Australia Bank Ltd v Hokit Pty Ltd [1996] NSWSC 198; 39 NSWLR 377 - National Australia Bank Ltd v Zaza [2009] WASC 314 - Permanent Custodians Ltd v AGB Developments Pty Ltd [2010] NSWSC 540 - QBE Mercantile Mutual Ltd v Hammer Waste Pty Ltd [2003] NSWCA 356 - Sullivan v Moody [2001] HCA 59; 207 CLR 562 - Tai Hing Cotton Mill Ltd v Liu Chong Hing Bank Ltd [1986] AC 80 -The "Fedora" [1986] 2 Lloyd's Rep. 441 - Wood Hall Ltd v Pipeline Authority [1979] HCA 21; 141 CLR 443 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Australian & New Zealand Banking Group (Plaintiff/ First Applicant) Australian Associated Motor Insurers Limited (Cross-Defendant/Second Applicant) RQA Accountants Pty Ltd (First Defendant/First Respondent) Mr S Surana (Second Defendant/Second Respondent) Mrs S Surana (Third Defendant/Third Respondent) Representation: Counsel: S Surana (in person and for the first and third defendants) S Docker (Plaintiff/ First Applicant) F T Roughley (Cross-Defendant/ Second Applicant) Solicitors: Kemp Strang (Plaintiff/ First Applicant) Corrs Chambers Westgarth (Cross-Defendant/ Second applicant) File Number(s): 2012/226249