Crane Distribution Limited v Minnicelli [2013] NSWSC 1611

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Crane Distribution Limited v Minnicelli [2013] NSWSC 1611 Hearing dates: 8 August 2013 Decision date: 06 November 2013 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: Lindsay J Decision: Direct that the parties bring in short minutes of orders providing for: (a) declarations to the effect that the plaintiff is entitled to a charge over parcels of land at Pyrmont and Balmain; and (b) an order for specific performance by the first defendant of a contractual obligation to execute a mortgage over that land, allowing for the existence of a prior encumbrance in favour of a third party on the title to the land at Balmain Catchwords: CONTRACT - Formation - Signed document - Incorporation of terms in another document - Objective test of intention - Construction of contract Legislation Cited: Real Property Act 1900 NSW Cases Cited: Ankar Pty Limited v National Westminster Finance (Australia) Limited (1987) 162 CLR 549 at 561 Byrnes v Kendle (2011) 243 CLR 253 at 284[98] - 286[101] Codelfa Construction Pty Ltd v State Rail Authority of NSW (1982) 149 CLR 337 at 352 Corozo Pty Ltd v Total Australia [1988] 2 Qd R 366 at 371-376 Custom Credit Corporation Ltd v Ravi Nominees Pty Ltd (1992) 8 WAR 42 at 51-52, 60 Empirnall Holdings Pty Ltd v Machon Paull Partners Pty Ltd (1988) 14 NSWLR 523 at 534E and 535A-E. Equuscorp Pty Ltd v HGT Investments Pty Ltd (2004) 218 CLR 472 at 483[33] - 484[36] Helvetic Investment Corporation Pty Ltd v Knight (1984) 9 ACLR 773 at 774 and 776-777 Murphy v Wright (1992) 5 BPR 11, 734 at 11, 737-11, 739 Norman v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1963) 109 CLR 9 at 24-25; Palette Shoes Pty Ltd (In Liquidation) v Krohn (1937) 58 CLR 1 at 16-17 and 26-27 Parker v South Eastern Railway Co. (1877) 2 CPD 416 Swiss Bank Corporation v Lloyds Bank Ltd [1982] AC 584 at 594-597 The Broken Hill Proprietary Company Ltd v Commissioner for Stamp Duties [1998] 1 Qd R 452 at 459 Thornton v Shoe Lane Parking Limited [1971] 2 QB 163): Toll (FGCT) Pty Limited v Alphapharm Pty Limited (2004) 219 CLR 165 at 177 [35]; 179[40], 180[42] - 183[48] Texts Cited: JD Heydon and MJ Leeming (eds), Jacobs' Law of Trusts in Australia (Lexis Nexis Butterworths, 7th ed, 2006) paras [314] and [2315] Fisher and Lightwood's Law of Mortgage (2nd Aust ed, Lexis Nexis Butterworths, 2005) para [2.7] Category: Principal judgment Parties: Crane Distribution Ltd (Plaintiff) Rafael Francisco Minnicelli (First Defendant) Antonio Minnicelli (Second Defendant) Representation: TGR Parker SC with MK Condon SC (Plaintiff) DL Warren with L Mattinas (Defendants) Holman Webb (Plaintiff) MCK Lawyers (Defendants) File Number(s): 2012/00215312