Delta Electricity v Centennial Mandalong Pty Ltd [2014] NSWCA 178

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Delta Electricity v Centennial Mandalong Pty Ltd [2014] NSWCA 178 Hearing dates: 22 April 2014 Decision date: 06 June 2014 Before: McColl JA at [1]; Barrett JA at [2]; Ward JA at [3] Decision: Appeal dismissed with costs [Note: The Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 provide (Rule 36.11) that unless the Court otherwise orders, a judgment or order is taken to be entered when it is recorded in the Court's computerised court record system. Setting aside and variation of judgments or orders is dealt with by Rules 36.15, 36.16, 36.17 and 36.18. Parties should in particular note the time limit of fourteen days in Rule 36.16.] Catchwords: CONTRACTS - general contractual principles - construction and interpretation of contracts - whether government charges imposed under the national carbon pricing scheme on methane emissions were charges "attributable to" coal sold by the respondent and purchased by the appellant Legislation Cited: Clean Energy Act 2011 (Cth) Clean Energy (Consequential Amendments Act) 2011 (Cth) Clean Energy (Unit Shortfall Charge - General) Act 2011 (Cth) Coal and Oil Shale Mine Workers (Superannuation) Act 1941(NSW) Coal Industry Act 2001(NSW) Fair Trading Act 1973 (UK) Mine Subsidence Compensation Act 1961 (NSW) Mining (General) Regulation 1997 (NSW) National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 (Cth) National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (Measurement) Determination 2008 (Cth) Cases Cited: Central Asbestos Co Ltd v Dodd [1973] AC 518 Codelfa Construction Pty Ltd v State Rail Authority of New South Wales [1982] HCA 24; (1982) 149 CLR 337 Dryden Construction Co Ltd v New Zealand Insurance Co Ltd [1959] NZLR 1336 Electricity Generation Corporation v Woodside Energy Ltd [2014] HCA 7; (2014) 88 ALJR 447 R v Monopolies and Mergers Commission, Ex parte National House Building Council [1994] TLR 38 Re Golden Key Ltd [2009] EWCA Civ 636 Reardon Smith Line Ltd v Hansen-Tangen [1976] 1 WLR 989; [1976] 3 All ER 570 Repatriation Commission v Law (1980) 31 ALR 140 Roncevich v Repatriation Commission [2005] HCA 40; (2005) 222 CLR 115 Total Transport Corp v Arcadia Petroleum Ltd (The Eurus) [1998] 1 Lloyd's Rep 351 Zhu v Treasurer of New South Wales [2004] HCA 56 at [82]; (2004) 218 CLR 530 Texts Cited: Sir Kim Lewison and David Hughes, The Interpretation of Contracts in Australia (2012, Thomson Reuters) J W Carter, The Construction of Commercial Contracts, (2012, Hart Publishing) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Delta Electricity (Appellant) Centennial Mandalong Pty Ltd (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: NC Hutley SC with JA Watson (Appellant) AC Archibald QC with JR Williams (Respondent) Solicitors: Jones Day (Appellant) Herbert Smith Freehills (Respondent) File Number(s): CA 2013/380234 Publication restriction: Nil Decision under appeal Citation: [2013] NSWSC 1505; [2013] NSWSC 1860 Before: McDougall J File Number(s): 2012/384031