Woollahra Municipal Council v Secure Parking Pty Ltd [2015] NSWSC 257

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Woollahra Municipal Council v Secure Parking Pty Ltd [2015] NSWSC 257 Hearing dates: 3 to 6, 9, 10, 12-13 and 16 February 2015 Decision date: 20 March 2015 Before: Ball J Decision: 1.Judgment in favour of the plaintiff for $6,940,811.41. 2.First Cross-Claim Cross-Summons dismissed. 3.The defendant to pay the plaintiff's costs. Catchwords: CONTRACTS - general contractual principles - offer and acceptance - whether purported acceptance of tender offer was effective - whether acceptance corresponded to offer - whether essential terms of the contract were agreed CONTRACTS - general contractual principles - offer and acceptance - whether parties intended to be bound upon acceptance of tender offer - agreement contemplating execution of additional document - use of legal context to discern parties' objective intentions TRADE AND COMMERCE - misleading or deceptive conduct - nature of representation regarding intention to comply with terms of tender - whether subjective intention of tenderer rendered its offer non-conforming TRADE AND COMMERCE - misleading or deceptive conduct - whether silence amounted to misleading or deceptive conduct - where information otherwise publicly available Legislation Cited: Australian Consumer Law Local Government (General) Regulations 2005 (NSW) Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) Cases Cited: Baulkham Hills Private Hospital Pty Ltd v G R Securities Pty Ltd (1986) 40 NSWLR 622 Butcher v Lachlan Elder Realty Pty Ltd [2004] HCA 60; (2004) 218 CLR 592 Campbell v Backoffice Investments Pty Ltd [2009] HCA 25; (2009) 238 CLR 304 CCP Australian Airships Ltd v Primus Telecommunications Pty Ltd [2004] VSCA 232; (2005) ATPR 42-042 Concrete Constructions Group v Litevale Pty Ltd [2002] NSWSC 670; (2002) 170 FLR 290 Demagogue Pty Ltd v Ramensky (1992) 39 FCR 31 Foran v Wight [1989] HCA 51; (1989) 168 CLR 385 G R Securities Pty Ltd v Baulkham Hills Private Hospital Pty Ltd (1986) 40 NSWLR 631 Green v AMP Financial Planning Pty Ltd [2008] NSWSC 1164 at [143] J B Rogers Ltd V Harry Lesnie Ltd (1927) SR (NSW) 427 Masters v Cameron [1954] HCA 72; (1954) 91 CLR 353 Miller & Associates Insurance Broking Pty Ltd v BMW Australia Finance Limited [2010] HCA 31; (2010) 241 CLR 357 Mushroom Composters Pty Ltd v IS & DE Robertson Pty Ltd [2015] NSWCA 1 Owston Nominees No 2 Pty Limited v Clambake Pty Ltd [2011] WASCA 76; (2011) 248 FLR 193 Quadling v Robinson [1976] HCA 31; (1976) 137 CLR 192 Sinclair, Scott & Co v Naughton [1929] HCA 34; (1929) 43 CLR 310 Spectra Pty Ltd v Pindari Pty Ltd [1974] 2 NSWLR 617 Technomin Australia Pty Ltd v Xstrata Nickel Australasia Operations Pty Ltd [2014] WASCA 164 Tonkin v Cooma-Monaro Shire Council [2006] NSWCA 50; (2006) 145 LGERA 48. Tooheys v Blinkhorn [2008] NSWSC 499 Texts Cited: J W Carter, E Peden and G J Tolhurst, Contract Law in Australia, 5th ed, 2007, LexisNexis Butterworths Category: Principal judgment Parties: Woollahra Municipal Council (Plaintiff) Secure Parking Pty Ltd (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: IM Jackman SC with Ms V Bosnjak (Plaintiff) BW Rayment QC with D Smallbone (Defendant)