Southern Han Breakfast Point Pty Limited v Lewence Construction Pty Limited [2015] NSWSC 502

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Southern Han Breakfast Point Pty Limited v Lewence Construction Pty Limited [2015] NSWSC 502 Hearing dates: 27 April 2015 Decision date: 05 May 2015 Before: Ball J Decision: See paragraphs 63 and 64 of this judgment. Catchwords: BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION – adjudication determination – jurisdictional error – whether adjudicator committed jurisdictional error due to non-existence of a jurisdictional fact – Building and Construction Industry Security of Payments Act 1999 (NSW) s 8, s 13 – whether existence of a reference date is an essential requirement for a valid payment claim under the Act and consequently for the adjudicator's jurisdiction ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – natural justice – whether adjudicator denied natural justice to party due to failure to have due regard to submissions – content of duty to provide natural justice dependent on context – whether adjudicator determined dispute on a basis not advocated by either party Legislation Cited: Alghussein Establishment v Eton College [1988] 1 WLR 587; [1991] 1 All ER 267 Hill as Trustee for the Ashmore Superannuation Benefit Fund v Halo Architectural Design Services Pty Ltd [2013] NSWSC 865 Omega House Pty Ltd v Khouzame [2014] NSWSC 1837 Patrick Stevedores Operations No 2 Pty Ltd v McConnell Dowell Constructors (Aust) Pty Ltd [2014] NSWSC 1413 Photo Production Ltd v Securicor Transport Ltd [1980] AC 827l [1980] 1 All ER 556 Watpac Construction (NSW) Pty Ltd v Austin Corp Pty Ltd [2010] NSWSC 168 Cases Cited: Alghussein Establishment v Eton College [1988] 1 WLR 587; [1991] 1 All ER 267 Hill as Trustee for the Ashmore Superannuation Benefit Fund v Halo Architectural Design Services Pty Ltd [2013] NSWSC 865 Omega House Pty Ltd v Khouzame [2014] NSWSC 1837 Patrick Stevedores Operations No 2 Pty Ltd v McConnell Dowell Constructors (Aust) Pty Ltd [2014] NSWSC 1413 Photo Production Ltd v Securicor Transport Ltd [1980] AC 827l [1980] 1 All ER 556 Watpac Construction (NSW) Pty Ltd v Austin Corp Pty Ltd [2010] NSWSC 168 Texts Cited: Second Reading Speech (New South Wales, Parliamentary Debates, Legislative Assembly, 12 November 2002, 6541) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Southern Han Breakfast Point Pty Limited ACN 155 283 239 (Plaintiff) Lewence Construction Pty Limited ACN 155 305 507 (First Defendant) Ian Hillman (Second Defendant) Australian Solutions Centre ABN 68 085 917 219 (Third Defendant) Representation: Counsel: S Goldstein (Plaintiff) S Robertson (First Defendant)