Secretary, Department of Social Services & Commonwealth of Australia v Francesco Cassaniti and Maria Cassaniti (No. 2) [2015] NSWSC 1795

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Secretary, Department of Social Services & Commonwealth of Australia v Francesco Cassaniti and Maria Cassaniti (No. 2) [2015] NSWSC 1795 Hearing dates: 16 November 2015 Date of orders: 30 November 2015 Decision date: 30 November 2015 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Slattery J Decision: Applicants to pay the respondents' costs of and incidental to their motion dated 11 May 2015 on the ordinary basis from 21 May 2015. Otherwise each party shall bear its own costs of the motion. Catchwords: COSTS – respondents successful on motion - whether costs should follow the event – where successful respondents' conduct was calculated to cause a response including the filing of motion – whether successful respondents should be deprived of their costs – whether costs should be assessed on an indemnity basis – whether motion an abuse of process – consideration of Commonwealth's model litigant obligations – Calderbank offer – whether reasonable not to accept Calderbank offer – where only one day allowed for response Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act, s 98(2) Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth), s 55ZF Legal Services Directions 2005 (Cth), Appendix B Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 ("UCPR"), rr 42.1, 42.2 Cases Cited: ACCC v Leahy Petroleum Pty Ltd (2007) ATPR 42-200; [2007] FCA 1844 Batistatos v Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales (2006) 226 CLR 256 Brandon v Commonwealth [2005] FCA 109 Calderbank v Calderbank [1975] 3 All ER 333 Deputy Commissioner of Taxation v Clear Blue Developments Pty Ltd (No. 2) [2010] FCA 1224 Deputy Commissioner of Taxation v Denlay [2010] QCA 217; 80 ATR 109 Director-General, Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care v Lambert [2009] NSWCA 102; 74 NSWLR 523 Fountain Selected Meats (Sales) Pty Ltd v International Produce Merchants Pty Ltd (1988) 81 ALR 397 Hazeldene's Chicken Farm Pty Ltd v Victorian WorkCover Authority (No 2) [2005] VSCA 298; 13 VR 435 Knight v FP Special Assets Ltd (1992) 174 CLR 178 Lo v Iverarch [2009] NSWCA 92 McIlraith v Ilkin [2008] NSWCA 11 Miwa Pty Ltd v Siantan Properties Pte Ltd (No 2) [2011] NSWCA 344 Nelipa v Robertson [2009] ACTSC 16 Oshlack v Richmond River Council [1998] HCA 11; 193 CLR 72 Priest v New South Wales [2007] NSWSC 41 Ritter v Godfrey [1920] 2 KB 47 Rogers v R (1994) 181 CLR 251 Scott v Handley [1999] FCA 404; 58 ALD 373 Secretary, Department of Social Services & Commonwealth of Australia v Francesco Cassaniti and Maria Cassaniti [2015] NSWSC 1586 Solak v Registrar of Titles [2011] VSCA 279; 33 VR 40 Voth v Manildra Flower Mills Pty Ltd (1990) 171 CLR 538 Walton v Gardiner (1993) 177 CLR 378 Texts Cited: Justice GT Pagone, "The Model Litigant And Law Clarification" 17 September 2008, ATP Leadership Workshop Category: Costs Parties: First Applicant: Secretary, Department of Social Services Second Applicant: Commonwealth of Australia First Respondent: Francesco Cassaniti Second Respondent: Maria Cassaniti Representation: Counsel: Defendant: M Ashurst SC; M Dolenec