Wesiak v D&R Constructions (Aust) Pty Ltd [2016] NSWCA 353

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Wesiak v D&R Constructions (Aust) Pty Ltd [2016] NSWCA 353 Hearing dates: 29/07/2016 Date of orders: 15 December 2016 Decision date: 15 December 2016 Before: Beazley P [1]; Simpson JA [2]; McDougall J [3] Decision: Grant leave to appeal. Appeal allowed with costs. Catchwords: APPEAL – leave to appeal – appeal from Appeal Panel of Civil and Administrative Tribunal – where appeal is only available on a question of law – whether finding of repudiation was not reasonably open on the whole of the evidence – whether error of law – Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013, s 83(1)

BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION – construction and interpretation of contracts – question of repudiation – whether one party had repudiated the contract and the other party accepted the repudiation – where builder under mistaken belief that owners terminated the contract – where builder failed to perform essential term of the contract which amounted to a renunciation of its obligations under the contract – whether repudiation can amount to an error of law – where, on the whole of the evidence, the Appeal Panel could not rationally find that the owners repudiated the contract

CONTRACT – repudiation – effect of breach on purported acceptance of repudiation – whether a party that is itself in breach may accept the other party's repudiation and terminate the contract - whether it was the first party's breach that provoked the other party's repudiatory conduct Legislation Cited: Administrative Decisions Tribunal Act 1997 (NSW), ss 119, 120 Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013 (NSW), ss 80, 81, 83, 84 Land and Valuation Court Act 1921 (NSW), s 17 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 75A Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 1998 (Vic), s 148 Cases Cited: Attorney-General for the State of New South Wales v X (2000) 49 NSWLR 653; [2000] NSWCA 199 Australian Broadcasting Tribunal v Bond (1990) 170 CLR 321; [1990] HCA 33 B&L Linings Pty Ltd v Chief Commissioner of State Revenue (2008) 74 NSWLR 481; [2008] NSWCA 187 Bell v Federal Commissioner of Taxation [2012] FCA 1042 Bruce v Cole (1998) 45 NSWLR 163 Carr v JA Berriman Pty Ltd (1953) 89 CLR 327; [1953] HCA 31 Collector of Customs v Agfa-Gevaert Ltd (1996) 186 CLR 389; [1996] HCA 36 DTR Nominees Pty Ltd v Mona Homes Pty Ltd (1978) 138 CLR 423; [1978] HCA 12 Foran v Wight (1989) 168 CLR 385; [1989] HCA 51 Hayes v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1956) 96 CLR 47; [1956] HCA 21 Hong Kong Fir Shipping Co Ltd v Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd [1962] 2 QB 26 Hope v Bathurst City Council (1980) 144 CLR 1; [1980] HCA 16 Koompahtoo Local Aboriginal Land Council v Sanpine Pty Ltd (2007) 233 CLR 115; [2007] HCA 61 Kostas v HIA Insurance Services Pty Ltd (2010) 241 CLR 390; [2010] HCA 32 Laurinda Pty Ltd v Capalaba Park Shopping Centre Pty Ltd (1989) 166 CLR 623; [1989] HCA 23 Mid-City Skin Cancer and Laser Centre Pty Ltd v Zahedi-Anorak (2006) 67 NSWLR 569; [2006] NSWSC 844 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Al-Miahi [2001] FCA 744 Peter Turnbull & Co Pty Ltd v Mundus Trading Co (Australasia) Pty Ltd (1954) 90 CLR 235; [1954] HCA 25 Protector Glass Industries Pty Ltd v Southern Cross Autoglass Pty Ltd [2015] NSWCA 16 Ross T Smyth & Co Ltd v T D Bailey Son & Co [1940] 3 All ER 60 Roy Morgan Research Centre Pty Ltd v Commissioner of State Revenue of the State of Victoria (2001) 207 CLR 72; [2001] HCA 49 The Australian Gaslight Company v The Valuer-General (1940) 40 SR (NSW) 126 Wardle v Agricultural and Rural Finance Pty Ltd [2012] NSWCA 107 Texts Cited: J W Carter, Carter's Breach of Contract (2011, LexisNexis Butterworths) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Leela Wesiak (First Appellant) Bernard Wesiak (Second Appellant) D & R Constructions (Aust) Pty Ltd (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: T J Davie (Appellants) P J Bambagiotti (Respondent)