Huang v Zheng; Zheng v Huang [2017] NSWSC 471

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Huang v Zheng; Zheng v Huang [2017] NSWSC 471 Hearing dates: 27, 28 February; 1, 2 and 3 March 2017 Decision date: 27 April 2017 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: White J Decision: Refer to para [91] of judgment. Catchwords: EQUITY – trusts and trustees – where plaintiff provided purchase moneys for property purchased in name of father which was transferred to defendant upon father's death and according to father's will – whether presumption of resulting trust rebutted

REAL PROPERTY – Torrens title – whether defendant's title is indefeasible – whether dishonest repudiation of a prior interest amounts to fraud for the purposes of s 42 of Real Property Act – whether plaintiff's reliance on representations made by defendant that defendant would recognise plaintiff as the true owner gives rise to equitable estoppel – whether plaintiff's in personam rights defeat defendant's title

EQUITY – general principles – equitable doctrines – whether illegal purpose precludes relief – where plaintiff purchased property in father's name in order to obtain grants and stamp duty exemption – whether scope and purpose of the First Home Owner Grant Act 2000 (NSW) requires that plaintiff be denied interest in the property

CONTRACT – whether money transfers were a gift or a loan Legislation Cited: Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) Duties Act 1997 (NSW) First Home Owner Grant Act 2000 (NSW) Real Property Act 1900 (NSW) Cases Cited: Allstate Life Insurance Co v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (No. 5) (1996) 64 FCR 73 Calverley v Green (1984) 155 CLR 242; [1984] HCA 81 Carantinos v Magafas [2008] NSWCA 304 Dominelli Ford (Hurstville) Pty Ltd v Karmot Auto Spares Pty Ltd (1992) 38 FCR 471 Giumelli v Giumelli (1999) 196 CLR 101; [1999] HCA 10 Gould v Vaggelas (1985) 157 CLR 215; [1985] HCA 75 Nelson v Nelson (1995) 184 CLR 538; [1995] HCA 25 Plunkett v Bull (1915) 19 CLR 544; [1915] HCA 14 Priestley v Priestley [2016] NSWSC 1096 Ryan v Starr [2005] NSWSC 170; (2005) 12 BPR 22,803 Sze Tu v Lowe (2014) 89 NSWLR 317; [2014] NSWCA 462 Texts Cited: A Silink, "Causation in Equitable Estoppel" (2016) 43 (3) Aust Bar Rev 320 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Joseph Huai Huang (Plaintiff/Cross-Defendant) David Xiao Zheng (Defendant/Cross-Claimant) Representation: Counsel: J E Thomson (Plaintiff/Cross-Defendant) M K Condon SC (Defendant/Cross-Claimant)