Joseph Taouk v Assure (NSW) Pty Ltd [2017] NSWSC 534

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Joseph Taouk v Assure (NSW) Pty Ltd [2017] NSWSC 534 Hearing dates: 6, 7, 8, 9 February 2017, oral closing submissions 16 February 2017, Defendant's closing cross-claim submissions 20 February 2017, Plaintiff's closing submissions and closing submissions on the Defendant's cross-claim 21 February 2017, Defendant's closing submissions 27 February 2017, Plaintiff's responses to particular claims regarding Mr Taouk's asserted payments 2 March 2017, Defendant's reply to Plaintiff's Document 9 March 2017. Decision date: 04 May 2017 Before: Sackar J Decision: See para [381] Catchwords: Construction of contracts – construction of contracts to vary – oral agreements – promissory estoppel – estoppel by convention – unjust enrichment – credit of witnesses. Legislation Cited: Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Cases Cited: Ashton v Pratt [2015] NSWCA 12 ASIC v Hellicar (2012) 247 CLR 345 Australian Broadcasting Corporation v XIVth Commonwealth Games Ltd (1988) 18 NSWLR 540 Australian Financial Services and Leasing Pty Ltd v Hills Industries Ltd (2014) 253 CLR 560 B&B Constructions (Aust) Pty Ltd v Brian A Cheeseman & Associates Pty Ltd (1994) 35 NSWLR 227 Beale v Government Insurance Office of NSW [1997] 48 NSWLR 430 Blatch v Archer (1774) 1 Cowp 63 Caringbah Investments Pty Ltd v Caringbah Business and Sports Club Ltd (in liq) [2016] NSWCA 165 Christmas v Nicol Bros. Pty Ltd and Anor (1941) 41 NSWSR 317 Codelfa Construction Pty Ltd v State Rail Authority of New South Wales (1982) 149 CLR 337 Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs v The Investment Trust Companies (In Liquidation) [2017] UKSC 29 Con-Stan Industries of Australia Pty Ltd v Norwich Winterthur Insurance (Australia) Limited (1986) 160 CLR 226 Cubillo v Commonwealth (No 2) (2000) 103 FCR 1 Dabbs v Seaman (1925) 36 CLR 538 Dare v Pulham (1982) 148 CLR 658 Ecosse Property Holdings Pty Ltd v Gee Dee Nominees Pty Ltd [2017] HCA 12 Electricity Generation Corporation v Woodside Energy Ltd (2014) 251 CLR 640 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118 Gould v Mount Oxide Mines Ltd (In liq) (1916) 22 CLR 490 Grundt v Great Boulder Pty Gold Mines Ltd (1937) 59 CLR 641 Ho v Powell (2001) 51 NSWLR 572 International Air Transport Association v Ansett Australia Holdings Ltd (2008) 82 ALJR 419 John Holland Pty Limited v Kellogg Brown & Root Pty Ltd [2015] NSWSC 451 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Jones v Sutherland Shire Council [1979] 2 NSWLR 206 Legione v Hateley (1983) 152 CLR 406 Lowick Rose LLP (in liquidation) v Swynson Ltd and anor [2017] UKSC 32 Moratic Pty Ltd v Gordon [2007] NSWSC 5 Mount Bruce Mining Pty Limited v Wright Prospecting Pty Limited (S99/2015; S102/2015) (2015) 256 CLR 104 Murtagh v Murtagh [2013] NSWSC 926 Pacific Carriers Ltd v BNP Paribas (2004) 218 CLR 451 Pavlovic v Universal Music Australia Pty Limited (2015) 90 NSWLR 605 Pennimpede v Pennimpede [2009] NSWSC 85 Portsmouth City Football Club Ltd v Seller Properties (Portsmouth) Ltd [2004] EWCA Civ 760 R v Navarolli (2009) 194 A Crim R 96 Ryledar Pty Ltd v Euphoric Pty Ltd (2007) 69 NSWLR 603 Simic v New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation [2016] HCA 47 Skyrise Consultants Pty Ltd v Metroland Funds Management Ltd [2011] NSWCA 406 South Sydney Council v Royal Botanic Gardens (1999) 10 BPR 18,961 State Rail Authority of New South Wales v Earthline Constructions Pty Ltd (In Liq) and Others (1999) 160 ALR 588 Thompson v Palmer (1933) 49 CLR 507 Toll (FGCT) Pty Ltd v Alphapharm Pty Ltd (2004) 219 CLR 165 Toyota Motor Corporation Australia Ltd v Ken Morgan Motors Pty Ltd [1994] 2 VR 106 Vroon BV v Foster's Brewing Group Ltd [1994] VR 32 Walker Group Constructions Pty Ltd v Tzaneros Investments Pty Ltd [2017] NSWCA 27 Waltons Stores (Interstate) Limited v Maher (1988) 164 CLR 387 Waterman v Gerling Australia Insurance Co Pty Ltd (2005) 65 NSWLR 300 Watson v Foxman (1995) 49 NSWLR 315 Wood v Capita Insurance Services [2017] UKSC 24 Texts Cited: J W Carter, The Construction of Commercial Contracts (2013) Hart Publishing Hon JJ Spigelman AC, "Truth and the Law" (2011) 85 (11) Australian Law Journal 746 J D Heydon, Cross on Evidence, 9th ed (2013) LexisNexis Butterworths Lewison and Hughes, The Interpretation of Contracts in Australia (2012) Thomas Reuters (Professional) Australia Limited Category: Principal judgment Parties: Joseph Taouk (plaintiff) Assure (NSW) Pty Ltd (defendant) Representation: Counsel: F Corsaro SC, M Auld (plaintiff) J Stoljar SC, P Reynolds (defendant)