Chinatex (Australia) Pty Limited v Bindaree Beef Pty Limited [2018] NSWCA 126

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Chinatex (Australia) Pty Limited v Bindaree Beef Pty Limited [2018] NSWCA 126 Hearing dates: 9 May 2018 Decision date: 13 June 2018 Before: McColl JA at [1]; White JA at [2]; Barrett AJA at [4] Decision: 1. Appeal dismissed. 2. That the appellant pay the respondent's costs of the appeal. Catchwords: CONTRACTS – fixed term "service kill agreement" between abattoir and customer – various issues of construction thereof – whether abattoir had right to terminate upon customer's failure to perform – whether the customer's failure to perform caused the abattoir to lose the benefit of the contract for the balance of its term.

CONTRACTS – frustration – whether fixed term "service kill agreement" frustrated by failure of a stranger to the contract to buy the total output from the customer.

FORMS OF ACTION – action in debt – action for unliquidated damages.

DAMAGES – damages for breach of contract – assessment of loss of profit damages. Cases Cited: Automatic Fire Sprinklers Pty Ltd v Watson (1946) 72 CLR 435; [1946] HCA 25 Bindaree Beef Pty Ltd v Chinatex (Australia) Pty Ltd [2017] NSWSC 1615 Brisbane City Council v Group Projects Pty Ltd (1979) 145 CLR 143; [1979] HCA 54 Codelfa Construction Pty Ltd v State Rail Authority (NSW) (1982) 149 CLR 337; [1982] HCA 24 Commonwealth v Amman Aviation Pty Ltd (1991) 174 CLR 64; [1991] HCA 54 Cort v Ambergate, Boston & Eastern Railway Co (1851) 17 QB 127 at 148; 117 ER 1229 Davis Contractors Ltd v Fareham Urban District Council [1956] AC 696 DTR Nominees Pty Ltd v Mona Homes Pty Ltd (1978) 138 CLR 423; [1978] HCA 12 Ecosse Property Holdings Pty Ltd v Gee Dee Nominees Pty Ltd [2017] HCA 12; (2017) 91 ALJR 486 Electricity Generation Corporation v Woodside Energy Ltd (2014) 251 CLR 640; [2014] HCA 7 Krell v Henry [1903] 2 KB 740 Larrinaga v Société Franco-Americaine des Phosphates (1922) 29 Com Cas 1 oOh! Media Roadside Pty Ltd v Diamond Wheels Pty Ltd (2011) 32 VR 255; [2011] VSCA 116 Peter Turnbull & Co Pty Ltd v Mundus Trading Co (Australasia) Pty Ltd (1954) 90 CLR 235; [1954] HCA 25 Psaltis v Schultz (1948) 76 CLR 547; [1948] HCA 31 Robinson v Harman: (1848) 1 Ex 850; 154 ER 363 Scanlan's New Neon Ltd v Toohey's Ltd (1943) 67 CLR 169; [1943] HCA 43 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Chinatex (Australia) Pty Limited (Appellant) Bindaree Beef Pty Limited (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Mr MLD Einfeld QC / Mr D Krochmalik (Appellant) Mr IM Jackman SC / Mr TW Marskell (Respondent)