New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation v Quinn (No 2) [2018] NSWDC 161

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation v Quinn (No 2) [2018] NSWDC 161 Hearing dates: 28, 29 May; 30, 31 July; 3, 4, 5, 12 August 2015;13, 14 September; 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 25 October 2017; 11, 15 and 24 May 2018 (written submissions) Date of orders: 31 May 2018 Decision date: 31 May 2018 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: P Taylor SC DCJ Decision: (1) Judgment for the plaintiff in the sum of $8,767.82. (2) Costs reserved. Catchwords: LEASE – public housing – rental rebates - statutory right of termination - lease terminated – cancellation of rental rebates – backdating of cancellation – recovery of past rebates and subsidies – recovery of rent – recovery of occupation fee – decision of Civil and Administrative Tribunal – issue estoppel – whether necessary and fundamental finding of fact – whether actually decided – whether within general jurisdiction of Tribunal – whether special circumstances – collateral review on administrative decision – ambit of collateral attack – jurisdiction of District Court – statutory rebates permitted - retrospective cancellation permitted – whether retrospectivity extends to rebates prior to enactment – whether pre-enactment rebates were taken to be granted under enactment – statutory basis for grant of rebate – transitional provisions – was rebate in force immediately before enactment – what was "corresponding provision" – effect of purported cancellation of earlier subsidies – whether decision made by the Corporation – identity of decision maker – authority of decision maker – delegation – agency – discretion to requirement repayment – prior investigation into weekly income – decision to recover more than amount permitted – correct amount of rebate recoverable – effect of error on decision – whether claim statute-barred – date cause of action arose – whether notice of increased rent required – date of vacant possession Legislation Cited: Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 District Court Act 1973, s 44 Evidence Act 1995 s 48, s 69 Housing Act 1912, s 9, s 10 Housing Act 1976, Pt 3, s 9, s 10, s 14 Housing Act 2001, Sch 3, Pt 3, Pt 4, Pt 7, s 6, s 7, s 8, s 15, s 18, s 55, s 56, s 57, s 58 Law Reform (Law and Equity) Act 1972, s 6 Limitation Act 1969, s 14 Public Sector Employment and Management Act 2002 Residential Tenancies Act 2010, s 3, s 6, s 41, s 87, s 88 Cases Cited: Abernethy v Deitz (1996) 39 NSWLR 701 ADCO Constructions Pty Ltd v Goudappel (2014) 254 CLR 1; [2014] HCA 18 Amalgamated Engineering Union (Aust Section), Ex parte; Re Jackson (1937) 38 SR (NSW) 13; (1937) 55 WN (NSW) 7 Arnold v National Westminster Bank plc [1991] 2 AC 93 Attorney General For Trinidad and Tobago v Eriché [1893] AC 518 Australian Broadcasting Corporation v Redmore Proprietary Limited (1989) 166 CLR 454; [1989] HCA 15 Australian Education Union v General Manager of Fair Work Australia (2012) 246 CLR 117 Blair v Curran (1939) 62 CLR 464; [1939] HCA 23 Cachia v Isaacs (1985) 3 NSWLR 366 Certain Lloyd's Underwriters v Cross (2012) 248 CLR 378; [2012] HCA 56 Concrete Constructions (NSW) Pty Ltd v Nelson (1990) 169 CLR 594; [1990] HCA 17 Corporation of the City of Enfield v Development Assessment Commission (2000) 199 CLR 135 Corporation of the City of Enfield v Development Assessment Commission (2000) 199 CLR 135 Deputy Commissioner of Taxation v Zammitt [2014] NSWCA 104 Director of Housing v Sudi (2011) 33 VR 559; [2011] VSCA 266 Federal Airports Corporation v Aerolineas Argentinas (1997) 76 FCR 582 Harrington v Lowe (1996) 190 CLR 311 Henderson v Henderson (1843) 3 Hare 100 Hinton Demolitions Pty Ltd v Lower (No 2) (1971) 1 SASR 512 In re Athlumney; Ex parte Wilson [1898] 2 QB 547 Jackson v Goldsmith (1950) 81 CLR 446 Mathieson v Burton (1971) 124 CLR 1 Maurice Blackburn Cashman v Brown (2011) 242 CLR 647; [2011] HCA 22; Maxwell v Murphy (1957) 96 CLR 261 Minister for Natural Resources v Aboriginal Land Council (1987) 9 NSWLR 154 Mulgrave Central Mill Co Ltd v Hagglunds Drives Pty Ltd [2001] QSC 040 New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation v Diab [2015] NSWCA 133 New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation v Navazi [2013] NSWCA 431 New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation v Quinn [2016] NSWCA 338 O'Reilly v Commissioners of State Bank of Victoria (1983) 153 CLR 1 Ousley v The Queen (1997) 192 CLR 69 Pollnow v Armstrong [2000] NSWCA 245 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355 Re Reference under section 11 of Ombudsman Act 1976 for an Advisory Opinion; ex parte Director-General of Social Services (1979) 2 ALD 86 RS Howard & Sons Ltd v Brunton (1916) 21 CLR 366 Secretary of State for Social Services v Tunnicliffe [1991] 2 All ER 712 Thomas v Metropolitan Housing Corporation Ltd [1936] 1 All ER 210 Tomlinson v Ramsey Food Processing Pty Ltd (2015) 256 CLR 507; [2015] HCA 28 Trustees for the Roman Catholic Church for the Diocese of Bathurst v Hine [2016] NSWCA 213 Twadell v NSW Land and Housing Corporation [2014] NSWSC 7 Wandsworth London Borough Council v Winder [1985] AC 461 Zistis v Zistis [2018] NSWSC 722 Texts Cited: Commonwealth of Australia v Cockatoo Dockyard Pty Limited [2007] HCATrans 150 Judicial Review of Administrative Action and Government Liability, Mark Aronson, Matthew Groves, Greg Weeks, 6th edition (2016) Second Reading Speech for Housing Bill 2001 Category: Principal judgment Parties: New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation (plaintiff) Robert Quinn (defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr A Di Francesco (plaintiff) Mr R Dalgleish (defendant)