Stuart Henry Masters & Anor v NSW Trustee & Guardian as trustee for Genniece Merlene Gorey [2018] NSWSC 1670

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Stuart Henry Masters & Anor v NSW Trustee & Guardian as trustee for Genniece Merlene Gorey [2018] NSWSC 1670 Hearing dates: 18 & 19 September 2018 Decision date: 02 November 2018 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Rees J Decision: Shares in Murrumbidgee Irrigation Ltd and associated water rights form part of testamentary trust. Shares to be transferred to the trustees. Catchwords: SUCCESSION — Wills, probate and administration — Construction and effect of testamentary dispositions — Statutory water rights — Change of statutory scheme between date of Will and date of death — Where farming land and related items left to testamentary trust for grandsons — Where residue left to daughters — Whether water rights and associated shares form part of testamentary trust.

ENERGY AND RESOURCES — Water — Water management — Development water rights in NSW — — Irrigation water rights — Irrigation Act 1912 — Irrigation Corporations Act 1994 — Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area — Construction of Constitution and Member Contract of Murrumbidgee Irrigation Ltd — Transmission of water rights governed by Constitution and Member Contract. Legislation Cited: Barren Jack Dam and Murrumbidgee Canals Construction Act 1906 Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) Corporations (Amendment) Act 1998 Evidence Act 1995, s 143 Irrigation Act 1912 Irrigation Corporations Act 1994 Irrigation Corporations (Amendment) Act 1998 Murrumbidgee Irrigation Act 1910 National Water Commission Act 2004 (Cth) NSW Trustee and Guardian Act 2009 Succession Act 2006 Trustee Act 1925, s 70 Water Act 1912 Water Management Act 2000 Water Rights Act 1896 Water Rights Act 1902 Wills, Probate and Administration Act 1898, s 21, s 29A Cases Cited: Elders Rural Finance Ltd v Westpac Banking Corporation (1989) 6 BPR 13,439 Hanson v The Grassy Gully Gold Mining Co. (1900) 21 NSWR 271 ICM Agriculture Pty Ltd v Commonwealth [2009] HCA 51 Martin v Martin [2010] NSWSC 700 Puntoriero v Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (1999) 199 CLR 575 Thorpes Ltd v Grant Pastoral Co Pty Ltd (1955) 92 CLR 317 Walsh v Walsh [2011] NSWSC 271 Texts Cited: J D Heydon and M J Leeming, 2016, Jacobs' Law of Trusts in Australia, 8th edn, LexisNexis Butterworths Category: Principal judgment Parties: Stuart Henry Masters - First Plaintiff John Baikie Wanklyn - Second Plaintiff NSW Trustee & Guardian - Defendant Representation: Counsel: D. Liebhold - Plaintiff K. Burke - Defendant