Bellerive Homes Pty Ltd v FW Projects Pty Ltd [2019] NSWSC 193

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Bellerive Homes Pty Ltd v FW Projects Pty Ltd [2019] NSWSC 193 Hearing dates: 3 and 4 December 2018 Decision date: 06 March 2019 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: N Adams J Decision: (1) The notice of motion filed on 21 August 2018 is dismissed.

(2) The plaintiff is to pay the defendant's costs on the ordinary basis. Catchwords: CONTEMPT – civil contempt – where parties entered into design and construction contract – where application made under the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 (NSW) for adjudication of contractual dispute – where adjudication was that plaintiff entitled to judgment for $1,110,063.83 – where adjudication certificate filed as judgment for a debt pursuant to s 25(1) of the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 (NSW) – where adjudicated sum unsatisfied – where plaintiff seeks defendant be punished for contempt by declaration, sequestration order, fine or other orders – where defendant made no case submission – whether prima facie case respondents guilty of contempt – May v O' Sullivan (1955) 92 CLR 654; [1995] HCA 38 – whether failure to pay a judgment debt is capable of constituting civil contempt – whether relevant distinction between a judgment debt and other order to pay money

CIVIL PROCEDURE – civil contempt – where adjudication certificate filed as a judgment for a debt pursuant to s 25(1) of the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 (NSW) – where judgment given file number – where contempt proceedings commenced by notice of motion – whether proceedings should have commenced by way of summons – Supreme Court Rules 1970 (NSW), Part 55, rule 6(2) – Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 63, 133(2) Legislation Cited: Absconding Debtors Act 1978 (NT) Arrest on Mesne Process Act 1902 (NSW), ss 4, 5, 6 Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 (NSW), Div 2, Pt 3, s 25(1) Civil Proceedings Act 2011 (Qld), s 100 Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 3, 63, 90, 107, 130, 131, 133 Court Procedure Rules 2006 (ACT), rr 2001, 2500 Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), ss 459G, 459H, 459J Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW), Part 1, Sch 3 Debtors Act 1869 (UK), s 5 Enforcement of Judgments Act 1991 (SA) s 5(7) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), ss 81, 82, 87 Home Building Act 1989 (NSW), s 18B Imprisonment for Debt Abolition Act 1846 (NSW), ss 2, 3 Imprisonment of Fraudulent Debtors Act 1958 (Vic) Judgment Creditors' Remedies Act 1901 (NSW), ss 19, 20 Judgment Debt Recovery Act 1984 (Vic), s 19 Restraint of Debtors Act 1984 (WA) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), ss 16, 96 Supreme Court Amendment Act 1972 (NSW), s 3(d) Supreme Court Rules 1970 (NSW), Pt 55, rr 6, 11.6 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 36.11, 37.3, 39, 40.6 Cases Cited: Advan Investments Pty Ltd v Gleeson Motor Sales Pty Ltd [2003] VSC 201 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Hercules Iron Pty Ltd [2008] FCA 1182 Australian Consolidated Press Ltd v Morgan (1965) 112 CLR 483; [1965] HCA 21 Australasian Meat Industry Employees' Union v Mudginberri Station Pty Ltd (1986) 161 CLR 98; [1986] HCA 46 Barton v Walker [1979] 2 NSWLR 740 Bellerive Homes Pty Ltd v FW Projects Pty Ltd [2018] NSWSC 1435 Blacktown City Council v Wilkie and Others (No 15) [2016] NSWLEC 98; (2016) 219 LGERA 1 Carter v Roberts [1903] 2 Ch 312 Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v Grocon Constructors (Victoria) Pty Ltd [2014] VSCA 261; (2014) 47 VR 527 Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) v Elskaf [2012] NSWSC 21 D B Mahaffy & Associates v Mahaffy [2015] NSWSC 66 Fairclough v Manchester Ship Canal Co [1897] WN 7; (1897) 41 Sol Jo 225 Gilbert v Endean (1878) 9 Ch D 259 Hearne v Street (2008) 235 CLR 125; [2008] HCA 36 Hulbert v Cathcart [1894] 1 QB 244 Hurd v Zomojo Pty Ltd [2015] FCAFC 148 Ingram v Ingram [1927] VLR 335 In the matter of Douglas Aerospace Pty Ltd [2015] NSWSC 167 Johnston v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (2005) 62 NSWLR 309; [2005] NSWCA 17 Kazal v Thunder Studios Inc (California) [2017] FCA 111 Lade & Co Pty Ltd v Black [2006] 2 Qd R 531 Mahaffy v Mahaffy [2013] NSWSC 245 Mahaffy v Mahaffy [2018] NSWCA 42 Markisic v Commonwealth of Australia [2007] NSWCA 92 May v O' Sullivan (1955) 92 CLR 654; [1995] HCA 38 Morgan v State Of Victoria (2008) 22 VR 237; [2008] VSCA 267 Pang v Bydand Holdings Pty Ltd [2011] NSWCA 69 Papantoniou v Stonewall Hotel Pty Ltd (2018) 19 BPR 38; [2018] NSWCA 85 Re Group Pty Ltd v Kazal [2017] FCA 1084 Reliance Financial Services Pty Ltd v Allyma Express Holdings Pty Ltd (No 2) [2018] NSWSC 1776 Ronowska v Kus (No 2) [2012] NSWSC 817 Salter v Director of Public Prosecutions (2009) 75 NSWLR 392; [2009] NSWCA 357 Siminton v Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (2008) 168 FCR 140; [2008] FCAFC 89 SRG Civil Pty Ltd v Brolton Group Pty Ltd [2018] NSWSC 618 Weissensteiner v R (1993) 178 CLR 217 Witham v Holloway (1995) 183 CLR 525; [1995] HCA 3 Wyszynski v Bill [2005] NSWSC 110 Wyszenko v Wyszenko [2012] NSWSC 732 Texts Cited: Arlidge, Eady & Smith on Contempt (5th ed, 2017, Sweet & Maxwell) Barnett and Harder, Remedies in Australian Private Law (2014, Cambridge University Press) Miller on Contempt of Court (4th ed, 2017, Oxford University Press) NSW Law Reform Commission, First Report on Supreme Court Procedure (Report No 7) Ritchie's Uniform Civil Procedure NSW (looseleaf, LexisNexis) Williams, Civil Procedure in Victoria (looseleaf, LexisNexis) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Bellerive Homes Pty Ltd (Plaintiff) FW Projects Pty Ltd (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: A Leopold SC with D A Hughes (Plaintiff) F Corsaro SC with M J Connor (Defendant)