G Woodham Investments Pty Ltd (ACN 141 703 700) ATF The Woodham Family Trust v Matthews [2019] NSWDC 279

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: G Woodham Investments Pty Ltd (ACN 141 703 700) ATF The Woodham Family Trust v Matthews [2019] NSWDC 279 Hearing dates: 16-17 April 2019, 10 May 2019, 24 May 2019 (written submissions), 3 June 2019 (written submissions), 13 June 2019 Date of orders: 21 June 2019 Decision date: 21 June 2019 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Dicker SC DCJ Decision: (1) Judgment for the plaintiff against the first defendant. (2) I will hear from the parties as to the appropriate costs order. (3) The parties are to bring in agreed Short Minutes of Order reflecting the amount found in these reasons together with appropriate interest within 7 days. (4) Liberty to the parties to approach the Associate to Dicker DCJ in the event that agreement cannot be reached as to the appropriate orders. Catchwords: Contract - moneys advanced pursuant to deeds of loan - whether default interest clause in the last deed amounts to a penalty - further moneys allegedly advanced pursuant to an oral agreement - identity of lender and borrower pursuant to oral agreement in dispute - terms of alleged loan in dispute – authority of alleged agent in dispute – whether actual authority – whether ostensible authority through a course of dealings Cases Cited: Andrews v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd [2012] HCA 30; (2010) 247 CLR 205 Arab Bank Australia Ltd v Sayde Developments Pty Ltd (2016) 93 NSWLR 231; [2016] NSWCA 328 Auburn Shopping Village Pty Ltd v Nelmeer Hoteliers Pty Ltd [2018] NSWCA 114 Australia Capital Financial Management Pty Ltd v Linfield Developments Pty Ltd [2017] NSWCA 99 Bay Bon Investment v Selvarajah [2008] NSWSC 1251 Caringbah Investments Pty Ltd v Caringbah Business & Sports Club Ltd (in liquidation) [2016] NSWCA 165 Crabtree–Vickers Pty Ltd v Australian Direct Mail Advertising and Addressing Co Pty Ltd [1975] HCA 49; (1975) 133 CLR 72 Ecosse Property Holdings Pty Ltd v Gee Dee Nominees Pty (2017) 261 CLR 544; [2017] HCA 12 Electricity Generation Corporation v Woodside Energy Ltd (2014) 251 CLR 640; [2014] HCA 7 Falk v Haugh (1935) 53 CLR 163 Freeman & Lockyer v Buckhurst Park Properties (Mangal) Ltd [1964] 2 QB 480 French v Smith [2005] VSCA 114 Johnston v Brightstars Holding Company Pty Ltd [2014] NSWCA 150 Lym International Pty Ltd v Marcolongo [2011] NSWCA 303 Management Services Australia Pty Ltd t/as Peak Performance PM v PM Works Pty Ltd [2019] NSWCA 107 Mansfield Corporation Pty Ltd v Chengcheng (Aust) Enterprise Melbourne Pty Ltd [2018] NSWDC 12 Melbourne Linh Son Buddhist Society Inc v Gippsreal Ltd [2017] VSCA 161 Paciocco v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd [2016] HCA 28 Ringrow Pty Ltd v BP Australia Pty Ltd (2005) 224 CLR 656 Wilh Wilhelmsen Investments Pty Ltd v SSS Holdings Pty Ltd [2019] NSWCA 32 Wu v Ling [2016] NSWCA 322 Yarra Capital Group Pty Ltd v Goldberg [2006] VSCA 109 Category: Principal judgment Parties: G Woodham Investments Pty Ltd (ACN 141 703 700) ATF The Woodham Family Trusts (Plaintiff) Melinda Matthews (First Defendant) Nicole Woodham (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: L Robb-Vujcic (Plaintiff) J Raftery (First Defendant)