Devine Real Estate Concord Pty Ltd & Ors v Wajih Agha (aka Roger Agha) & Anor [2019] NSWSC 786

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Devine Real Estate Concord Pty Ltd & Ors v Wajih Agha (aka Roger Agha) & Anor [2019] NSWSC 786 Hearing dates: 14, 15, 16, 17, 29, 30, 31 August, 30 November 2018 7, 8, 27 March, 31 May 2019, Defendants submissions 21 May 2019, Plaintiff further submissions 11 June 2019 Date of orders: 04 December 2019 Decision date: 28 June 2019 Jurisdiction: Equity - Expedition List Before: Sackar J Decision: See para [439]-[441] Catchwords: EQUITY – restraint of trade – covenants in restraint of trade – breach of confidence – whether breach established – necessary quality of confidence – whether material in public domain – whether reading affidavit made information in public domain – utility of making order restricting use of confidential information Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) Court Suppression and Non-Publication Orders Act 2010 (NSW) Restraints of Trade Act 1976 (NSW) Cases Cited: Amoco Australia Pty Ltd v Rocca Bros Motor Engineering Co Pty Ltd (1973) 133 CLR 288; [1973] HCA 40 Australian Broadcasting Commission v Australasian Performing Right Association (1973) 129 CLR 99; [1973] HCA 36 Brand v Monks [2009] NSWSC 1454 Bridge v Deacons [1984] 1 AC 705 Broad Construction Services (WA) Pty Ltd v the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union of Workers [2007] WASC 133 Buckley v Tutty (1971) 125 CLR 353; [1971] HCA 71 Cactus Imaging Pty Ltd v Peters (2006) 71 NSWLR 9; [2006] NSWSC 717 Geraghty v Minter (1979) 142 CLR 177; [1979] HCA 42 Hammond v Scheinberg [2001] NSWSC 568 Hearne v Street (2008) 235 CLR 125; [2008] HCA 36 HIH Casualty & General Insurance Ltd v New Hampshire Insurance Co [2001] EWCA Civ 735 Hogan v Australian Crime Commission (2010) 240 CLR 651; [2010] HCA 21 Idameneo (No 123) Pty Ltd v Angel-Honnibal [2002] NSWSC 1214 Isaac v Dargan Financial Pty Ltd atf The Dargan Financial Discretionary Trust (ABN 68 702 047 521) (trading under the name of Home Loan Experts) [2018] NSWCA 163 Jardin and Jardin Investments Pty Ltd v Metcash Ltd and Metcash Trading Ltd [2011] NSWCA 409 Johns v Australian Securities Commission (1993) 178 CLR 408; [1993] HCA 56 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1959] HCA 8 Lindner v Murdock's Garage (1950) 83 CLR 628; [1950] HCA 48 Maggbury Pty Ltd v Hafele Australia Pty Ltd (2001) 210 CLR 181; [2001] HCA 70 Masters v Cameron (1954) 91 CLR 353; [1954] HCA 72 Missingham v Shamin [2012] NSWSC 288 Nordenfelt v The Maxim Nordenfelt Guns & Ammunition Co Ltd [1894] AC 535 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Ltd v Hanna [2010] NSWSC 78 Orton v Melman [1981] 1 NSWLR 583 Re Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance; Ex Parte Hoyts Corporation Pty Ltd (No 1) (1993) 178 CLR 379; [1993] HCA 40 RWE npower Renewables Ltd v JN Bentley Ltd [2014] EQCA Civ 150 Sidameneo (No 456) Pty Ltd v Alexander [2011] NSWCA 418 Taouk v Assure (NSW) Pty Ltd [2017] NSWCA 227 Tullett Prebon (Australia) Pty Ltd v Purcell [2008] NSWSC 852; (2008) 175 IR 414 Veda Advantage (Australia) Pty Ltd v De Beer [2016] NSWSC 37 Woolworths Limited v Olson [2004] NSWCA 372 Wright v Gasweld Pty Ltd (1991) 22 NSWLR 317 Texts Cited: The Restraint of Trade Doctrine (4th ed, 2018, LexisNexis Butterworths) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Devine Real Estate Concord Pty Ltd (first plaintiff) Devine Real Estate Drummoyne Pty Ltd (second plaintiff) Steven Devine (third plaintiff) EMC Just Holdings Pty Ltd (fourth plaintiff) Wajih Agha (aka Roger Agha) (first defendant) Lewis Coombe (second defendant) Representation: Counsel: V Heath (plaintiffs) P Doyle-Gray, A Djurdjevic (defendants)