Strike Australia Pty Ltd v Data Base Corporate Pty Ltd [2019] NSWCA 205

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Strike Australia Pty Ltd v Data Base Corporate Pty Ltd [2019] NSWCA 205 Hearing dates: 31 July 2019 Decision date: 21 August 2019 Before: Bell P at [1]; Basten JA at [37]; Ward JA at [68] Decision: Appeal dismissed with costs. Catchwords: CONTRACTS – Construction – Interpretation – determination of market rent by an expert valuer – construction of provision of sub-lease requiring the valuer to "have regard to" certain matters in determining the market rent for a sub-lease of premises located at King Street Wharf, Sydney – interpretation of requirement to "have regard to" "comparable premises in the vicinity of the Premises" – whether matters listed exhaustive – meaning of "have regard to"

VALUATION – expert determination – whether the trial judge erred in finding that the valuer did not have regard to market rents in the manner prescribed by the sub-lease – whether the trial judge erred in finding that the determination of market rent by the valuer was not binding on the appellant and the respondent as parties to the sub-lease – whether the valuer erroneously had regard to the physical configuration of the premises or tenant's property – appeal dismissed with costs

VALUATION – nature of valuation – meaning of "acting as an expert and not as an arbitrator" Legislation Cited: Landlord and Tenant (Amendment) Act 1948-1961 (NSW), s 21(1) Cases Cited: AGL Victoria Pty Ltd v SPI Networks (Gas) Pty Ltd [2006] VSCA 173 AMP Henderson Global Investors Ltd v Valuer General [2004] NSWCA 264; 134 LGERA 426 Australian Broadcasting Commission v Australasian Performing Right Association Ltd (1973) 129 CLR 99 Australian Vintage Ltd v Belvino Investments No 2 Pty Ltd (2015) 90 NSWLR 367; [2015] NSWCA 275 Avon Downs Pty Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1949) 78 CLR 353; [1949] HCA 26 Bank of Queensland Ltd v Chartis Australia Insurance Ltd [2013] QCA 183 Boland v Yates Property Corp Pty Ltd [1999] HCA 64; 167 ALR 575 Brickworks Ltd v Minister for Public Works (1949) 29 LVR 67 Burger King Corp v Hungry Jack's Pty Ltd (2001) 69 NSWLR 558; [2001] NSWCA 187 Challenger Property Asset Management Pty Ltd v Stonnington City Council (2011) 34 VR 445; [2011] VSC 184 Coplin v Al Maha Pty Ltd [2019] NSWCA 159 Data Base Corporate Pty Ltd v Strike Australia Pty Ltd [2019] NSWSC 271 Duffy v Minister for Planning [2003] WASCA 294; 129 LGERA 271 Ecosse Property Holdings Pty Ltd v Gee Dee Nominees Pty Ltd (2017) 261 CLR 544; [2017] HCA 12 Electricity Commission of New South Wales t/as Pacific Power v Arrow (1994) 85 LGERA 418 Electricity Generation Corporation v Woodside Energy Ltd (2014) 251 CLR 640; [2014] HCA 7 Fitzgerald v Masters (1956) 95 CLR 420 Hodder Rook & Associates Pty Ltd v Genworth Financial Mortgage Insurance Pty Ltd [2011] NSWCA 279 Homburg Houtimport BV v Agrosin Private Ltd [2004] 1 AC 715 Karenlee Nominees Pty Ltd v Gollin & Co Ltd [1983] 1 VR 657 Kenny & Good Pty Ltd v MGICA (1999) 199 CLR 413; [1999] HCA 25 Lainson Holdings Pty Ltd v Duffy Kennedy Pty Ltd [2019] NSWSC 576 Legal & General Life of Australia Ltd v A Hudson Pty Ltd (1985) 1 NSWLR 314 Mainteck Services Pty Ltd v Stein Heurtey SA (2014) 89 NSWLR 633; [2014] NSWCA 184 Mercury Communications Ltd v Director-General of Telecommunications [1994] CLC 1125 Minister of State for the Navy v Rae (1945) 70 CLR 339; [1945] HCA 6 Muriniti; Newell v Lawcover Insurance Pty Ltd (No 2) [2018] NSWCA 311 National Australia Bank Ltd v Clowes [2013] NSWCA 179 Northbuild Constructions Pty Ltd v Discovery Beach Project Pty Ltd [2008] QCA 160 Owen v Woolworths Properties Ltd (1956) 96 CLR 154 Palacath Ltd v Flanagan [1985] 2 All ER 161 Perry v Wright [1908] 1 KB 441 R v Hunt; Ex parte Sean Investments Pty Ltd (1979) 180 CLR 322; [1979] HCA 32 R v Toohey; Ex parte Meneling Station Pty Ltd (1982) 158 CLR 327; [1982] HCA 69 Rathborne v Abel [1965] ALR 545; 38 ALJR 293 Re Dawdy (1885) 15 QBD 426 Rinehart v Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd [2019] HCA 13 River Bank Pty Ltd v Commonwealth (1974) 4 ALR 651 Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs v Charlesworth, Pilling & Co [1901] AC 373 Sigiriya Capital Pty Ltd v Scanlon [2013] NSWCA 401; 97 ACSR 183 South Sydney Council v Royal Botanic Gardens [1999] NSWCA 478 Spencer v Commonwealth (1907) 5 CLR 418; [1907] HCA 82 Tempe Recreation (D500215 and D1000502) Reserve Trust v Sydney Water Corp (2014) 88 NSWLR 449; [2014] NSWCA 437 United Group Rail Services Ltd v Rail Corporation New South Wales (2009) 74 NSWLR 618; [2009] NSWCA 177 Vale v Sutherland (2009) 237 CLR 638; [2009] HCA 26 Valuer-General v Fivex Pty Ltd [2015] NSWCA 53; 206 LGERA 450 Valuer-General v Perilya Broken Hill Ltd [2013] NSWCA 265; 195 LGERA 416 Walker Corp Pty Ltd v Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority [2009] NSWCA 178; 168 LGERA 1 Western Australian Planning Commission v Arcus Shopfitters Pty Ltd [2003] WASCA 295 Texts Cited: Alan A Hyam, The Law Affecting Valuation of Land in Australia (5th ed, 2014, Federation Press) JD Heydon, Heydon on Contract (2019, Lawbook Co) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Strike Australia Pty Ltd (Appellant) Data Base Corporate Pty Ltd (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: ATS Dawson SC with DJ Roche (Appellant) F Corsaro with P Newton (Respondent)