CC Builders (Aust) Pty Ltd v Milestone Civil Pty Ltd [2019] NSWSC 1251

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: CC Builders (Aust) Pty Ltd v Milestone Civil Pty Ltd [2019] NSWSC 1251 Hearing dates: 30 July 2019 Date of orders: 13 September 2019 Decision date: 06 September 2019 Jurisdiction: Equity - Technology and Construction List Before: Rein J Decision: 1. The Adjudicator's decision in relation to the Second EOT claim quashed (subject to conditions) due to denial of procedural fairness and jurisdictional error in failing to have regard to the Plaintiff's submissions. 2. In relation to the Carry Over claim, no error demonstrated and no error of a jurisdictional kind identified. 3. The Plaintiff to accept liability for half of the Adjudicator's fees. Catchwords: BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION – Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 (NSW) – Whether adjudicator's determination should be quashed where the adjudicator refused to consider the plaintiff's submissions in respect of an extension of time claim on the basis that the plaintiff had not advanced the claim in its payment schedule when in fact it had done so, and the adjudicator referred, in part, to that claim being part of the payment schedule elsewhere in his determination – Whether adjudicator made an error in respect of a carry over claim and, if so, whether it was a jurisdictional error.

BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION – Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 (NSW) – Adjudicator's fees – Where the adjudicator had determined that the plaintiff should pay all of the adjudicator's fees, but the adjudicator's determination is set aside due to jurisdictional error involving part of the determination, and the Court uses its discretion to impose a condition on the successful plaintiff that it will accept liability for half of the adjudicator's fees. Legislation Cited: Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) Cases Cited: All Seasons Air Pty Ltd v Regal Consulting Services Pty Ltd [2017] NSWCA 289 Brodyn Pty Ltd (t/a Time Cost & Quality) v Davenport [2004] NSWCA 394; (2004) 61 NSWLR 421 Chase Oyster Bar Pty Ltd v Hamo Industries Pty Ltd [2010] NSWCA 190; (2010) 78 NSWLR 393 Downer Construction (Australia) Pty Ltd v Energy Australia [2007] NSWCA 49; (2007) 69 NSWLR 72 Emergency Services Superannuation Board v Davenport [2004] NSWSC 697 Fitz Jersey Pty Ltd v Atlas Construction Group Pty Ltd [2017] NSWCA 53; (2017) 94 NSWLR 606 Holmwood Holdings Pty Ltd v Halkat Electrical Contractors Pty Ltd [2005] NSWSC 1129; (2006) 22 BCL 285 Icon Co (NSW) Pty Ltd v Australia Avenue Developments Pty Ltd [2018] NSWCA 339 Iskra v MMIR Pty Ltd [2019] NSWCA 126 James v Surf Road Nominees Pty Ltd [No 2] [2005] NSWCA 296 John Holland Pty Ltd v Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales [2007] NSWCA 19 Minister for Commerce v Contrax Plumbing (NSW) Pty Ltd [2005] NSWCA 142 Multiplex Constructions Pty Ltd v Luikens [2003] NSWSC 1140 Parkview Constructions Pty Ltd v Total Lifestyle Windows Pty Ltd t/a Total Concept Group [2017] NSWSC 194 Perform (NSW) Pty Ltd v MEV-AUS Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 157 Probuild Constructions (Aust) Pty Ltd v DDI Group Pty Ltd [2017] NSWCA 151; (2017) 95 NSWLR 82 Probuild Constructions (Aust) Pty Ltd v Shade Systems Pty Ltd [2018] HCA 4; (2018) 92 ALJR 248 Rhomberg Rail Australia Pty Ltd v Concrete Evidence Pty Ltd [2019] NSWSC 755 RJ Neller Building Pty Ltd v Ainsworth [2008] QCA 397; [2009] 1 Qd R 390 Shade Systems Pty Ltd v Probuild Constructions (Aust) Pty Ltd (No 2) [2016] NSWCA 379; (2016) 95 NSWLR 157 Southern Cross Electrical Engineering Ltd v Steve Magill Earthmoving Pty Ltd [2018] NSWSC 1027 Timwin Construction v Façade Innovations [2005] NSWSC 548; (2005) 21 BCL 383 Trysams Pty Ltd v Club Constructions (NSW) Pty Ltd [2007] NSWSC 941 Waters v P C Henderson (Aust) Pty Ltd (unreported CA (NSW), Kirby P, Mahoney and Priestley JJA, 6 July 1994) Watpac Construction (NSW) Pty Ltd v Austin Corp Pty Ltd [2010] NSWSC 347 YTO Construction Pty Ltd v Innovative Civil Pty Ltd [2019] NSWCA 110 Texts Cited: John Dorter and John Sharkey, Building and Construction Contracts in Australia (Thomson Reuters, loose-leaf, 2019) Category: Principal judgment Parties: CC Builders (Aust) Pty Ltd (Plaintiff) Milestone Civil Pty Ltd (First Defendant) Robert Sundercombe (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Ms S. Foda (Plaintiff) Mr D. Hume (Defendant)