Benidorm Pty Ltd v Chief Commissioner of State Revenue [2020] NSWSC 471

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Benidorm Pty Ltd v Chief Commissioner of State Revenue [2020] NSWSC 471 Hearing dates: 18 December 2019 Date of orders: 30 April 2020 Decision date: 30 April 2020 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Ward CJ in Eq Decision: 1. The defendant's assessment dated 6 March 2019, which assessed a deed made on 29 January 2015 between the plaintiff and Derek Stubbs (described as "Declaration of Trust by Nominee" with ad valorem duty, be revoked pursuant to s 101(1)(a) of the Taxation Administration Act 1997 (NSW). 2. The defendant repay any duty paid under the Principal Assessment with interest pursuant to s 101(1)(e) of the Taxation Administration Act 1997 (NSW). 3. The defendant pay the costs of this proceeding pursuant to s 101(1)(e) of the Taxation Administration Act 1997 (NSW) and s 98 of the Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW). Catchwords: REVENUE — Stamp duties — whether declaration of trust dutiable transaction where only acknowledges statutory vesting

REVENUE — Stamp duties — duty on declaration of trust — application of exemptions and nominal duty provisions Legislation Cited: Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) Duties Act 1997 (NSW) ss 8, 9, 11, 18, 50, 54, 55, 63, 652, 163H Duties Act 2008 (WA), s 11 Probate and Administration Act 1898 (NSW), ss 44, 47 Real Property Act 1900 (NSW) Stamp Duties Act 1894 (Qld) Stamp Duties Act 1920 (NSW) Cases Cited: Barron (Inspector of Taxes ) v Littman [1953] AC 96 Boensch v Pascoe [2019] HCA 49; (2019) 375 ALR 15 Calverley v Green (1984) 155 CLR 242; [1984] HCA 81 Chief Commissioner of Stamp Duties (NSW) v ISPT Pty Ltd (1998) 45 NSWLR 639 Chief Commissioner of State Revenue v Platinum Investment Management Ltd (2011) 80 NSWLR 240; [2011] NSWCA 48 Commissioner of Stamp Duties (NSW) v Buckle (1998) 192 CLR 226; [1998] HCA 4 Commissioner of Stamp Duties (NSW) v Pendal Nominees Pty Ltd (1989) 167 CLR 1 Commissioner of Stamp Duties (Queensland) v Hopkins (1945) 71 CLR 351; [1945] HCA 14 Commissioner of State Revenue v Rojoda Pty Ltd [2020] HCA 7 Crowther v Commissioner of Stamp Duties (NSW) [1978] 1 NSWLR 82 Davidson (Collector of Imposts) v Chirnside (1908) 7 CLR 324; [1908] HCA 65 DKLR Holding Co (No 2) Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Stamp Duties (NSW) (1982) 149 CLR 431; [1982] HCA 14 Fair Work Ombudsman v Spotless Services Australia Ltd [2019] FCA 9 Farah Constructions Pty Ltd v Say-Dee Pty Ltd (2007) 230 CLR 89; [2007] HCA 22 Federal Commissioner of Taxation v Clark (2011) 190 FCR 206; [2011] FCAFC 5 Fremantle Lawyers Pty Ltd v Sarich (2019) 54 WAR 113; [2019] WASCA 48 Harvey v Barton (No 4) [2015] NSWSC 809 King v Denison (1813) 1 Ves & B 260 Octavo Investments Pty Ltd v Knight (1979) 144 CLR 360; [1979] HCA 61 Official Receiver in Bankruptcy v Schultz (1990) 170 CLR 306; [1990] HCA 45 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355; [1998] HCA 28 Re Blow [1914] 1 Ch 233 Rinehart v Rinehart [2020] NSWSC 68 Rojoda Pty Ltd v Commissioner of State Revenue [2018] WASCA 224; (2018) 368 ALR 734 Stokes v Churchill; Estate of Fryer (1994) NSW ConvR 55- 694 Toohey's Ltd v Commissioner of Stamp Duties (1960) 60 SR (NSW) 539 Tooheys Limited v Commissioner of Stamp Duties (NSW) (1961) 105 CLR 602; [1961] HCA 35 Walsh Bay Developments Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation (Cth) (1995) 31 ATR 15 Wedge v Acting Comptroller of Stamps (Victoria) (1941) 64 CLR 75; [1941] HCA 1 Winston-Smith v Chief Commissioner of State Revenue [2018] NSWSC 773 Texts Cited: J D Heydon & M J Leeming, Jacobs' Law of Trusts in Australia (7th ed, LexisNexis Butterworths, 2006) J D Heydon and M J Leeming, Jacobs' Law of Trusts in Australia (8th ed, 2016, LexisNexis Butterworths) Justice R White, "The Nature of a Beneficiary's Equitable Interest in a Trust" [2007] New South Wales Judicial Scholarship 12 The Macquarie Dictionary (3rd ed, 1997, Macquarie Library) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Benidorm Pty Ltd (Plaintiff) Chief Commissioner of State Revenue (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: C Bevan with I Sethi (Plaintiff) R Seiden SC with S Kanagaratnam (Defendant)