Lawrence v Ciantar [2020] NSWCA 89

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Lawrence v Ciantar [2020] NSWCA 89 Hearing dates: 28 November 2019 Date of orders: 12 May 2020 Decision date: 12 May 2020 Before: Bathurst CJ at [1]; Meagher JA at [142]; Gleeson JA at [143] Decision: (1) Appeal dismissed. (2) Order the appellant pay the respondents' costs of the appeal. Catchwords: CONTRACTS – Construction – Interpretation – Principles of construction of commercial contracts.

CONTRACTS – Breach of contract – Consequences of breach – Right to termination – No specific performance.

STATUTORY INTERPRETATION – Home Building Act 1989 (NSW) – Definition of "residential building work" – Preliminary works. Legislation Cited: Home Building Act 1989 (NSW) Cases Cited: Adamastos Shipping Co Ltd v Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co Ltd (The Saxon Star) [1959] AC 133; [1958] 1 All ER 725 Agricultural and Rural Finance Pty Ltd v Gardiner (2008) 238 CLR 570; [2008] HCA 57 Brambles Holdings Ltd v Bathurst City Council (2001) 53 NSWLR 153; [2001] NSWCA 61 Butt v Long (1953) 88 CLR 476; [1953] HCA 76 Cherry v Steele-Park (2017) 96 NSWLR 548; [2017] NSWCA 295 Codelfa Constructions Pty Ltd v State Rail Authority (NSW) (1982) 149 CLR 337; [1982] HCA 24 County Securities Pty Ltd v Challenger Group Holdings Pty Ltd [2008] NSWCA 193 Ecosse Property Holdings Pty Ltd v Gee Dee Nominees Pty Ltd (2017) 261 CLR 544; [2017] HCA 12 Electricity Generation Corporation v Woodside Energy Ltd (2014) 251 CLR 640; [2014] HCA 7 Empirnall Holdings Pty Ltd v Machon Paull Partners Pty Ltd (1988) 14 NSWLR 523 Franklins Pty Ltd v Metcash Trading Ltd (2009) 76 NSWLR 603; [2009] NSWCA 407 Grygiel v Baine [2005] NSWCA 218 Koompahtoo Local Aboriginal Land Council v Sanpine Pty Ltd (2007) 233 CLR 115; [2007] HCA 61 Laurinda Pty Ltd v Capalaba Park Shopping Centre Pty Ltd (1989) 166 CLR 623; [1989] HCA 23 Mainteck Services Pty Ltd v Stein Heurtey SA (2014) 89 NSWLR 633; [2014] NSWCA 184 Mount Bruce Mining Pty Ltd v Wright Prospecting Pty Ltd (2015) 256 CLR 104; [2015] HCA 37 Shepherd v Felt and Textiles of Australia Ltd (1931) 45 CLR 359; [1931] HCA 21 Simic v New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation (2016) 260 CLR 85; [2016] HCA 47 Victoria v Tatts Group Ltd (2016) 90 ALJR 392; [2016] HCA 5 Texts Cited: J D Heydon, Heydon on Contract (2019, Thomson Reuters) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Wayne Lawrence (Appellant) Paul William Ciantar (First Respondent) Alice Sammut (Second Respondent) Representation: Counsel: J C Kelly SC with D McDonald-Norman (Appellant) E Peden SC with T Bateman and M J H Waters (Respondents)