Canon Finance Australia Limited v Reliance Medical Practice Pty Ltd & Ors (No 7) [2020] NSWSC 554

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Canon Finance Australia Limited v Reliance Medical Practice Pty Ltd & Ors (No 7) [2020] NSWSC 554 Hearing dates: 27; 28; 29; 30; 31 August 2018; 4 September 2018; 22; 23 November 2018; 7; 8 March 2019 Date of orders: 15 May 2020 Decision date: 15 May 2020 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Campbell J Decision: See paragraph 315 Catchwords: CONSUMER LAW – Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) – Australian Securities and Investment Commission Act 2001 – misleading and deceptive conduct – persons involved in the contravention – contract for IT equipment, software and services – financing of contract by commercial lease - oral representations made about efficiency of IT system to be supplied – contract repudiated – hypothetical question of misrepresentation – misrepresentation a question of fact – measure of loss Legislation Cited: Australian Securities and Investment Commission Act 2001 (Cth), ss 12DA, 12GF Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), s 131A; Sch 2 – Australian Consumer Law ss 2, 18, 236, 243(a) Fair Trading Act 1987 (NSW), ss 42, 68 Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth), ss 52, 75B Cases Cited: ACCC v Dukemaster Pty Ltd [2009] FCA 682 ACCC v TPG Internet Pty Ltd (2013) 250 CLR 640; [2013] HCA 54 Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd v GSF Australia Pty Ltd (2005) 221 CLR 568; [2005] HCA 26 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Wealth & Risk Management Pty Ltd (No 2) [2018] FCA 59 Butcher v Lachlan Elder Realty Pty Ltd (2004) 218 CLR 592; [2004] HCA 60 Campbell Backoffice Investments Pty Ltd (2009) 238 CLR 304; [2009] HCA 25 Canon Finance Australia Limited v Reliance Medical Practice Pty Ltd & Ors (No 3) [2018] NSWSC 1378 Canon Finance Australia Limited v Reliance Medical Practice Pty Ltd & Ors (No 4) [2018] NSWSC 1379 Canon Finance Australia Limited v Reliance Medical Practice Pty Ltd & Ors (No 5) [2018] NSWSC 1373 Canon Finance Australia Limited v Reliance Medical Practice Pty Ltd & Ors (No 6) [2018] NSWSC 1809 Cassidy v Saatchi & Saatchi Australia Pty Ltd (2004) 134 FCR 585; [2004] FCAFC 34; Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society Ltd v Producers and Citizens Co-operative Assurance Co of Australia Ltd (1931) 46 CLR 41; [1931] HCA 53 Concrete Constructions (NSW) Pty Ltd v Nelson (1990) 169 CLR 594; [1990] HCA 17 Elders Trustee and Executor Co Ltd v E G Reeves Pty Ltd (1987) 78 ALR 193 Gates v City Mutual Life Assurance Society Ltd (1986) 160 CLR 1; [1986] HCA 3 Global Sportsman Pty Ltd v Mirror Newspapers Ltd (1984) 2 FCR 82 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1959] HCA 8 Pappas v Soulac Pty Ltd (1983) 50 ALR 231 Parkdale Custom Built Furniture Pty Ltd v Puxu Pty Ltd (1982) 149 CLR 191; [1982] HCA 44 Quikfund (Australia) Pty Ltd v Airmack Consolidators Pty Ltd (2014) 222 FCR 13; [2014] FCAFC 70 Sweeney v Boylan Nominees Pty Ltd (2006) 226 CLR 161; [2006] HCA 19 Taco Co of Australia Inc v Taco Bell Pty Ltd (1982) 42 ALR 177; (1982) ATPR 40-303 Travel Compensation Fund v Tambree (2005) 224 CLR 627; [2005] HCA 69 Vairy v Wyong Shire Council (2005) 223 CLR 422; [2005] HCA 62 Watson v Foxman (1995) 49 NSWLR 315 Yorke v Lucas (1985) 158 CLR 661; [1985] HCA 65 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Reliance Medical Practice Pty Ltd trading as ATF Reliance Medical Practice Trust (First Cross-Claimant) Rodney John Beckwith (Second Cross-Claimant) Voice Print & Data Australia Pty Ltd (First Cross-Defendant) Christian Altenburg (Second Cross-Defendant) Grant Edwards (Third Cross-Defendant) BHD Leasing Pty Ltd (Sixth Cross-Defendant) Representation: Counsel: G A Moore (Cross-Claimants) A J H Morris QC with I Erskine (First and Third Cross-Defendants) A F Fernon (Second Cross-Defendant) L W Chan (Sixth Cross-Defendant)