Benchmark Special Edition: Tuesday, 9 February 2016
For the best view, please download images or click here
AR Conolly Company Lawyers.
A daily Bulletin listing our choice of Decisions of Superior Courts of Australia.

Daily Insurance

Executive Summary (One Minute Read)
Huationg (Asia) Pte Ltd v Lonpac Insurance Bhd (SGHC) - insurance contract - Work Injury Compensation Insurance Policy - insurer entitled to recover sum it paid to estate of deceased employee
Cheikho v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (No 4) (NSWSC) - defamation - determination of remaining issues by Court not jury - defence of qualified privilege failed - damages awarded in sum of $100 000
Clarke v State of New South Wales (No 5) (NSWSC) - pleadings - plaintiff either did not understand or failed to comply with obligations in relation to pleadings - leave to file further amended statement of claim refused
Jeffrey v Giles (No 2) (VSC) - costs - costs orders not set aside - no basis for relief pursuant to s29 Civil Procedure Act 2010 (Vic) - plaintiffs awarded costs on indemnity basis
R Developments Pty Ltd v Forth (ACTSC) - building contract - builder not entitled to insist that owners provide evidence of capacity to pay amount required under contract
Benchmark Television
 
 
Click here to watch the video
 
Paul Blacket SC and Peter Neil SC on Malicious Prosecution
Wrongly convicted person awarded substantial damages.
Summaries With Link (Five Minute Read)
Huationg (Asia) Pte Ltd v Lonpac Insurance Bhd [2015] SGHC 326
High Court of Singapore
George Wei J
Insurance contract - appeal against decision in which District Judge allowed insurer’s appeal against employer for sum paid pursuant to Work Injury Compensation Insurance Policy - construction of ‘Motorcycling Exception’ in ‘Travelling Extension’ - construction of ‘Avoidance and Recovery’ clause - whether insurer entitled to recover what it had paid to estate of deceased employee - public interest - statutory allocation of risk - Red hand rule - Work Injury Compensation Act - held: Court affirmed decision of District Judge that insurer was entitled to recover sum it paid - appeal dismissed.
Huationg
Cheikho v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (No 4) [2016] NSWSC 29
Supreme Court of New South Wales
McCallum J
Defamation - action arising from publication of articles in newspaper concerning protest in park in response to film ‘Innocence of Muslims’ - jury found plaintiff succeeded in relation to one article - remaining issues for determination by Court, not jury - whether article published on an occasion of qualified privilege - determination of amount of damages to be awarded - 22(3) Defamation Act 2005 (NSW) - held: plaintiff defence of qualified privilege at common law failed - plaintiff awarded damages of $100,000.
Cheikho
Clarke v State of New South Wales (No 5) [2016] NSWSC 28
Supreme Court of New South Wales
Schmidt J
Pleadings - plaintiff sued state for wrongful arrest, false imprisonment and malicious prosecution - plaintiff also brought proceedings against magistrate for conspiracy - plaintiff sought to file further amended statement of claim pursuant to leave granted by Garling J - State contended proposed pleading did not address deficiencies identified by Garling J and Harrison AsJ - whether plaintiff satisfied onus for grant of leave - held: State had no case to meet in proceedings - plaintiff unable to understand and comply with requirements in relation to pleadings or refused to accept what obligations involved - application refused.
Clarke
Jeffrey v Giles (No 2) [2016] VSC 2
Supreme Court of Victoria
McDonald J
Costs - Court gave judgment for plaintiffs - defendant sought to set aside costs orders on basis of breaches of Civil Procedure Act 2010 (Vic) and sought findings on matters the subject of findings, or which could have been subject of findings by judge who made original costs order - ss18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 29 Civil Procedure Act - s 40(2) Defamation Act 2005 (Vic) - s60(1) Supreme Court Act 1986 (Vic) - rr26.08(2)(b) & 46.04(1).Supreme Court (General Civil Procedure) Rules 2005 (Vic) - held: defendant did not establish allegations against plaintiffs and legal representatives - no basis to grant relief pursuant to s29 application - plaintiffs awarded costs on indemnity basis pursuant to s40(2)(a) Defamation Act 2005 (Vic).
Jeffrey
R Developments Pty Ltd v Forth [2016] ACTSC 8
Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory
Mossop AsJ
Building contract - action arising out of written contract for construction of residence - plaintiff was builder and defendants were owners - builder terminated for alleged failure to comply with contractual requirement to supply evidence of owners’ capacity to pay required amount - whether builder’s termination valid - held: builder not entitled to insist that Owners provide evidence of capacity to pay amount or to rely on alternative provision to support validity of termination of the contract - owners entitled only to nominal damages in relation to claim for damages for repudiation.
R Developments