Gold Titan Pty Ltd v Lopez

• Jurisdiction: Australia Federal only
• Judgment Date: 05 August 2021
• Neutral Citation: [2021] FCA 918
• Court: Federal Court
• Date: 05 August 2021

Federal Court of Australia

Gold Titan Pty Ltd v Lopez [2021] FCA 918

File numbers:	NSD 1924 of 2019NSD 482 of 2020
Judgment of:	ABRAHAM J
Date of judgment:	5 August 2021
Catchwords:	CONTRACTS – whether employee breached confidentiality clause contained in employment contract – whether list containing compilation of client data “confidential” – whether the presence of details of some persons and organisations related to the business who are not clients prevents list from being a “client list” ; EQUITY – whether employee breached equitable obligation of confidence – whether list containing compilation of client data has necessary degree of confidence ; CONSUMER LAW – whether representations contained on website were misleading or deceptive – whether conduct complained of was in “trade or commerce” – whether representations contained in an email touting for business misleading or deceptive – whether mere puffery – whether representations have a tendency to lead members of class of prospective purchasers into error ; DEFAMATION – whether company has standing to bring defamation proceedings – whether defamatory meanings or imputations were conveyed – whether imputations carry a defamatory meaning – whether imputations published ; CONTRACTS – where invoice for products requested – where products received and sold – where invoice not paid – whether implied term in contract – whether supplier engaged in “disentitling conduct” limiting the purchaser’s ability to sell the product – whether compensation for alleged additional work incurred by purchaser outside scope of any agreement between the parties reduces supplier’s entitlements under the invoice
Legislation:	Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth)Sch 2(Australian Consumer Law)ss 2, 18, 236 Defamation Act 2005 (NSW) ss 9, 25, 26 Sale of Goods Act 1923 (NSW)
Cases cited:	Advanced Fuels Technology Pty Ltd v Blythe & Ors[2018] VSC 286 Agricultural & Rural Finance Pty Ltd v Gardiner[2008] HCA 57; (2008) 238 CLR 570 AonRisk Services Ltd v Australian National University [2009] HCA 27; (2009) 239 CLR 175 Australian Broadcasting Corporation v Wing[2019] FCAFC 125; (2019) 271 FCR 632 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Coles Supermarkets (Australia) Pty Ltd[2014] FCA 634; (2014) 317 ALR 73 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Telstra Corporation Limited[2007] FCA 1904; (2007) 244 ALR 470 Australian Competition and Consumer Commissioner v TPG Internet Pty Ltd [2013] HCA 54; (2013) 250 CLR 640 BH Australia Constructions Pty Ltd v Kapeller[2019] NSWSC 1086; (2019) 100 NSWLR 367 Byers & Ors v Dorotea Pty Ltd [1986] FCA 593; (1986) 69 ALR 715 Campomar Sociedad Limitada v Nike International [2000] HCA 12; (2000) 202 CLR 45 Coco v AN Clark (Engineers) Ltd (1968) 1A IPR 587; [1969] RPC 41 Commonwealth of Australia v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd[1980] HCA 44; (1980) 147 CLR 39 Concrete Constructions (NSW) Pty Ltd v Nelson[1990] HCA 17;(1990) 169 CLR 594 Corrs Pavey Whiting & Byrne v Collector of Customers (Vic) (1987) 14 FCR 434 Crown Resorts Ltd v Zantran Pty Ltd[2020] FCAFC 1; (2020) 374 ALR 739 Del Casale v Artedomus (Aust) Pty Ltd[2007] NSWCA 172; (2007) 165 IR 148 Derbyshire County Council v Times Newspapers Ltd[1993] AC 534; [1993] 1 All ER 1011 Dye v Commonwealth Securities Limited (No 2)[2010] FCAFC 118 Feo v Pioneer Concrete (Vic) Pty Ltd[1999] VSCA 180; [1999] 3 VR 417 Greek Herald Pty Ltd v Nikolopoulos[2002] NSWCA 41; (2002) 54 NSWLR 165 Google Inc v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission[2013] HCA 1; (2013) 249 CLR 435 Interfirm Comparison (Australia) Pty Ltd v Law Society of New South Wales[1975] 2 NSWLR 104 IPC Global Pty Ltd v Pavetest Pty Ltd (No 3) [2017] FCA 82; (2017) 122 IPR 445 Lord Ashburton v Pape[1913] 2 Ch 469 Lym International Pty Ltd v Marcolongo[2011] NSWCA 303 Moorgate Tobacco Co Ltd v Philip Morris Ltd (No 2) [1984] HCA 73; (1984) 156 CLR 414 Nationwide News Pty Ltd v Rush[2020] FCAFC 115; (2000) 380 ALR 432 Optus Networks Pty Ltd v Telstra Corp Ltd[2010] FCAFC 21; (2010) 265 ALR 281 Overlook Management BV v Foxtel Management Pty Ltd[2002] NSWSC 17 Radio 2UE Sydney Pty Ltd v Chesterton[2008] NSWCA 66 Robb v Green[1895] 2 QB 315 Rush v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (No 7)[2019] FCA 496 Saltman Engineering Co Ltd v Campbell Engineering Co Ltd(1948) 65 RPC 203 Schindler Lifts Australia Pty Ltd v Debelak & Ors[1989] FCA 439; (1989) 89 ALR 275 Service Station Association v Berg Bennett [1993] FCA 638;(1993) 117 ALR 393 Shepherd v Felt & Textiles of Australia Ltd [1931] HCA 21;(1931) 45 CLR 359 Smith Kline & French Laboratories (Aust) Ltd v Secretary, Department of Community Services and Health(1990) 22 FCR 73; (1990) 95 ALR 87 Talbot v General Television Corporation Pty Ltd [1980] VR 224 University of Sydney v ObjectiVision Pty Ltd [2016] FCA 1199 Weldon & Co Services v Harbinson[2000] NSWSC 272 Wright v Gasweld Pty Ltd (1991) 22 NSWLR 317 Yorke v Lucas[1985] HCA 65; (1985) 158 CLR 661 Zomojo Pty Ltd v Hurd (No 2)[2012] FCA 1458; (2012) 299 ALR 621
Division:	General Division
Registry:	New South Wales
National Practice Area:	Commercial and Corporations
Sub-area:	Regulator and Consumer Protection
Number of paragraphs:	342
Date of last submissions:	12 November 2020
Date of hearing:	8-11 September 2020
Counsel for the Applicant:	Mr M Hall SC
Solicitor for the Applicant:	Banki Haddock Fiora
Counsel for the Respondents:	Mr J Knackstredt
Solicitor for the Respondents:	Somerville Legal

ORDERS

		NSD 1924 of 2019
BETWEEN:	GOLD TITAN PTY LTD (TRADING AS EVAGROUP ABN 47 124 061 169) Applicant
AND:	NICHOLAS LOPEZ First Respondent ; IMPERIAL FLOORING AUSTRALIA PTY LTD (ACN 635 477 593) Second Respondent ; CEMIMAX AUSTRALIA PTY LTD (ABN 71 623 150 014) (and another named in the Schedule) Third Respondent

order made by:	ABRAHAM J
DATE OF ORDER:	5 August 2021

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