Lloyd v Belconnen Lakeview Pty Ltd

• Jurisdiction: Australia Federal only
• Judge: LEE J
• Judgment Date: 20 December 2019
• Neutral Citation: [2019] FCA 2177
• Court: Federal Court
• Date: 20 December 2019

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Lloyd v Belconnen Lakeview Pty Ltd [2019] FCA 2177

File numbers:	NSD 1417 of 2017NSD 1555 of 2018
Judge:	LEE J
Date of judgment:	20 December 2019
Catchwords:	CONTRACT – money had and received – failure of consideration and mistake – contract between vendors and purchasers – price included an amount payable referable to GST – GST component a distinct part of consideration paid by purchasers – vendors not liable to pay GST – purchasers sought repayment of money as a result of failure of consideration and mistake – whether vendors had title to retain the money in whole or part – whether failure a distinct and severable part of the consideration RESTITUTION – recovery – unjust enrichment – relevance of contract – whether vendors had a duty to make restitution to the purchasers in whole or part –whether defence applies to obligation to repay in whole or part TAXATION AND REVENUE LAW – A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 (Cth) – consequences of decision in Federal Commissioner of Taxation v Gloxinia Investments Ltd [2010] FCAFC 46; (2010) 183 FCR 420 – operation of transitional arrangements and sale of residential premises by developers an input taxed supply REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDINGS – representative proceedings – complex class action – Merck orders concerning initial trial – adjudication of individual claims, common issues and ‘issues of commonality’ TRADE PRACTICES – consumer protection – misleading and deceptive conduct and unconscionable conduct –– whether respondents’ conduct towards applicants amounted to contravening conduct TRADE PRACTICES – consumer protection – whether respondents’ conduct unconscionable ; DAMAGES – measure of damages – respondent a willing vendor – if properly informed an applicant would have sought reduction in purchase price for unit – causation – loss of a chance – standard of proof – calculation of loss
Legislation:	Australian Consumer Law ss 18, 21 Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth) s 12CB A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 (Cth) ss 9-5, 9-10, 9-70, 11-5, 19-10(1)(c), 29-70, 38-325, 75-5, 75-10, 75-20, 75-30 Civil Law (Sale of Residential Property) Act 2003 (ACT) Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) Pt XI Constitution s 90 Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) s 136 Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) ss 33ZB Land Titles Act 1925 (ACT) s 48 Tax Laws Amendment (2011 Measures No. 9) Act 2012 (Cth) Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth)
Cases cited:	A & A Property Developers Pty Ltd v MCCA Asset Management Ltd [2017] VSCA 365 Abigroup Contractors Pty Ltd v Sydney Catchment Authority (No 3) [2006] NSWCA 282; (2006) 67 NSWLR 341 ABN AMRO Bank NV v Bathurst Regional Council [2014] FCAFC 65; (2014) 224 FCR 1 Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited v Westpac Banking Corporation (1988) 164 CLR 662 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Universal Music Australia Pty Ltd [2001] FCA 1800; (2001) 115 FCR 442 Australian Financial Services and Leasing Pty Limited v Hills Industries Limited [2014] HCA 14; (2014) 253 CLR 560 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Hellicar [2012] HCA 17; (2012) 247 CLR 345 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Kobelt [2019] HCA 18; (2019) 93 ALJR 743 Avon Products Pty Limited v Commissioner of Taxation [2006] HCA 29; (2006) 230 CLR 356 Badenach v Calvert [2016] HCA 18; (2016) 257 CLR 440 Baltic Shipping Company v Dillon (1993) 176 CLR 344 Bowler v Hilda Pty Ltd [2000] FCA 899 Brady King Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation [2008] FCAFC 118; (2008) 168 FCR 558 Bullabidgee Pty Ltd v McCleary [2011] NSWCA 259 Butcher v Lachlan Elder Realty Pty Limited [2004] HCA 60; (2004) 218 CLR 592 Campbell v Backoffice Investments Pty Ltd [2009] HCA 25; (2009) 238 CLR 304 Chowder Bay Pty Ltd v Paganin [2018] FCAFC 25 Commercial Union Assurance Company of Australia Limited v Ferrcom Pty Ltd (1991) 22 NSWLR 389 Commissioner of State Revenue (Vic) v Royal Insurance Australia Limited (1994) 182 CLR 51 Commissioner of Taxation v DB Rreef Funds Management Limited [2006] FCAFC 89; (2006) 152 FCR 437 Coshott v Lenin [2007] NSWCA 153 Darvall McCutcheon v H K Frost Holdings Pty Ltd [2002] VSCA 85; (2002) 4 VR 570 David Securities Pty Limited v Commonwealth Bank of Australia (1992) 175 CLR 353 Demagogue Pty Ltd v Ramensky (1992) 39 FCR 31 Dillon v RBS Group (Australia) Pty Limited [2017] FCA 896; (2017) 252 FCR 150 Dovuro Pty Limited v Wilkins [2003] HCA 51; (2003) 215 CLR 317 Duoedge Pty Ltd v Leong [2013] VSC 36 Equuscorp Pty Ltd v Haxton [2012] HCA 7; (2012) 246 CLR 498 Falkingham v Hoffmans (a firm) [2014] WASCA 140; (2014) 46 WAR 510 Farah Constructions Pty Limited v Say-Dee Pty Limited [2007] HCA 22; (2007) 230 CLR 89 Federal Commissioner of Taxation v Gloxinia Investments Ltd [2010] FCAFC 46; (2010) 183 FCR 420 Gill v Ethicon Sàrl (No 3) [2019] FCA 587 Graham & Linda Huddy Nominees Pty Ltd v Byrne [2016] QSC 221 Graham Barclay Oysters Pty Limited v Ryan [2002] HCA 54; (2002) 211 CLR 540 Ha v New South Wales (1997) 189 CLR 465 Hanave Pty Ltd v LFOT Pty Ltd (formerly Jagar Projects Pty Ltd) [1999] FCA 357; (1997) 43 IPR 545 Hodgson, D H, “The Scales of Justice: Probability and Proof in Legal Fact-finding” (1995) 69 ALJ 731 HTW Valuers (Central Qld) Pty Ltd v Astonland Pty Ltd [2004] HCA 54; (2004) 217 CLR 640 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Klemweb Nominees Pty Ltd (as trustee for the Klemweb Superannuation Fund) v BHP Group Limited [2019] FCAFC 107; (2019) 369 ALR 583 Kovan Engineering (Aust) Pty Ltd v Gold Peg International Pty Ltd [2006] FCAFC 117; (2006) 234 ALR 241 La Trobe Capital & Mortgage Corporation Ltd v Hay Property Consultants Pty Ltd [2011] FCAFC 4; (2011) 190 FCR 299 Lipkin Gorman v Karpnale Ltd [1991] 2 AC 548 Mann v Paterson Constructions Pty Ltd [2019] HCA 32; (2019) 373 ALR 1 Masters Home Improvement Australia Pty Ltd v North East Solutions Pty Ltd [2017] VSCA 88 Merck Sharp & Dohme (Australia) Pty Ltd v Peterson [2009] FCAFC 26; (2009) 355 ALR 20 Miller & Associates Insurance Broking Pty Ltd v BMW Australia Finance Limited [2010] HCA 31; (2010) 241 CLR 357 Mount Bruce Mining Pty Limited v Wright Prospecting Pty Limited [2015] HCA 37; (2015) 256 CLR 104 Nikolic v Oladaily Pty Ltd [2007] NSWCA 252 Niru Battery Manufacturing Co v Milestone Trading Ltd [2002] EWHC 1425 (Comm); 2 All ER (Comm) 705 Nunin Holdings Pty Ltd v Tullamarine Estates Pty Ltd [1994] 1 VR 74 Paciocco v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd [2015] FCAFC 50; (2015) 236 FCR 199 Parkdale Custom Built Furniture Proprietary Limited v Puxu Proprietary Limited (1982) 149 CLR 191 Pavey & Matthews Proprietary Limited v Paul (1987) 162 CLR 221 Pereira v Director of Public Prosecutions (1988) 82 ALR 217 Prasad v Sangha [2012] NSWCA 92

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