Neil Lawrence Ricketts & Amy Ricketts v G C Betta Homes Pty Ltd

[1978] FCA 124

M;1, ;\l. =,;TON a,g,!carec1 f 5 r the a i ~ p l i c a n t s .

HIS RdNOUR: Yas, M r . l-Icat3n.

MiZ. I-T:XL'ON: I f j w u r H3n31~r p l e a s e s , t h i s i s an ex pn r t e

a j b ) l i c s t i 3 n ,

HIS 'rIONNO1T':i Yes M r . Heaton. I no t i ce i n t h e a f f i d a v i t t h ~ t you^

c l i e n t s a r e re f'crre3 t o a s t he a p p l i c a n t s and

G.C. 3 e t t a Hmes I ' ty. Ltd. i s l e s c r i 3 e 2 3 s t h e

r e ~ ~ ~ o n - l e n t . IJhat art^- they t he r~ ; sp l ican ts and

res~,DnlJen t s t o ?

M . T O I f y:,ur Hon:,ur ,j l e a s e s , t h e a1;plican t s a r c naned

3s S U C ~ under r e ~ u l a t i o n 78 i n the S ~ n c i l i a t i o n and

i r 5 i t r a t i o n re qula t i o n s .

HIS IiONOUii: What havc t hey tc , do with t he General D iv i s ion of t h e

Fc. li:ral Court?

MR. HE~LTON: My un Jers t :~nci ing of the c r ~ s s - r e f e r e n c e between the

f s j e r a l Cour t ru1t.s t3 the c o n c i l i a t i o n and 3 r S i t m t i o n ,

and :;tick t:, ti.1e hidh c x r t r u l z s , i n 3ccordance with

t h 3 t g i s t h a t i t ena'nles thz a 2 p l i c a n t s i n t h i s > a r t i c u l a r

CJSC! t3 a $ ? l j t,:, the c m r t 2x ,:arte f o r an i n junct ion

t o r e s t r a i n t h e c3n luc t which i s cn,palged i n by t h e

i e fen tan t .

HIS HONOYR: I alr ;19t ch2llengin: ygur c l i e n t s t r i g h t t o a2p ly

t:, thz c o u r t ; I arr! r a i s i n g t h e ques t ian : wh;t i s t h e

v e h i c l e lxn3er which y ~ u a $ ~ , l y ? I f i t wsre an

spp l - icz t i3n I cou l J un l e r s t and your c l i e n t s

i n descri.'t,,?cl. a s the a , ~ p l i c a n t s .

M2. T O N Night I r e f :r y3ur 8on:~ur to r e s u l a t i o n 78(n) o f

t h t 2 C ~ n c i l i a t i c ~ n an3 yirbi t r a t i s n Act.

l l

HIS HOltCUR:	! / h ~ t	does t1lz.t say?	l
l

MIZ, l-JEiiTOi\J: I t says , "SuSjcct t~ r2_:ulati3n 78(i-)) . . . . . ( r e a d s ) l

..... suppor te-? by an 3ffi-lt-lvlt v ~ r i f y i n y t h e f ? c t s V . l

HIS H0 :OOTll,i: Thzt was back i n the la,ys when the j u r i s 3 i c t i D n

was corcmittel ts t h z ' tLus t rn l i an I n d u s t r i a l Court

: ) r i g ina l l y , I irr!agine.

Mi3. XEATQd: Yes, t h a t i s c o r r e c t . It i s m y unders tanding t h a t t h a t 1

g r ~ c e d u r e i s s t i l l nvni1ai)le i n t h i s c s u r t i n t h e

gen,:ral j u r i s d i c t i a ~ . 1

HIS 110IVGU;I: W2 w i l l d c q l w i t h t he subs tcncc 3 f tha rmtt?r. Nothing

w i l l t u r n 3 n t h e fc~rrr 3f i t f o r 3 u r 2ri3sent ; ) u ~ ~ ~ s c s ,

!'Ire 1132 t z n

MR. IiEnTGILr: I ::rr indebt-. l t o yDur Honour.

Tr 3 svidence i n su ,~ , )o r t 3f t , . e s r d c r n i s i and

t h e i n t z r i r ~ i n j u n c t i g n i s c ~ n t a i n e d i n an a f f i d a v i t

swJrn t h i s :lay by Nei l Lawrence ~ Z i c k e t t s of 14 Hepburn

S t r e e t , Br~adm3a lows.

HIS HOlVCUR: I f i t w i l . 1 htelg y ~ u , I have had t h e 3ppor tun i ty t o

rea 1 t h ~ t a f f i j a v i t and t h s 2 x h i b i t s t o i t .

l C I an? i n l e b t c l t3 your H3naur. Thcre a r e pe rhaps

~ x a t ~ t c r s which shouls be r cen t i~ne j . i n r e l a t i ~ n t3 t h ~ t

a f f i l a v i t - i n t he f i r s t gclrab;ratjh, a n l i t u n f o r t u n a t e l y l

cgnt-inues, wherein t h e a p p l i c a n t r27e r s t o h i r r se l f a s

a s s y ; l a i n t i f f u a n d " th? , ) l a i n t i f f s r t . Th3t i s an e r m r

3 f h y d r a f t i n g , 1

HIS HGMOUiI: I w i l - 1 n 3 t be t r 3 u b l e J by any t e r m i n ~ l 3 s i c a l

ine.xac t i t u d z s .

MR. HZJITO:J: C e r t a i n l y thu t r e f e r ence s t i ~ u l l be t o " t h e a 2pl ican ts",

< ? n d I woull seak t h e c 3 u r t 1 s indulf;enca so f a r a s t h a t

i s c3nccrncI .

The a d g l i c a t i a n s t e ~ s fr3m the d e f ~ n d a n t l

c3r12,:any ? i s t r i S u t i r ~ ~ : tht? d jv :? r t i senen t rJr parcshlet which

i s ~ ? x h i ; ; - i t 5 9 3 r 4 - - -

HIS HONOUR: This i s the 3ne "Incredilsle Bet tapebble f a r Pebble

F13ors7' .

MR. I.I%aTO!\S: Yes. What thc cv i l ence 3f M r . n i c k e t t s i s , i s t h a t

when h2 ~ r i s han l i c ~ g a u t h i s ,~an!,-hlats t=, the , u b l i c ,

t3 whcin-! h2 was handin2 them, son:^ m e r ~ ~ ~ c r s 3 f t he 2 u b l i c

r e , , l i e 1 , "We a l r z a d y have 3ne 3f' thhz ,arr!, h l e t s , wc d o

n a t r~cc l i t". It i s r;?.y s u b ~ ! i s s i 3 n t h L i t t ha canduct 3 f

thz l e f e n l s n t i s such t h ~ t thd di;fenfjant i s a c3rLJ3ra t ion

wi th in t he m a n i n , ; 3f s ec t i on 52, an4 , g s s i b l y s e c t i g n 53,

3 f the Tr:lle P r a c t i c e s Act; t h a t i t i s i n t r a - le D r

cmmerct. anf i i t i s an;sging i n cgnrluct wbich i s

n!islcar;?in; 3nd jece,. t i v e 3r l i k e l y t3 misl2n l 3r deceive .

Y ~ u r Honour w i l l a - , r z c i a t e M r . R i c k e t t s has

m 3 r n i n h i s a f i ' idav i - t t h : ? t he h ? s s r z ~ c i n t l n t l y / i i s&layed

Q n h i s s tand h i s name "Incr ;3J ible P ~ b b l e ~ ~ . The

c ~ n n c c t i o n i s such t h d t when a cc~nsumer :lr 3 member 3f t h e

,ubl.i-c ,,asses the s t and they a s s ~ c i a t e 3r c ~ n n e c t

l~etwcen the $ l a i n t i f f s an2 thc i e f e n l a n t thz narce

" I n c r e l i ' k~ lz" .

HIS IIONGUI1: It nay i d r h a t J s a s s i s t you if I were t 3 say t h a t tha

r r j a t t ~ r t h<: t i s c ~ n c e r n i n . : me i n r e 1 1ti : ;n t3 your

, ~ r ~ s e n t 3 , Jp l i ca t i c , n i s whether -it woull n 3 t be h a t t e r

4zrha; s to r r . ~ n t you h a v e t o s h o r t sc2rve an ~ r l e r n i s i ,

h,-lve i t w! 2 1~3 r e t u r n 3 h l e ton?:)rrow, an l d i r n c t t h a t

s z rv i cd o f t he o r l t ? r n i s i 3afl t h a f f i , ? n v i t i ~ n su; ; ,ort

b e :lt'f',:cte l. f a r t h w i t h . That woulJ ,r3duce the

r d s u l t t h u t 1 3 ; t l ; ; ~ a r t i ~ s ~ 3 ~ 1 1 h3ve an portuni unity 3f

bein: Lefc,re t he c o u r t ,

MIi. IEI~TOl\T" -1 , ;rcci3te t h s t , y9ur H ~ n o u r , yes. The t ~ a t t e r

daes have ur:incy bscause c~f t h s v31 ur~u of people whc,

ga s s tl?rou,;)l~ this y-irticu'ln r home s h ~ w i n the confine;j.

d e r i o 3 2f z i i ;h t l a g s 3ver which i t i s e x h i b i t i n g a t

t he E x h i b i t i 3 n bu i ld ings .

HIS I-IONOUR: If ysu want t o seek t o ~ ? r s u a f i e me t h 3 t I should

make :ln o r l e r now f o r an i n t z r i m i n j u n c t i o n I w i l l 3f

cours2 hear anythin[; you w 3 n t t o , u t tc, Te, My . r i r ~ a

f 3 c i z r a . l c t i on , hav ins read t he material f i l e l , i s

t o t h i n k t h e s h a r t s e r v i c e s a l i l t i 3 n waulfi be t h e b e t t 2 r l I

one , b u t I w ~ u l ~ 2 be ~ l a l b h e a r anything y3u want t:,

g u t tc, 1r.c i n f3v3ur 3f t he int3rirr . i n j u n c t i o n .

MR. HEaTON So f a r a s thz i n t ~ r i n i n j u n c t i g n i s concerned, I am

*aware o f the dec i s ion r e t h e Ib rnsby 3 u i l d i n g I n f ~ r m a t i o n

Cen t r a and the Sylney Bui ld in< Infa rmat i3n Centre , and

i n t ~ y submissic,n i t i s ~ & e n tc, t h i s c : ~ u r t 3 n t h e b a s i s I

sf t hz jult:?rxents 3f t h e i r H ~ n s u r s M r . J u s t i c e Jacobs ,

Mr. J u s t i c e Stc,,hcn antl Mr. J u s t i c e Mur9hy t h 3 t i t i s 1

q u i t e 1e ; i t ima te f ~ the r a, ; : l icants i n t he se

circu~-ilstdnces t c ~ a$ , l y t o t h i s c ~ u r t ; if yc~ur Hanour

was ~ l i s , , o s e ~ l t~ t h c view t h 3 t the cc~nduct en:age4 i n l

Sy the l ~ f e n d a n t i s o f the t y , ~ o r ~ f ~ r r e d t3 i n s e c t i ~ n l

52 ~f tho Trt14e P r z c t i c e s het, then such w 3 u 1 1 be l

adsrc,r!ricltt. f o r an i n t e r i n i n J u n c t i ~ n , bea r ing i n mind 1

the uri;enqr of' t h ~ c tL lLr l ica t i3n so f a r a s t h e a , , p l i can t s

:;re c o r ~ c e r n s ~ l , and t h a t time i s neccs::3rily 3f the

essencc if the lece,jtion and n?islsal ini ; , 3r l i k e l y I

.-l ~ d c e , t i o n , l i k e l y mis lead in< , i s t c ~ be n i n i r ~ n l s 3 f a r

a s t h e , u:;lic i s concern33. I

HIS HONOTJR: I f you 32% a n i n t e r i ~ i n junc t ian i t would 3f c3u r se

be s u v ~ j e c t t:, -- ~ n e r a l l i b d r t y tc , e i t h e r p a r t y t 3 zPyly .

MR. XI~ATON"Y~~ y 3 u r I p ~ n s ~ r .

HIS I-ICINGUR: Y:IU c o u l l h . : r l l v serve vaur i n t e r i ~ i n j u n c t i o n before

l a t e t h i s o f t ; r n l j n , and i f the r12s~on326t were minded

t s ~ , ,~ l j ; . t~nc,r ,rgw 1r.orni.n; under t h e ?;?neral i i b e r t y ,

you w & l l be h c k r e a l l y i n t h 2 s i t u a t i ~ n 3f havin.5. the

saRe r e s u l t 2s i f 1 5ava y3u s h ~ r t s e r v i c e ,

BwH/W/kc

Ricke t t s

MR. H ~ A T O N : Tha t wo1.11-i b$ s a , g ~ u r I b n o u r , y e s .

HIS I-TONGUIi: I s th::rc a n y t h i n g f u r t h e r y ~ u want t3 L J U ~ t3 me,

Mr. 1 3 ~ 2 t s n ?

MR, !LE,,TON: N g t a t t h i s st,: :e, y J u r Honour.

1. T h ~ r , : w i l l :ie an ~ r l e r n i s i i n t<:rrs o f ;~a ra<ra i_ lh 21

o f t h e a S f i f l a v i t 3 f N e i l Lawrance 2 i c k e t t s s w D r n Au+:ust 22 ,

1978, t.1 be r e t u r n a ~ ~ l r . bafcrrs t h e Fcr ie ra l B o u r t of

l i u s t r a l - i a a t 451 L i t t l e b u r k e S , t r e e t , Mel53urne 3 n

Wt?<fineslay, Au;:ust 23 1978, 2.t 10.15 a.rl:.

2, Le3ve t3 s h o r t serve t h e 3r3pr n i s i and a C D L ) ~

o f t'ne sai.3 a f f i i a v i t an? c ~ , , . y 3f t h e e x h i l ~ i t s t h a r e t o

- -

up)on t h c r e sL,sn3en t.

3 , D i r s c t tnL! t such s 2 r v i c e be e f f e c t s 3 f ~ r t h w i t h .

I w i l l c m e back t 3 t h e y u e s t i 3 n ~ f t ime i n a

m z e n t ,

b . The z i > i j l i ~ a t i a n f o r i n t z r i n i n j u n c t i ~ n r e f u s e d ,

I t i s sire.?, I have j u s t been i n f ~ m e . 3 , t o

have t h i s n a t t e r r e t u r n a b l e be f 3 r a h i s H a n ~ u r M r , J u s t i c e

S m i t h z r s t o r ~ 3 r r o w r3rnir-q a t 10 a.m. f o r r e n t i 3 n , so

what I w i l l do i s I w i l l c a n c e l ;,aragraLjh l and re-;;hrase

i t , s o t h d t i t w i l l r e a l :

1. Order n i s i i n t e r r s 3 f , : ~ r a ? r a )h 21 3f t h e

a f f i t5avi . t o f 1Vei.1 Lawrence a i c l i e t t s , sw3rr1 ~ I u g u s t 22 1978,

t3 b e r c t u r n a S l z b e f o r e t h e F e l e r a l Cour t o f ~ u s t r a l i a

a t 451 L i t t l e k u r k e d t r e e t , Melbourne 3 n Wclnesday

h u e < u s t 23 1978, n t I0 s.r?.

I a - l l , n o t 3s : ) a r t 2 f t h e 3 r 3 e r b u t f3r t h e

i n f ~ r m t i 3 n c~f t h e , a r t y 9 t h a t i t wo~11:I a:),lcar t h ~ t

h e a r i n d w i l l be b e f o r e h i s Honour Mr. J u s t i c e S ~ i t h i . r s ,

I s t h e r e a n y other ~ r , - ? e r y3u s e e k , M r . Heat3n.

MR. HEIITON: Na, yDur H3nour.

T I Z FU-ITHER H ~ L L ~ I L I G OF THIS ?LITTER WAS .ADJOURNED UNTIL

TIiE FOLLOWING DAY, LdEDN3dDAY 23 liUGUST 1978, .LT 10.00 l i , M .

i lT 2.23 P .M, T I U COUIiT .tiDZOUTiTJED SINE DIE

8WH/W/sc Il ickz t t s