Northaus Trading C/L & Anor v State of Queensland

The case of Northaus Trading Company Ltd & Anor v State of Queensland, decided by the Supreme Court of Queensland, revolves around a contractual dispute between Northaus Trading Company Ltd, represented by John David McNamee, and the State of Queensland regarding the sale of cattle. The primary issues involved were whether McNamee had the authority to contract on behalf of Northaus and if the State of Queensland breached the contractual obligations under a written agreement dated 10 June 1994. The court held that McNamee had the authority to act on behalf of Northaus, and that the State of Queensland breached the contract by failing to supply the agreed number of cattle and not using best endeavours to effect delivery. The court found that the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) had the authority to demand cattle from RAB, but misconstrued its contractual commitments. The DPI's conduct fell short of best endeavours, and the court held that the Department did not use its best endeavours to effect delivery as soon as possible. The final orders of the court were to award damages to Northaus Trading Company Ltd for the breaches identified and to allow for applications to be made regarding the assessment of damages.