Perdaman Chemicals and Fertilisers Pty Ltd v The Griffin Coal Mining Company Pty Ltd [No 3]

[2011] WASCA 203

Western Australia Court of Appeal

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Interrogate

Catchwords

1. Practice and Procedure
2. › Interlocutory injunctions
3. › Freezing orders
4. › Ancillary orders
5. › Order requiring notice before granting security
6. › Balance of convenience
7. › Whether primary judge erred in assessment of balance of convenience
8. › Rules of the Supreme Court 1971 (WA), O 52A
1. Practice and Procedure
2. › Interlocutory injunctions
3. › Balance of convenience
4. › Assessment of prospect of obtaining substantive relief
5. › Whether speculative assessment of future application appropriate basis for refusing notice requirement
1. Appeal
2. › Appellate review of discretionary decisions
3. › Interlocutory injunctions
4. › Error in construction of contractual clause leading to erroneous exercise of discretion
5. › Whether error justified appellate intervention
6. › House v The King [1936] HCA 40
1. Contract
2. › Construction
3. › Negative pledge deed
4. › Circumstances triggering obligation to grant security
5. › Whether clause engaged only when raising new funds for mine development or in broader circumstances

Quick Take

An error in the construction of a contractual provision that is central to the assessment of the balance of convenience on an interlocutory injunction application constitutes an error of the kind identified in [name withheld] v The King justifying appellate intervention, even though the decision is discretionary. Where interlocutory relief sought is limited to a notice requirement, the balance of convenience assessment must account for the full range of circumstances in which the relevant contractual obligation may be triggered, not merely the most obvious scenario.