Dentown Pty Ltd v PWI Group Pty Ltd as trustee of The Australia No. 1 Group Trust

1. [1]

   HER HONOUR: This is a dispute between three Chinese businessmen and their respective companies arising out of a real estate business which they conducted for a time, selling apartments off the plan, mainly to the Australian-Chinese community and overseas Chinese investors. They have since fallen out. These proceedings concern the nature of the business which they agreed to conduct, the terms on which they agreed to part ways, and a variety of loans and commissions said to be owing between them. The parties and witnesses were referred to during the hearing by their English first names, in part, because two of the businessmen have the same surname. I will refer to them in the same manner in this judgment without intending any disrespect to them.

2. [2]

   Dealings between the businessmen took place over some 2½ years. The amount in issue is in the order of $2 million. I have endeavoured to write a judgment which is commensurate with these features. Whilst I have read the 5,300 pages of affidavits, annexures and exhibits, transcript and submissions, I have not repeated all of the evidence as deposed or given, nor all of the arguments put forward. I have endeavoured to keep this judgment within reasonable bounds by setting out the relevant facts as I have found them to be and the legal arguments which were dispositive of the issues between the parties.

3. [3]

   Achieving this goal, if I have achieved it at all, was no small task. The late service of almost half of the evidentiary material rendered the court book of little utility. Compendious exhibits to late-served affidavits were not logically assembled nor accurately cross-referenced by the affidavits. This made it difficult and time-consuming to find documents and work out what happened. This in circumstances where the matter was first listed for final hearing in August 2016, vacated and listed for hearing against in March 2018, vacated and listed for hearing again in April 2018 and vacated for a fourth time before I heard the matter in October 2018. Although the hearing concluded on 9 November 2018, the defendants’ submissions were not received until 31 January 2019 after a series of extensions and the matter being re-listed by the Court. Those submissions were 273 single-line spaced pages comprising 1591 paragraphs and 1445 footnotes as well as multiple sub-paragraphs and sub-footnotes. These submissions failed to have regard to section 56 and 60 of the Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) and had the result that submissions in reply were received in March 2019 and delivery of this judgment has been substantially delayed.

4. [4]

   Despite the amount of paper that was ultimately tendered in this case, there were few documents contemporaneous to key events. Jason, James and Henry chose to conduct themselves without the contracts and formalities ordinarily attending a business enterprise of this nature, such as employment contracts with staff. The informality of the arrangements between the parties has resulted in what could fairly be described as a mess. Whilst the parties posited a range of complex legal relationships and obligations, in the result I have determined the issues in dispute largely by reference to the law of contract and director’s duties imposed by the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).

5. [5]

   The plaintiffs are Desheng (Jason) Wang and his company Dentown Pty Ltd. Jason is the sole shareholder of Dentown. Jason is married to Juan (Michelle) Ma, who is a director of Dentown. Both are licenced real estate agents and Michelle was also a registered conveyancer for a time. Michelle is a cross-defendant.

6. [6]

   The second defendant is Ji (James) Wang, who is married to Lan (Helen) Chen, the eighth defendant. Michelle and Helen were longstanding friends from student days in China and the continuation of their studies together in Singapore and Australia. Jason met James through Michelle’s friendship with Helen. James is a licenced real estate agent. James’ company, The DRT Group Pty Ltd, is the fourth defendant. James is the sole shareholder of DRT Group. James used DRT Group, initially, to contract his services as a real estate agent before going into business with Jason.

7. [7]

   The third defendant is Chao (Henry) Nie, who is married to Yilin Liu, the ninth defendant. Henry is the sole shareholder of NYL Partners Pty Ltd, the fifth defendant. Henry is a friend of James. Henry worked in Information Technology, in particular, the internet and “internetworking”.

8. [8]

   The sixth defendant, Prospect Wealth Investment Pty Ltd, is a company which Jason used for his real estate business and was initially used by Jason, James and Henry for doing business together. However, six months later they incorporated the first defendant, PWI Group Pty Ltd, to operate the business instead. Prospect Wealth Investment and PWI Group were referred to indiscriminately by witnesses and in documents as “PWI”. I have endeavoured to maintain the distinction between the two companies including by inferring wherever possible the company to which reference was being made.

9. [9]

   The seventh defendant, J&L Realty Pty Ltd, is another company owned by James. J&L Realty was formed after the businessmen had fallen out and has since supplanted Prospect Wealth Investment as the lessee of the business premises and appears to conduct what remains of PWI Group’s business.

10. [10]

    Ju’Li Asia Ship Consulting (Beijing) Pty Limited is not a party but is worth mentioning. James and Henry entered into an agreement with James’ friend in China, Dan Li, to attempt to expand PWI Group into China. Ju’Li Asia was incorporated by Mr Li in China for this purpose after Jason, James and Henry parted ways.

11. [11]

    Jason read affidavits deposed by nine witnesses (himself, Michelle, his solicitors, three salespeople, a master selling agent and a developer). Four witnesses were required for cross-examination.

12. [12]

    James and Henry read affidavits deposed by six witnesses (themselves, their solicitor, a translator Qing Yao, the accountant for PWI Group Aaron Yeung and Jason’s former girlfriend, Yizhu Qu). Three witnesses were required for cross-examination.

Identical affidavits

1. [13]

   Several witnesses had affidavits which were identical in part or whole to those of other witnesses. On the plaintiffs’ side, three short affidavits prepared for salespeople, Meng (Charlie) Chen, Jigang (Jimmy) Li and Xiao (Jaycy) Zhang were identical in places, and largely identical to the comparable portion of Jason’s affidavit.

2. [14]

   On the defendants’ side, large portions of James and Henry’s lengthy affidavits were identical. James strongly denied that the identical portions did not set out his actual recollection. Indeed, he said that the affidavits “should be exactly the same” because the affidavits set out the truth. The extent of duplication between the affidavits of James and Henry was such that, on occasion, amendments necessary to ensure that the affidavit was read as having been given by the particular deponent were overlooked. In Campana v State of Western Australia [2008] WASC 230, Jenkins J encountered the same problem, causing her to hesitate before accepting the contents of the affidavits as truth, as “Common sense and experience tells me that independent witnesses will not recall events occurring years earlier in the same way”: at [26].

3. [15]

   The problem posed by identical affidavits was considered in Seamez (Australia) Pty Limited v McLaughlin [1999] NSWSC 9, where Sperling J was satisfied, having regard to a high degree of similarity in content, detail, terminology and sequence in the affidavits of three witnesses, that the affidavits could not have come into existence “without direct or indirect collaboration”: at [36]. The accounts of each witness could not all be original accounts given according to the respective witness’s genuine recollection. At [38]–[40]:

4. [16]

   In Celermajer Holdings Pty Limited v Kopas (2011) 16 BPR 30,735; [2011] NSWSC 40, Ward J noted that even if there has not been collusion between the witnesses in the sense of changing their evidence to make it fit with that of the other, the fact that the affidavits may not contain the actual words of one or other of the deponents devalues their evidence: at [186]. Her Honour concluded that the identical affidavits in that case presented a common recollection drawn from discussions between family members over the years as to what had happened and thus whatever interpretation or gloss may have been placed, consciously or otherwise, on those conversations over the years in telling or re-telling the events: at [187]. This had the result that her Honour approached the evidence with caution. See likewise Zagame v Zagame [2014] NSWSC 1302 at [65]–[69]; Krajovska v Krajovska [2011] NSWSC 903 at [6].

5. [17]

   In Macquarie Developments Pty Limited v Forrester [2005] NSWSC 674, Palmer J was confronted with a similar problem and, after expressing concern about identical affidavits, the solicitors gave evidence as to the process by which they had produced the affidavits. His Honour accepted that the mistake was an honest one on the part of the solicitor but noted at [89]–[91]:

6. [18]

   There was no evidence before me from the solicitors who prepared James and Henry’s affidavits. It appeared to me, however, from James’ evidence that James and Henry wrote their affidavits together and both contributed to a combined product. This has the consequence that I cannot be confident that their affidavits contain the actual recollection of either of them. Rather, their affidavits contain a combined version. The position is similar to In the matter of Colorado Products Pty Limited (in prov liq) (2014) 101 ACSR 233; [2014] NSWSC 789 where Black J concluded that identical affidavits substantially devalued the weight to be given to the affidavit of each witness to the point where neither’s affidavit evidence could be treated as reflecting a genuine individual recollection of events as distinct from a collective reconstruction: at [18]. I have come to the same conclusion. Whilst I found James’ explanation in cross-examination as to how the duplicate affidavits came about to be plausible, the result is the same: the affidavits record a combined recollection rather than the separate and independent recollection of James or Henry. Overall, I consider that James and Henry’s oral evidence is likely to be more indicative of what actually happened than events as described in their duplicate affidavits.

7. [19]

   I have taken the same approach to the identical affidavits of Charlie, Jimmy and Jaycy. However, in respect of the identical evidence as to what happened at a meeting on 21 March 2016, Jaycy was not required for cross-examination and the defendants’ counsel put the entire contents of the affidavit to Jimmy as a positive proposition which he accepted, unsurprisingly, as an accurate account of the meeting. I therefore accept that portion of their affidavits.

Plaintiffs’ witnesses

1. [20]

   Jason was cross-examined for almost three days and gave evidence in a straightforward, sincere, respectful and honest manner. He was intelligent and alert and gave clear answers. I was not always satisfied that Jason understood the full import of some of the questions which were put to him, some of which were vaguely worded and lengthy. On occasion, when Jason agreed with a proposition, I was not prepared to treat his answer as a reliable and unqualified acceptance of everything inherent in the question. On occasion, Jason appeared to agree for the sake of agreeing or for the sake of politeness but where he did not appear to understand the question. Sometimes this led to inconsistent responses. But I did not have the sense that Jason was dishonest.

2. [21]

   Jason made reasonable concessions and accepted wrongdoing such as moving a sale across from PWI Group to Dentown “because we are having a dispute”. Jason readily accepted where he had behaved in a less than honourable fashion, although it appears that he was not alone in behaving in this manner. Jason said that he felt betrayed and upset and that he needed to save himself. Whilst I did not accept Jason’s evidence on everything, overall, I formed the impression that he generally gave truthful evidence.

3. [22]

   Michelle was not centrally involved in events and her knowledge of the business arrangements for the key period was slight. I had no reason to doubt her evidence, although her credit was not really in issue.

4. [23]

   Meng (Charlie) Chen and Jigang (Jimmy) Li were two salespeople. Their affidavits were sworn without the assistance of a translator but both gave their evidence entirely through a translator. Their affidavits were, in parts, identical, and I have proceeded on the basis that their oral evidence is likely to be more accurate. Charlie gave evidence in a straightforward manner. He was keen to say how dissatisfied he was with PWI Group under James and Henry’s management. Charlie lacked recall of things that were not very long ago, but it may be that those matters were not particularly significant to him at the time, such as the precise corporate entity with which he was dealing. Jimmy gave evidence in a serious, attentive, succinct and accurate manner. I accept their evidence.

Defendants’ witnesses

1. [24]

   James was cross-examined for two days. James gave evidence mainly in English but needed a translator for more difficult words. James did not appear to me to understand the subtleties, sophistication and nuance of English words which appeared frequently in his affidavit. James’ fluency in English was inconsistent with the level of English displayed in his affidavit. This may reflect on his solicitor more than him. Making these allowances, however, James was a most unsatisfactory witness. He tended to give very long answers which were not responsive to questions but sought to advance his case. James was keen to add unsolicited material to his answers in an attempt to damage Jason wherever possible. James was prone to significant overstatement and exaggeration. He attached titles and formality which were unsupported by reality. For example, the people working for PWI Group were largely university students working on a casual basis in the same room and sharing computers. James described these people as, variously, interns, sales teams, sales directors, sales managers and senior sales managers. He frequently referred to requirements and rules “in place by the company” which, so far I could tell, did not exist or at least were entirely undocumented. I do not think James was giving untruthful evidence in this regard as he believed what he was saying: but the fact that he consistently perceived matters in this way had the result, from my perspective, that I could not rely on his descriptions as accurate.

2. [25]

   James gave evidence which was less than true, for example, James gave evidence that sales team members worked from 9.00 am in the morning until 10.00 pm at night in order to earn more commissions by selling properties and that they were working very hard, supervised and encouraged by their team leaders. When it was pointed out that Charlie was only allowed to work 20 hours a week under a student visa, James said Charlie “sometimes” worked longer than 20 hours, and did not look at all troubled in giving this evidence.

3. [26]

   On 21 November 2016, after these proceedings had commenced, rent paid by a tenant into PWI Group’s rental trust account was transferred to DRT Group’s trust account. The tenant thereafter paid rent directly to DRT Group’s trust account. Initially, James denied that rent payable to PWI Group was being transferred to his company:

4. [27]

   On 19 January 2017, the developer of “Aqua” paid the second half of commission in the amount of $187,852.50. Whilst the first payment had been made to PWI Group’s bank account in August 2014, the second payment was made to DRT Group’s bank account. Implausibly, James denied that this was a sale made by PWI Group. Then he said he was told that the commission payable to PWI Group had been transferred to Dentown “and that is why I was using the DRT Group bank account to hold this particular payment of commission and I would like the court to make a decision on the direction of the payments of this particular commission”. James was prepared on occasion to say whatever he thought would help him regardless of whether it was true. Further examples are set out in this judgment at [127] and [276].

5. [28]

   Henry was the last witness to give evidence, having been present in court during the evidence of all preceding witnesses. The level of English in Henry’s affidavits was again inconsistent with Henry’s fluency in English as displayed in the witness box. He did not understand some words in his affidavit without the assistance of a translator. Henry was prone to long, non-responsive, self-serving submissions in answer to questions. Henry failed to make reasonable concessions, for example, in the face of an email which he authored. Henry disclaimed having anything to do with the accounts, which was odd as Jason and James had both referred to him as being the person responsible for that aspect of the business. Henry denied matters which he should readily have accepted, saying he was “100% sure”. Henry said he did not know when the joint venture between PWI Group and Dan Li happened and also said he did not deal much with the expansion of the business to China. This seemed improbable. He denied that repayment of his personal loan from Jason was discussed at critical meetings, which seems unlikely and was inconsistent with his affidavits. Some of Henry’s evidence was plausible, such as the tenor of the meeting on 14 December 2015, but overall I was not prepared to accept Henry's evidence in the absence of contemporaneous corroborative material, the evidence of another credible witness, or unless he gave evidence against his own interest.

6. [29]

   Yizhu was also an unsatisfactory witness. Yizhu was reluctant to agree to propositions which she thought may assist Jason’s case and volunteered unhelpful and damaging material at every opportunity. On several occasions, Yizhu sought to impugn Jason’s conduct by reference to contemporaneous documents which did not support her evidence. Yizhu said she was neither happy nor unhappy when their relationship ended but this was not consistent with the manner in which she gave evidence, nor with an agreed fact that the relationship ended badly. It seems to me that Jason trusted Yizhu at the time of these events and needed her assistance with IT, secretarial and accounting support. He was foolish to do so. Many of the documents exhibited to Yizhu’s affidavit were extracted from a mobile phone which she had given to Jason during their relationship and which he later returned. In the result, I suspect the fact that Yizhu disclosed all confidential communications between herself, Jason and others over the key months had the result that Jason was utterly candid in his evidence and why I am prepared to accept Jason’s evidence in preference to the defendants’ witnesses.

7. [30]

   The business in which Jason, James and Henry were engaged was a real estate agency selling off-the-plan apartments to, mainly, the Australian-Chinese community and overseas Chinese investors. According to Jason, there are some 500 agents in Chinatown alone who are engaged in this industry. The success of such businesses is critically dependent on entering into agreements with developers to sell apartments or, more often, entering into an agreement with a master selling agent who already has an agreement with a developer.

8. [31]

   Some insight into this industry was given by a master selling agent, James Keats, who was not required for cross-examination. As a master selling agent, Mr Keats entered into contracts with developers to market and sell their developments. Whilst his company has had exclusive selling agreements with developers, such exclusivity was usually limited to around three months. Mr Keats’ company then engaged some 30 independent real estate agents to assist in promoting and selling the apartments to achieve a more efficient and expeditious sales process. Mr Keats very rarely gave exclusive rights to these agents in respect of a development but offered all agents the opportunity to sell apartments in respect of all developments. Mr Keats’ evidence is consistent with my review of some 67 agency agreements produced by the plaintiffs. The agent, whether Prospect Wealth Investment, PWI Group or Dentown, was generally given non-exclusive rights to sell apartments in a particular development or, if exclusive rights were given, the exclusivity was limited to specific apartments and for a specific and generally short period of time of three months. By way of example, on 3 May 2014, Prospect Wealth Investment entered into a Master Selling Agency Agreement with Gondon Five, the developer of 179 apartments at a development known as “Gondon Macquarie” in North Ryde. Prospect Wealth Investment was appointed together with two other selling agents to sell the apartments for three months, after which the developer could appoint further agents. Prospect Wealth Investment and its “approved network” were permitted to sell the project overseas “using their existing networks and connections”. Prospect Wealth Investment was entitled to commission of 4% of the sale price with half to be paid within 14 days of exchange once the deposit had been released and the balance to be paid within 14 days of settlement of the contract of sale.

9. [32]

   Mr Keats sends bulk emails to all agents every week with updated lists of available developments, apartments and prices. All agents had access to all of his company’s information about the developments. In Mr Keats’ experience, agents tended to pick and choose the developments which they promoted and marketed. Further, as Jason explained, even if an agent did not have an agency agreement in respect of a development, or particular apartments in that development, the agent would ring other agents who did and, if a sale eventuated, be paid a fee by the agent with the rights to sell the property.

10. [33]

    PWI Group became part of Mr Keats’ network of agents in 2014. Mr Keats introduced PWI Group to 23 developments but none was on an exclusive basis. PWI Group had access to all of the developments for which Mr Keats’ company was master agent. Mr Keats said that, after Jason left PWI Group, Dentown became part of the network of agents and, in 2017, so did DRT Group.

11. [34]

    Within each agency, or at least the agencies with which the three businessmen were involved, there were sales teams which appeared to be informal and ever-changing, undocumented by employment or other written contracts. According to one of PWI Group’s sales managers, Charlie, he had no contract with PWI Group. He recruited a team of “referrers” working underneath him who did not have contracts either. If one of his referrers sold an apartment, then PWI Group would receive a commission, part of the commission would be paid to Charlie, and part of the commission would be paid to the referrer. The referrers did not work exclusively for PWI Group and also received commissions from other agencies. In addition, if people or companies in China facilitated the sale of an apartment to a Chinese investor, further fees and commissions were paid to each of the people and companies involved in China in bringing about the sale.

12. [35]

    The sale of an off-the-plan apartment in a development has a long life span and may take one or two years to complete. The stages generally included a purchaser paying a small fee to record their interest in an apartment and then a holding deposit. Contracts would be exchanged once the development had been constructed, and, finally, the contract of sale was completed. Generally, the agent received half of their commission on payment of the deposit and the other half on completion of the sale of the apartment. The evidence indicated that agents only received the last 50% of their commission when the developer paid the commission to the master agent and onto the independent agent, sales manager and referrer. The commissions paid to agents were substantial when compared to selling existing houses or apartments, presumably reflecting the additional difficulty, risk and delay in selling such apartments. One of the matters which Jason, James and Henry discussed when parting ways was the payment of commission in respect of sales effected whilst conducting business together, but not completed until after they had parted ways. This is likely the largest component of Jason’s claim, thought to be some $1.5 million.

13. [36]

    On occasion, the agency agreements provided for the agents to offer prospective purchasers a rental guarantee as an additional incentive: rental income of a specified level was assured with the agent to cover any deficiency. Potential liability under rental guarantees was another matter which Jason, James and Henry discussed when parting ways.

14. [37]

    In 2011, James became a licensed real estate agent and incorporated DRT Group. He contracted through DRT Group as a sales manager to Apex Investment Alliance Pty Ltd, which sold off-the-plan residential apartments to Australian and overseas Chinese investors. James says that, since 2012, two sales managers had worked for DRT Group who had been particularly good: Charlie and Jimmy. They ran sales teams who had lots of contacts within the Chinese community.

15. [38]

    In 2012, Prospect Wealth Investment was incorporated to conduct a real estate business. Jason was one of five directors and shareholders of the company. Prospect Wealth Investment registered the domain name www.pwigroup.com.au and established a website. Jason became a licensed real estate agent. From late 2012 until mid-2013, all the directors of Prospect Wealth Investment apart from Jason resigned to set up their own real estate businesses, leaving Jason as the sole director of the company. He continued to conduct a real estate business through Prospect Wealth Investment, concentrating on off-the-plan sales.

16. [39]

    From time to time, James sold apartments for Jason. By the Amended Cross Claim, DRT Group seeks payment of $104,348.75 in commissions from Prospect Wealth Investment or Dentown in respect of the sale of 10 apartments from June 2013 to May 2014 which were due to settle in 2015 or 2016. I will consider the details of this claim in due course.

17. [40]

    James agreed that, in 2013, his main job was sales. He did not have direct contact with developers or master agents. He was a sales manager with a sales team which went out to sell apartments. Jason thought that James was a good salesman and, if James worked for him, James could manage the sales team, allowing Jason to concentrate on sourcing more developers for Prospect Wealth Investment. In late June 2013, Jason and James began to discuss this.

Initial discussions

1. [41]

   According to Jason, James asked to go into partnership with Jason through Prospect Wealth Investment. They agreed that James would become a director and own 50% of the shares of the company. Jason would concentrate on sourcing developers and James would concentrate on sales and the sales team. Profits would be divided equally. At that time, Prospect Wealth Investment leased premises at 97–99 Bathurst Street, Sydney but the lease was due to expire in February 2014. They agreed to work together for three years from the expiry of that lease. They would rent a new office and each would lend Prospect Wealth Investment $100,000 to start the business together.

2. [42]

   In November 2013, James told Jason that he had a friend, Henry, who he had gone to university with. Henry was working for Cisco and, although he did not have any real estate experience, James said Henry was trustworthy and reliable. James asked whether Henry could also be a partner and assist with the administrative side of the business. Jason met Henry and agreed that he could become a partner but with a lesser shareholding. They agreed that Henry would initially receive 10% of the shares and that this would increase to 15% in the second year and to 20% in the third and final year of the business relationship.

3. [43]

   James and Henry disagreed with the content of these initial discussions, but not until their fourth affidavits filed shortly before the hearing, said to be in reply but in fact largely in chief. Why they did not depose to these conversations in their earlier affidavits is not explained. According to James, in July 2013 Jason asked whether they could go into business together and confessed that he had had some disagreements with the other directors at Prospect Wealth Investments and they had decided to go their own ways. James expressed interest in doing business together, but only in a new company of which James was managing director so that he could guide its direction and selling. The tenor of James’ recollection is that Jason was not doing very well and needed James’ help. A further discussion took place in August 2013 at which James apparently said that he wanted control of the company, that is, 51% of the shares but was happy for Jason to have 51% of the profit for the privilege of control. Whilst such a proposal may be considered unlikely in the usual course, the feature of this proposal which does ring true with James’ evidence generally was the need to be in control. According to James, a third meeting took place in September 2013 at which it was apparently agreed that James would control the new company. Given the problems with identical affidavits and credibility referred to earlier, I prefer Jason’s evidence as to what was said in these initial discussions.

4. [44]

   On 16 November 2013, Jason emailed James and Henry regarding “PWI recent affairs”, setting out a list of tasks to be attended to: establishing office premises, a company logo and website, advertising, and the company’s “internal framework” in respect of individual responsibilities, commission and personnel management. They agreed that the English name for the business would be “PWI”. James came up with a Chinese name for the business, Ju’Li Investment where Ju’Li meant “gathering together in strength”. They agreed that the Chinese name for the business would be the Chinese characters for Ju’Li. Henry set about commissioning a logo design and website. Henry also incorporated his company, NYL Partners.

5. [45]

   On 3 December 2013, Jason began negotiating for the lease of new premises at 66 Goulburn Street Sydney. A lease proposal was provided by the managing agent on 5 December 2013 and accepted on 9 December 2013. As the lease over the new premises expired in August 2017, Jason suggested that the partnership should last until then, and James and Henry agreed.

6. [46]

   Although Jason in his affidavit used the words “partner” and “partnership”, he explained in cross examination that they discussed everything in Mandarin and he used the words which, when translated, mean “business partner” or “co-operation partner”. Of course, how people refer to the arrangements between them is an indication, but is not determinative, of the legal relationship which they formed. As Jagot J said in Yacoub v Commissioner of Taxation (2012) 292 ALR 128; [2012] FCA 678 at [25]:

Draft shareholders’ agreement

1. [47]

   Jason and James met with a solicitor, Ms Zheng, who had done some conveyancing work for them and agreed to prepare a document at no charge. On 5 December 2013, Ms Zheng sent James and Jason a draft “Shareholders Agreement”. The draft was replete with question marks: Henry’s surname was not known, nor were the proposed shareholdings of Jason, James or Henry, nor was the name of the company of which it was proposed that they would be shareholders. At that time, they had not decided whether the company through which they would do business would be Prospect Wealth Investment or a new company: James preferred to have a new company but Jason said that Prospect Wealth Investment was an established business with relations with developers. James agreed to proceed with Prospect Wealth Investment as it “has already signed sales contract with some other businesses”.

2. [48]

   Jason agreed that the agreement was that any of them could only leave if the others agreed, and this agreement included their companies, Dentown, DRT Group and NYL Partners. Jason then agreed that this was not discussed but rather all committed to staying in the business for three years and not competing with the business during that time. This was one example of Jason, I think, not entirely understanding the somewhat confusing questions and agreeing for the sake of it.

3. [49]

   On 17 December 2013, a second draft “Shareholders Agreement” was forwarded by Ms Zheng. By now, many of the question marks had been removed. Jason said that there was no further meeting with the solicitor before the second draft but then agreed that they did meet. “What I mean is because I can’t seriously remember, like, how many times I see [the solicitor], but from your reasoning, I agree”. Jason agreed that he, James and Henry agreed during this time to use Prospect Wealth Investment as the company and their respective companies — Dentown, DRT Group and NYL Partners — as the shareholders. Jason agreed that, before the second draft shareholders’ agreement was received that he, James and Henry had further discussed how Henry’s shareholding would increase over time.

4. [50]

   On 18 December 2013, Ms Wang emailed Jason and James noting that her office would be closed for Christmas and New Year from 20 December 2013 until 5 January 2014, and asked “what further amendments you would like to make so that we can finalise the agreement by close of business tomorrow”, otherwise it would have to wait until after New Year. On 20 December 2013, Jason replied:

5. [51]

   The draft shareholders’ agreement was never finalised or executed by the parties but is a likely repository of the terms on which they agreed to do business and thus warrants close examination. Jason, James and Henry’s respective companies were to be shareholders in Prospect Wealth Investment: Jason and James’ companies were to hold 45% of the shares, and Henry’s company was to hold 10% of the shares. Henry’s shareholding was to increase each year from 2014 to 2017 depending on the total sales achieved by Prospect Wealth Investment each year: clause 9, schedule 4. Essentially, Henry’s shareholding would increase to 20% by 2017, but would achieve that shareholding more quickly if the company sold more than 150 apartments each year. The draft shareholders’ agreement did not provide how this increase in Henry’s shareholding would be effected, that is, how Jason and James’ shareholdings would be reduced. As already mentioned, they had separately agreed that Henry’s shareholding would increase regardless of total sales, contrary to the second draft agreement.

6. [52]

   Clause 2 provided:

7. [53]

   The shareholders’ agreement did not appoint a managing director, but simply said that Jason, James and Henry were directors: clause 4. James was to be the chairman of shareholder meetings and to have a casting vote in the event of an equality of votes: clause 12(a) and (b). Unless the directors agreed otherwise, board meetings were to be convened at least once every three months on at least seven business days’ notice of the date and agenda for each meeting: clause 12(e). Although the draft shareholders’ agreement referred to procedures for calling meetings, none of the directors adhered in any shape or form to these requirements until their co-operation was over.

8. [54]

   The shareholders, being Jason, James and Henry’s respective companies, gave covenants (clause 13(b)):

9. [55]

   A bank account was to be opened in the name of Prospect Wealth Investments and all of the transactions of the company were to go through that bank account: clause 15. Prospect Wealth Investment was obliged to provide and make monthly profit and loss accounts and a balance sheet available to each shareholder: clause 6. This was never adhered to.

10. [56]

    The draft shareholders’ agreement also contained a restraint in clause 19:

11. [57]

    The shareholders agreed that nothing in the shareholders’ agreement constituted or could be construed as constituting any shareholder as the partner of any other shareholder or Prospect Wealth Investment: clause 22(b). This clause suggests that the parties did not intend to form a partnership.

12. [58]

    The agreement was to continue in force and effect until termination by written agreement between the shareholders and the company: clause 23(a). This clause was markedly at odds with the agreement between Jason, James and Henry that their co-operation would continue until August 2017, when the sub-lease of business premises expired.

13. [59]

    Clause 24, “Special Compliance” contained a series of obligations which appear to have been specifically drafted to meet the needs of the proposed venture:

14. [60]

    It is reasonable to think that Jason, James and Henry agreed to do business together along the lines of the draft shareholders’ agreement. However, the draft shareholders’ agreement omitted one clear term of their discussions: that the business co-operation would continue for the term of the sub-lease. In circumstances where Jason, James and Henry never signed the document, nor necessarily “read through the details”, I am reluctant to regard it as a binding agreement in its entirety, or at all, but simply one form of evidence of the terms on which the parties agreed to do business. Other forms of evidence available to me are the other contemporaneous documentary evidence, oral evidence and the subsequent conduct of the parties. As to the latter, post-contractual conduct is admissible on the question of whether a contract was formed but not on the question of what a contract means: Brambles Holdings Limited v Bathurst City Council (2001) 53 NSWLR 153; [2001] NSWCA 61 at [25]–[26]. Post-contractual conduct is an aid to finding what the terms of the contract were: Lym International Pty Limited v Marcolongo (2011) 15 BPR 29,465; [2011] NSWCA 303 at [125]–[126] per Campbell JA which whom Basten JA and Sackar J agreed. Subsequent conduct may also indicate what was important or essential to the transaction and indicate the parties’ contractual intention: Queensland Phosphate Pty Limited v Korda and Shepard (as joint and several liquidators of Legend International Holdings Inc (in liq)) [2017] VSCA 269 at [37].

Getting on with it

1. [61]

   On 6 January 2014, Jason lodged a Change to Company Details form with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), noting the appointment of James and Henry as directors of Prospect Wealth Investment. DRT Group and NYL Partners also became shareholders of the company, although the resulting shareholdings did not align with the draft Shareholders Agreement: Jason and James each held 40% of the shares whilst Henry held 20%. However, as Prospect Wealth Investment only had five ordinary shares on issue, it would not have been possible to issue 10% of shares to Henry without revising the issued share capital and shareholdings overall. Jason confirmed the share division was different to what had been agreed “because Prospect Wealth Investment did not have enough shares to create such allocations and we did not consider issuing new shares”. James agreed that, even though Henry received one share that equalled 20% of shares, the agreement was that he had 10% which would increase to 20% over time.

2. [62]

   On 7 January 2014, Prospect Wealth Investment opened a business account at the Commonwealth Bank. It seems to me that, by this time, Jason, James and Henry had reached agreement on the terms on which they would do business together. It is not clear to me, however, that they had also agreed that it was necessary to document their agreement in a signed contract. In terms of the three classes of situations considered in Masters v Cameron (1954) 91 CLR 353 at 360; [1954] HCA 72, the first class applies most readily: “the parties have reached finality in arranging all the terms of their bargain and intend to be immediately bound to the performance of those terms, but at the same time propose to have the terms restated in a form which might be fuller or more precise but not different in effect”. That proposal to have the terms of the agreement formalised, however, appears to have been abandoned or forgotten as Jason, James and Henry got on with doing business together. For the reasons already stated, I do not think that the second draft shareholders’ agreement necessarily encapsulated what they had agreed, as it was in some respects different to what they had talked about and in other respects did not address their discussions at all. I will defer setting out what I have found to be their agreement until sufficient post-contractual conduct has been canvassed, which gives me enough comfort to find what the terms of their agreement were.

Business begins

1. [63]

   On 17 January 2014, Dentown deposited $10,000 to Prospect Wealth Investment’s account, described in the bank statement as “PWI contribut Jas”. Jason says that he deposited the funds to enable Prospect Wealth Investment to pay day-to-day expenses and the costs of moving into the new office. Payments were made from this bank account to print business cards, purchase a hard drive and to pay Regina Yu, administration officer of “PWI Group”. Dentown has never been repaid the $10,000. The second draft shareholders’ agreement did not address directors’ or shareholders’ loans or the repayment of such loans, but the loan was recorded in the financial statements of the business as such and the defendants accept in their submissions that Dentown deposited $10,000 “by way of loan”.

2. [64]

   In February 2014, Jaycy began to work for Prospect Wealth Investment as a sales manager. So did Jimmy and Charlie. On 4 February 2014, DRT Group deposited $100,000 to Prospect Wealth Investment’s bank account, described as James’ contribution. The same day, $55,000 was paid for the security deposit for the lease of the new premises. Rent of $8,758.72 was paid for Prospect Wealth Investment’s existing offices at 97–99 Bathurst Street for January and February 2014. On 7 February 2014, Dentown deposited $100,000 to the account, recorded as “Jason contribution”.

3. [65]

   On 17 February 2014, Prospect Wealth Investment’s sub-lease of the new premises at 66 Goulburn Street commenced, although the sub-lease was not executed for some months. The sub-lease was to expire on 17 August 2017 and there was no option for a further term. Jason agreed that the period of his agreement with James and Henry to co-operate extended until that time. No-one knew what was going to happen after that.

4. [66]

   On 20 February 2014, the first of three payments of $19,206 was made for the fitout of the new premises and, on 27 February 2014, Prospect Wealth Investment received its first commission of $17,050. In March 2014, the second and third payments for fitout were made and a further $17,696 was paid for office furniture.

5. [67]

   Jason says that each attended to their allocated roles: Jason sourced developers; James made sales and managed the sales team; and Henry attended to office and bookkeeping duties as well as communicating with developers in relation to particular sales. James agreed:

6. [68]

   Overall, it appeared to me that Jason, James and Henry had quite different personalities. Jason was a personable, “big picture” salesperson who was good at doing deals. He was flamboyant and friendly. James was a “detail” person who liked to be in control. He was process-driven and austere. Henry is apparently younger than James and more diminutive. He appeared to follow James’ instructions without independent thought and thus, from the outset, Jason was effectively in the minority.

7. [69]

   According to Jason, the directors met each Thursday evening to discuss Prospect Wealth Investment and the business. However, Jason said that often the meetings involved arguments between Jason and James about the direction of the business. It would appear that difficulties emerged between the parties fairly soon after they began to do business together. The different personal qualities of Jason and James meant that co-operating would potentially benefit each of them as one could bring strengths where the other had weaknesses; but it also created the potential for conflict. Here it led to tension between them and the eventual breakdown of their co-operation.

8. [70]

   In early 2014, James asked Jason to help out with sales, as it would save Prospect Wealth Investment paying commission to sales people, enable them to cut costs and achieve more sales. Whilst Jason was not happy with this, he agreed to do it for the first year to try to lessen tension between the directors. In about May 2014, Jason began assisting with sales in addition to his other duties. In 2014, Jason says that he made 49 sales which earned gross commission of $1,238,211 and a net profit of $894,320 for Prospect Wealth Investment. He received no addition remuneration for this work. Henry disagreed with Jason’s figures, dissecting commissions earned by Jason for direct sales from those made by Jason’s sales team. I do not understand the rationale behind this dissection but, in any event, Henry says Jason earned gross commission from direct sales of around $300,000 that year, with the remainder being sales by his sales team.

9. [71]

   On 11 May 2014, $20,000 was paid to NYL Group as a distribution. Distributions appear to have been made from time to time by Henry without any resolution of the directors. Indeed, none of the usual formalities of board meetings were attended to: no notices of meeting were issued and no minutes kept until after the directors had decided to part ways. In saying that these and subsequent payments to Dentown, DRT Group and NYL Partners were “distributions”, I am repeating Henry’s evidence without having been able to verify this by reference to, in some cases, bank statements and, in all cases, resolutions or financial statements adopted by Jason, James and Henry.

Move to PWI Group

1. [72]

   In late March 2014, Jason had a problem with a sales person which pre-dated James and Henry joining Prospect Wealth Investment. A salesperson had taken a deposit on a Meriton apartment but spent it gambling. On 24 March 2014, L’Orient Legal Solicitors sent Jason a draft affidavit in relation to the incident for him to check. Jason talked to James and Henry about this and they decided to seek advice as to how to protect the new business from such matters.

2. [73]

   On 20 June 2014, Jason, Henry and James met with new accountants, Cabot Square. Aaron Yeung, who was not required for cross-examination, said he was told by Jason, Henry and James:

3. [74]

   On 1 July 2014, PWI Group was incorporated, with an 87 page constitution. Jason, James and Henry were appointed directors. Of the 100 issued ordinary shares, 45 were issued to Jason and James and the remaining 10 were issued to Henry. This was consistent with the shareholdings proposed in the second draft shareholders’ agreement.

4. [75]

   PWI Group was appointed as trustee of Australia No 1 Group Trust, which was also established that day. The unitholders of the trust were Dentown and DRT Group (45 units each) and NYL Partners (10 units). Clause 6 of the trust deed provided that nothing in the deed would constitute the relationship of partners between the unitholders. Again, this clause suggests that the parties did not intend to form a partnership.

5. [76]

   Clause 17 of the trust deed provided that the trustee would hold the net income of the trust fund in each financial year in trust for the unitholders in proportion to the number of units held by them and might, in its absolute discretion, make an interim distribution of net income as it thought fit during the financial year among the unitholders in proportion to their units. The distributions in fact made by PWI Group did not conform to the trust deed but were made by Henry from time to time as he thought fit and in the proportions which they had discussed at the outset, that is, 10% to Henry (increasing gradually over time) with the remainder in equal portions to Jason and James. This was another example of Jason, Jason and Henry conducting themselves in accordance with what they had discussed rather than what any particular document said. Whether the distributions were of “net income” is not known as no financial statements were prepared until after Jason, James and Henry agreed to part ways, and these financial statements have not been adopted by all of them.

6. [77]

   Jason, James and Henry did not obtain any legal advice in relation to these documents, nor does it appear that the accountants gave any detailed explanation of the import of the constitution of PWI Group or the trust deed. Jason understood that what was proposed was essentially the same structure as that of Prospect Wealth Investment. Jason said that he agreed to the transfer of the business and assets of Prospect Wealth Investments to PWI Group. However I think this was another occasion when Jason answered questions on matters which he made clear were outside his role in the business, but then nonetheless agreed to propositions which it was not clear to me that he actually understood or to which he knew the answers.

7. [78]

   On 3 July 2014, the sub-lease of the premises at 66 Goulburn Street was finally signed. The sub-lessee was Prospect Wealth Investment rather than PWI Group. The directors signed as guarantors. Presumably it was easier to sign the sub-lease in the name of the old company, Prospect Wealth Investment, than to negotiate with the sub-lessor to change the sub-lessee, or to assign the sub-lease to PWI Group. Rather, a licence agreement was prepared between Prospect Wealth Investment and PWI Group in respect of the sub-lease, although the licence agreement was not signed until 18 months later.

8. [79]

   On 11 July 2014, a new bank account was opened with the Commonwealth Bank for PWI Group as trustee for Australia No 1 Group Trust. The first deposit to this account was $187,850.50 on 1 August 2014, being commission on a development called “Aqua”. This commission had been earnt by Prospect Wealth Investment but Jason, James and Henry simply ‘rolled over’ the banking into the new PWI Group bank account. PWI Group paid distributions to Dentown, DRT Group and NYL Partners of $135,000 for James and Jason and $10,000 for Henry. Taking into account the $20,000 already paid to Henry in May 2014, this equated to a distribution of 45% to Jason and James and 10% to Henry.

9. [80]

   James agreed that once PWI Group was established, the activities of the business were uninterrupted. The same staff came to work in the morning and did the same things they had done the day before. The same logos, websites and email addresses were used. They had the same client base, used the same computers and the same system of work and distributed profits in the same way as before. The employees of Prospect Wealth Investment became employees of PWI Group and banking was transferred to the new PWI Group bank account. There was no formal transfer of the assets of Prospect Wealth Investment to PWI Group, nor was Prospect Wealth Investment a party to the trust deed for Australia No 1 Group Trust.

10. [81]

    PWI Group obtained a real estate licence which commenced in September 2014. The business continued to use Prospect Wealth Investment’s real estate licence in the interim. In September 2014, PWI Group signed its first agency agreement in respect of a development in Canterbury, under which PWI Group was given non-exclusive rights to sell units at the property for 2½ months.

11. [82]

    Henry says that in mid- to late 2014, he started to have contacts with developers and to sign agency agreements. This became part of his responsibility, according to Henry, although it seems to me that his role was essentially administrative, that is, attending to paperwork rather than to the relationships themselves. On 21 October 2014, Henry signed a deed of agreement with Gondon Five appointing Prospect Wealth Investment as the exclusive selling agent for 14 apartments in the development. Presumably, the deed of agreement was not entered into by PWI Group as either an oversight or because the directors did not want to forego any benefits which Prospect Wealth Investment might enjoy by reason of its existing relationship with Gondon Five.

12. [83]

    In October and November 2014, further distributions were made to the directors’ companies being $90,000 to Jason and James and $20,000 to Henry, aligning with their unitholdings and shareholdings of 45:45:10.

13. [84]

    On 20 November 2014, Cabot Square posted expenses paid by Jason to PWI Group’s accounts as a loan from Jason. These expenses totalled $46,190.44 and included monies expended on office furniture and equipment, fitout, website and rent. These expenses were in addition to the $10,000 advanced by Jason at the commencement of the new business. On 9 December 2014, Dentown was repaid some $30,000, but not the balance of the loan. According to the financial statements for Australia No 1 Group trust for the year ended 30 June 2015, the trust owed Jason $26,190.

14. [85]

    Also in December 2014, further distributions were paid being $135,000 to Dentown and DRT Group and $30,000 to NYL Partners. According to the bank statements, by the end of 2014, total distributions had been paid to Dentown of $360,000, to DRT Group of $375,000 and to NYL Partners $80,000. There was an overpayment of $15,000 to James.

15. [86]

    This is an appropriate juncture at which to consider the nature of the legal relationships between the parties and thus clarify the obligations which each owed, whether those obligations were breached, and any consequences which flow. The parties have proffered a range of possibilities as to the precise nature of the legal relations between the parties including a partnership, joint venture, shareholders’ agreement, some other kind of agreement or a combination of these. The range of possibilities put forward by the parties is reflective of the “mess” which has resulted from the parties refraining from properly documenting their agreements, or changes in their agreement over time, perhaps encapsulated by the plaintiffs’ submission that:

16. [87]

    The plaintiffs contend that there was: a partnership between Jason, James and Henry; a joint venture between Dentown, DRT Group and NYL Partners; and an agreement of shareholders of Prospect Wealth Investment until 30 June 2014 and of PWI Group from 1 July 2014. By reason of these agreements, PWI Group’s role as trustee of the Australia No 1 Group Trust and Jason, James and Henry’s roles as directors of Prospect Wealth Investment and subsequently PWI Group, James and Henry owed fiduciary duties at all relevant times to Jason, Dentown, Prospect Wealth Investment and PWI Group. In addition, the plaintiffs say that James and Henry owed statutory duties as directors of PWI Group to Jason as their fellow director and member of the body of shareholders of PWI Group under sections 181, 182, 183 and 191 of the Corporations Act.

17. [88]

    The defendants deny that there was any partnership or joint venture agreement or agreement between shareholders of either Prospect Wealth Investment or PWI Group. A different agreement is pleaded, being an agreement between Jason, James and Henry to do business together in a new company. The central feature of the posited agreement is said to be a “Not-Separate/Not-Compete Term” which, with the characteristic brevity of the defendants’ counsel, was said to comprise:

18. [89]

    As to whether there was a partnership, Jagot J helpfully summarised the indicia of a partnership in Yacoub v Commissioner of Taxation at [24]:

19. [90]

    As to whether there was a joint venture, in United Dominions Corp Limited v Brian Pty Limited (1985) 157 CLR 1; [1985] HCA 49, Mason, Brennan and Deane JJ considered the nature of a joint venture at 10:

20. [91]

    More recently in Gibson Motorsport Merchandise Pty Limited v Forbes [2005] FCA 749, Crennan J noted that the recognisable and common characteristics of joint ventures include, at [80]:

21. [92]

    And, as Vickory J explained in Ambridge Investments v Baker at [32]:

22. [93]

    Whilst Gibson Motorsport does not set out a ‘checklist’, it seems to me that the characteristics listed by Crennan J are present in this case.

23. [94]

    It seems to me that the legal relationship between the parties was a joint venture but not a partnership. Having regard to the evidence canvassed thus far, I find that the terms of the joint venture were:

24. [95]

    There is no doubt, and it is agreed, that Jason, James and Henry owed fiduciary obligations as directors of Prospect Wealth Investment and, subsequently, PWI Group, to those companies. The provisions of the Corporations Act relied upon require a director to exercise their power and discharge their duties in good faith in the best interests of the corporation and for a proper purpose (section 181); to not improperly use their position, or information gained in their position, to gain an advantage for themselves or someone else or cause detriment to the corporation (sections 182 and 183); and to give the other directors notice of a material personal interest which they have in a matter that relates the affairs of the company (section 191). Beyond their fiduciary obligations as directors, I do not think that the relationship between the joint venturers was fiduciary. The High Court in United Dominions Corporation made clear that the form and content of the agreement, and the obligations which the parties undertake, will determine whether any particular joint venture involves fiduciary obligations. Because the parties did not conclude a formal agreement, I am reluctant to find that they intended to be each other’s fiduciaries when I have concluded that the agreement did not in fact constitute a partnershuip. That the parties chose a corporate structure, albeit with their wholly-owned companies as shareholders, points towards an intention to impose fiduciary duties with respect to the company, but not between the directors. Rather, the joint venturers simply agreed to do business with one another on the terms of the joint venture agreement as I have found those terms to be.

25. [96]

    Like any agreement for a fixed term, it was always open to the participants to agree to terminate their joint venture before the end of the term: DTR Nominees Pty Ltd v Mona Homes Pty Ltd (1978) 138 CLR 423 at 424 (Stephen, Mason & Jacobs JJ); [1978] HCA 12; Paal Wilson & Co. A/S v Partenreederei Hannah Blumenthal [1983] 1 AC 854 at 915 (Lord Diplock); Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd v Wright Prospecting Pty Ltd (2012) 45 WAR 29; [2012] WASCA 216 at [208] (McLure P, with whom Newnes JA and Le Miere J agreed). Likewise, there was nothing to stop some of the joint venturers buying out the interest of another joint venturer during the term of the joint venture. Of course, if one party had unilaterally purported to terminate the joint venture before the end of its term, they might have been obliged to pay damages for breach of the joint venture agreement suffered as a consequence.

26. [97]

    The terms of the joint venture were not in writing, nor did any termination of the joint venture need to be in writing to be effective: McDermott v Black (1940) 63 CLR 161 at 187; [1940] HCA 4 (Dixon J, with whom Rich & McTiernan JJ agreed); Creamoata Ltd v The Rice Equalization Association Ltd (1953) 89 CLR 286 at 306 (Williams ACJ), 326 (Kitto J); [1953] HCA 40; Credit Lyonnais Australia Ltd v Darling (1991) 5 ACSR 703 at 718 (Handley JA); Bundanoon Sandstone Pty Ltd v Cenric Group Pty Ltd [2019] NSWCA 87 at [122] (Gleeson JA, with whom Meagher and McCallum JJA agreed). Indeed, a written contract can be terminated orally as long as the contract contains no provision to the contrary. Even in such a case, as long as the parties agree to vary the requirement that any variation of the contract be in writing when they vary the contract orally, it will still be effective.

27. [98]

    On termination, the terms of the joint venture agreement did not have continuing operation unless the parties otherwise agreed: Paal Wilson at 915; Martech International Pty Ltd v Energy World Corporation Ltd (2007) 248 ALR 353; [2007] FCAFC 35 at [22]–[23] (special leave refused). See, generally, WD Duncan, ed., Joint Ventures Law in Australia (3rd ed., Federation Press, 2012) at [1.12] as to the possibility of duties surviving termination when parties are in fact fiduciaries, unlike the present case. In particular, the participants’ obligation to devote themselves to the joint understanding ceased. Any obligation not to compete with the joint undertaking during its term ceased on termination, unless the parties otherwise agreed that this term should survive.

28. [99]

    In September 2014, James and his wife exchanged contracts to buy a home in Gordon for $2,210,000. As the completion of the purchase drew near, James asked Jason for a loan of $220,000. Jason said he would have to discuss it with his wife and asked when James would be able to pay him back. James said he would pay the loan back before the end of June 2015 out of his share of the profits and would also pay 5% interest, paid monthly. Michelle deposed, and was not cross-examined on the subject, that Jason told her that James wished to borrow $220,000 to buy a new home and had offered to repay the whole amount by the end of June 2015 together with interest at 5% per annum to be paid monthly. Despite her concerns about the informality of the arrangement, Michelle agreed because of her long and close friendship with Helen and Jason’s close business relationship with James. On 9 December 2014, Jason obtained a bank cheque for $229,490.41 which James used to complete the purchase of the Gordon property.

29. [100]

    James agreed that he borrowed the money on the understanding that he would pay 5% interest and would repay the loan promptly. But he also contended that it was agreed that he would repay the loan on payment of the $104,000 commissions owed by Dentown to DRT Group:

30. [101]

    Contrary to James’ offer, James did not pay any interest for three months, then paid four months interest on 13 April 2015, and then made no further payment of interest or repayment of principal.

31. [102]

    In 2015, James referred to tensions arising when he changed the policies and procedures of the business, became tougher on those working for the business and changed the business culture:

32. [103]

    In 2015, Jason continued to work in sales as well as undertaking his duties with developers. He earned gross sales commission revenue for PWI Group of $1,489,147.73 with an estimated net profit of $1,130,000. Jason received no extra remuneration for this work. Henry, again, disagreed with these figures saying that Jason earned gross commission on direct sales of around $700,000 that year which, interestingly, was more than the $450,000 to $500,000 commission made by James in direct sales. Henry still did not take on sales work.

33. [104]

    In February 2015, PWI Group entered into another selling agency agreement with Gondon Five in respect of “Gondon Macquarie”, giving PWI Group selling rights in respect of 37 units. Tracy Cui was a director of Gondon Five. Ms Cui, who was not required for cross-examination, deposed that PWI Group was engaged as the main agent in relation to the promotion and sale of units in the development. She got to know Jason through his work for PWI Group and they became friends. Perhaps less fortuitously, Yizhu Qu was interested in buying an apartment at Gondon Macquarie and dealt with Jason. In March 2015, they began a relationship.

34. [105]

    In late May 2015, Jason was asked to give a seminar in China. Jason says that he, James and Henry discussed increasing marketing activity by PWI Group in China. According to James, Jason said that he was interested in expanding in China and James was very interested. Henry says they started to talk about PWI Group going to China. James and Henry referred to this as “the Chinese Expansion Strategy”, which apparently included establishing a branch in China. This seems to me to have been an overstatement on their part: it appears that Jason simply had an opportunity to present a seminar in China. There were no contemporaneous documents to corroborate the existence of “the Chinese Expansion Strategy” beyond those concerning the seminar. Henry later accepted that Jason had never mentioned setting up a branch in China but maintained that Jason said they could work with other parties in China and that it was Jason’s idea to step into China. James ultimately agreed that Jason never suggested establishing a branch of PWI Group in China, nor setting up a separate company in China, nor going into a joint venture with a Chinese company.

35. [106]

    Jason says that during 2015 he began to get the sense that he was being excluded from the management of PWI Group. In June 2015, Henry asked Jason for the password for the server system as apparently James and Henry had decided to change to a new server. Jason asked why he hadn’t been told about this and was assured that James and Henry would manage the issue. Since late July 2015, Jason has not had access to the administrator password for the new system despite numerous requests.

36. [107]

    In June and July 2015, further distributions were paid totalling $297,500 to Dentown and DRT Group (42.5% each) and $105,000 to NYL Partners (15%). In July 2015, payments were also made from PWI Group’s bank account for director loan repayments totalling $200,000, which was the $100,000 initially contributed by each of DRT Group and Dentown.

Jason becomes sole director of Prospect Wealth Investment

1. [108]

   On 2 July 2015, Jason lodged a Change to Company Details form with ASIC, reporting that James and Henry had ceased to be directors of Prospect Wealth Investment and that the company’s registered office had changed to that of its tax agent. The shareholders remained unchanged. Jason said that he discussed this with James and Henry: James asked that the accountant remove them as directors of Prospect Wealth Investment; James told him that they were content to resign as directors of Prospect Wealth Investment, “He said — because everything moved over to PWI Group, so there’s no need to — you know — like — keep them as directors on the old company”.

2. [109]

   James and Henry deny this and say they were unaware that they had ceased to be directors until these proceedings. The defendants submitted that Jason’s evidence should not be accepted as he said, in cross-examination, that the discussion occurred outside the business premises whilst he and James were smoking cigarettes. The submission was put on the basis that Henry, who Jason said joined this conversation, does not smoke and therefore was “unlikely in the extreme” to have joined in. I consider this submission to have little force, but in any event, in a contest between Jason’s evidence on the one hand and James or Henry’s evidence on the other, I generally prefer Jason’s evidence.

3. [110]

   The defendants say that they would not have agreed to cease being directors of Prospect Wealth Investment because that company was the sub-lessee of the business premises. However, in circumstances where the shareholders of Prospect Wealth Investment remained unaltered, the joint venturers continued to have an interest in the sub-lease, albeit Jason became the sole decision-maker in respect of the sub-lessee, subject to his duties as a director of the company. The fact that, at the hearing, the defendants could point to reasons why James and Henry should have continued to be directors of Prospect Wealth Investment does not suggest to me that, in July 2015, James did not ask Jason to remove him as director of a company which had become somewhat obsolete in the joint venture. I think it is consistent with an appreciation by James and Henry that they no longer needed to use Prospect Wealth Investment as the joint venture corporate vehicle, as PWI Group had come to fulfil that role. James did not want to remain a director of Prospect Wealth Investment in the circumstances. Jason was clearly attached to the company with which he had been associated before doing business with James and Henry, and they had no objection to him becoming the sole director.

4. [111]

   The defendants complain that the resignation of James and Henry as directors of Prospect Wealth Investment took place in circumstances where there was no meeting of directors of the company removing them and they did not sign a notice of resignation. This is unremarkable in circumstances where Jason, James and Henry held no formal meetings of directors of that or any other company before this dispute nor signed documents in the usual course. As explained in more detail at [196] to [199], directors may resign orally and the company may accept such a resignation. Here, all directors of Prospect Wealth Investment agreed to this course. James and Henry seek rectification of ASIC’s register to restore them as directors of Prospect Wealth Investment. I decline to do so for the reasons stated.

Unpaid home loans and a demotion

1. [112]

   In about mid July 2015, Jason asked James to repay the home loan and outstanding interest, and James said that he didn’t have the money. Notwithstanding recent distributions from PWI Group, James explained that he had been renovating his home and, when the renovations were complete, he hoped to refinance the loan for a greater amount which would allow him to repay Jason. Jason was not happy, and James offered to transfer his share of the business to Jason together with all of James’ rights and entitlements to the profits of the business if he had not repaid the loan by the end of March 2016. James denied that he promised to repay the loan by the end of March 2016 or that there was ever any mention of a time to repay the loan. I accept Jason’s evidence on this subject.

2. [113]

   In about July 2015, James suggested that from now on Henry would contact the developers who spoke English and James would start to contact all of the developers who spoke Chinese and Jason could “take a break”. Jason did not think this was appropriate and did not understand why they wished to suddenly assume what had been his role from the outset. This was a significant event, it seems to me. Jason’s role in the business was to deal with developers. He was now effectively sidelined from that completely. It seems to me that this would have been perceived by Jason as a significant demotion and an odd one to make to a joint venturer, a director and one of the major shareholders of the company. It was not clear to me why James thought he was entitled to dictate this change of role to Jason, save to say that James considered himself to be in charge of the business and to have authority over Jason. With Henry’s support, James effectively was in control of the business as, together, they held 60% of the shares and Jason was thus a minority shareholder.

3. [114]

   As James explained the change in Jason’s role, he was concerned that Jason was spending less time in the company and was not 100% focussed on the business of the company. In an effort to bring more benefit to the corporation and shareholders, they asked Jason to organise his own sale team and undertake direct sales. As Henry explained it, Jason’s full responsibility was to make sales. The abiding thesis of James and Henry was that Jason was not pulling his weight in the business. There is no contemporaneous evidence to support this. As I do not find James or Henry to be credible witnesses, I do not accept their evidence as to this matter. Nor it is clear to me the significance of it, even if proved: if the second draft shareholders’ agreement had been binding, then DRT Group and NYL Partners may have been entitled to sue Dentown for breach of its obligation to use reasonable endeavours to promote the business. Under the terms of the joint venture agreement as I have found them to be, the joint venture participants may have been entitled to assert that Jason was breaching the terms of their agreement to use reasonable endeavours to achieve the objects of the joint venture. But no such claim was made; nor do James and Henry accept the existence of a joint venture agreement, nor do they claim that Jason’s conduct during this period amounted to a breach of section 180 of the Corporations Act. I think the more likely explanation is that James and Henry did not get on with Jason and were beginning to exclude him from management and the critically important relationships with developers.

4. [115]

   By June 2015, Henry and his wife wished to purchase a home for $2,066,000. Like James, Henry asked Jason for a loan of $220,000. Jason was reluctant, but said he would agree if Henry repaid the loan by December 2015 together with 5% interest paid monthly.

5. [116]

   Michelle deposed that in June 2015 Jason told her about Henry’s request for a loan, and she was not cross-examined on the subject. Michelle was reluctant as they had already lent more than that amount to James and “he is yet to pay on time”. Michelle called Henry about his request and expressed reluctance to assist him in buying a home in circumstances where she was also looking to buy a property and needed money herself. Henry assured her that if she did him this favour, “It’ll be remembered well. I’ll make sure that the loan and interest are repaid as soon as possible”. Michelle thought about Henry’s request further and was reassured, to some extent, by Jason telling her that he had previously lent $50,000 to Henry and it was repaid quite quickly. So she agreed.

6. [117]

   Henry denied that he spoke to Michelle about the loan, but this denial was not put to Michelle in cross-examination. Henry also said that he did not understand from Jason that he would have to get Michelle’s approval before lending him the money. “I thought Jason can make a decision in his family. … I think he’s a powerful man in the family, yeah”. Henry denied promising to repay the money by the end of the year but said he agreed to repay the money from the distributions from PWI Group. I accept Jason and Michelle’s evidence on this subject.

7. [118]

   On 31 July 2015, Jason transferred $220,000 to Henry’s bank account. In September 2015, Jason provided Henry with the details of a bank account of Jason and his wife, to which Henry made various interest and repayments of principal. The last payment was made in February 2016.

8. [119]

   In July 2015, Jason travelled to China and presented the seminar. This resulted in the sale of one apartment. Jason was disappointed.

9. [120]

   In September 2015, James, Jason and Henry had a further discussion about investigating the market in China. James said he was going to take a trip to China to investigate the possibility, and Jason agreed provided that James didn’t spend too much money. According to Jason, he said at this meeting:

James and Henry seek advice from PwC

1. [121]

   In October 2015, James and Henry approached PricewaterhouseCoopers for advice. They did not tell Jason. On 20 October 2015, PwC sent Henry and James a proposal, “Structuring alternatives and potential taxation strategies”. The email and proposal referred to “recent discussions”. Although the proposal was largely directed to restructuring PWI Group for tax advantages, PwC also provided a scope of work for,

2. [122]

   James said he approached PwC for advice in circumstances where the shareholders’ agreement was falling apart and he didn’t know what to do as Jason did not want to be involved anymore. James said it was “not convenient” to bring Jason into the discussions,

3. [123]

   Henry said that part of the reason they were consulting PwC was to get tax advice in anticipation of extending the operations of PWI Group into China. Henry said he also sought advice on how to deal with the situation at PWI Group as he was not happy working with someone who didn’t focus on the business as this was not fair. Henry agreed that they did not invite Jason to the meetings with PwC as they were “still in the consulting stage” and the discussions, in part, concerned difficulties they were having with Jason. Henry agreed that he and James made big decisions about PWI Group in the absence of Jason because they anticipated that Jason would not cooperate with them.

4. [124]

   There is no credible evidence that PWI Group was planning on extending its operations into China at this time. It seems to me, rather, that James and Henry were keen to do so whilst Jason was not, and this was one of several disagreements between them such that James and Henry wished to remove Jason from PWI Group. Nor is there any credible evidence that Jason was not pulling his weight in the business. Rather, he had been divested of his primary role by James: Jason had effectively been relegated to a sales manager in his own business. It was hardly fair for James and Henry to criticise Jason for not working as hard as they thought he should when they had taken his job away from him.

5. [125]

   In October 2015, Henry removed Jason’s right to access some of the files on Google Cloud. Henry agreed that he did this notwithstanding that the documents stored on the Cloud included records to which it was important for all directors to have access, including sales records and commissions payable. Jason could no longer access the profit and expense accounts or sales records of the business or find out who was the responsible sales person for the sale of a particular property.

6. [126]

   In October 2015, further distributions were made to Dentown and DRT Group of $212,500 each (42.5% each) and NYL Group of $75,000 (15%). Jason said the decision to make the distribution was made without reference to him and he only found out about it after he received the dividend in his bank account. He expressed surprise to Henry who said, “As long as we did not forget your share, I don’t see a need to tell you”.

7. [127]

   On 29 October 2015, James emailed Jason ten invoices from DRT Group for unpaid commission. It seems to me that James was endeavouring to tidy up loose ends with Jason. On 8 November 2015, Jason replied to James’ email regarding unpaid commission. In respect of the invoices on which DRT Group sues, the response was, generally, that Jason had not received the commission from the developer. Some of the sales had only recently settled whilst Jason had been chasing the developer for commission in respect of other sales for some time. Jason concluded his email:

8. [128]

   On 30 October 2015, Jimmy was demoted as sales manager for PWI Group and says he began to think about leaving the company as he disliked James and Henry’s management and was unhappy about his demotion. James agreed that Jimmy was demoted from a “senior sales manager” to a “sales manager” but still led a sales team. Jimmy said, after his demotion, “I was kind of in holiday”, that is, he didn’t do any sales for PWI Group. James said he knew that Jimmy was not very happy, but was still very surprised when he later left PWI Group. Charlie was also thinking of leaving PWI Group as he had lost faith in the management of the company, specifically the management of James and Henry.

9. [129]

   On 23 November 2015, PwC emailed Henry to ask whether he was still considering the proposal. Henry replied:

10. [130]

    The next day, Henry emailed PwC again.

11. [131]

    Henry denied that a firm decision had been made, contrary to the text of the email, but accepted in cross-examination as follows:

The relevance of Yizhu

1. [132]

   In November 2015, according to Yizhu, Jason said that he would transfer some money into her company’s bank account so that they would have money to go out with. Yizhu sent him the account details for her company, Aoya International Pty Ltd, which Yizhu had established to publish articles on WeChat, a social media platform popular amongst the Australian-Chinese community. On 16 November 2015, deposits of $3,000 and $9,000 were made to Aoya International’s bank account. The descriptions of the entries on the bank statements indicate that the deposits appear to be introducer fees for two apartments. Jason said that the person who referred the buyer to PWI Group did not claim the commission so he put Aoya International as the introducer. It appears that he did so to confer a benefit on his girlfriend. I understand the relevance of this to be to Jason’s credit and that he was not concentrating on the business. Jason appears to have transferred monies to which Yizhu was not entitled, but it does not cause me to reject his evidence overall.

2. [133]

   According to Yizhu, from about November 2015 to shortly before Christmas 2015, Jason said to her that he was thinking of getting involved in developments “separate from PWI. There’s more money in that than being an agent selling units in the developments. I’m going to start investigating this market”. He said he would send her information about the developments that were out there and get her to look at the numbers for him. The conversation as recalled by Yizhu is consistent with Jason considering becoming a developer or property investor, and I note that he was applying for a Work Safely in the Construction Industry (or “white card”) at around this time. On 26 November 2015, Jason forwarded Yizhu five emails from developers about development projects. On 7 December 2015, Jason and Yizhu exchanged WeChat messages about 1300 numbers, increasing WeChat presence and various developments. The emails and messages are benign and do not suggest that Jason was planning to establish a business in breach of any obligations which he owed to PWI Group or his joint venturers. The defendants point to these emails as evidence that Jason was not working as hard as he should in the business. Toying with an idea is hardly that. Jason said that he did not like his major job being taken off him (which I accept) so he started to look into this area for PWI Group to bring business to PWI Group and to develop his new role. I think it is more likely that Jason sensed that things were not going well with James and Henry and was beginning to look into doing something else. Jason said that as he had worked with James for several years, he knew James’ personality and he could sense what he thought, even though when he brought it up James denied it: “I have a strong feeling they want me to leave”.

3. [134]

   In mid December 2015, Jason and Yizhu discussed Yizhu applying for a real estate licence. Yizhu was interested in property investment, and Jason suggested that it would be advantageous to have her own real estate licence as she could then act as a vendor and not incur commissions to external agents. It does appear that real estate and property investment was a shared interest, and some of the communications between them are likely referable to this factor alone.

4. [135]

   Overall, despite the amount of focus on these matters at the hearing, I do not consider this evidence to indicate that Jason was in breach of any obligation he owed as a joint venturer participant or director.

Preparing for change

1. [136]

   In about December 2015, James and Henry agreed to employ a new accountant, Andy Bai, without consulting Jason. Mr Bai’s salary was $56,000 a year. Jason questioned why they had hired Mr Bai without consulting him. As Henry’s main role was to do the bookkeeping for PWI Group, Jason did not consider that it was necessary to hire a fulltime accountant for that role. Jason’s queries as to what steps they had taken to ensure that Mr Bai was suitable and was being paid a suitable amount were dismissed. In an extremely long speech, Henry agreed that they hired Mr Bai without consulting Jason and, ultimately, blamed the need to recruit Mr Bai on Dentown’s activities in interrupting the settlement of property purchases, which makes little sense as Dentown did not commence real estate activities until three months later.

2. [137]

   On 3 December 2015, Henry sent L’Orient Legal the signed licence agreement between Prospect Wealth Investment and PWI Group for 66 Goulburn Street. Henry had signed the licence agreement for PWI Group and Jason had signed for Prospect Wealth Investment as “sole director”. The plaintiffs submitted that this is evidence that Henry, at least, was aware that Jason was the sole director of Prospect Wealth Investment at the time. I agree. It also indicates that Henry was endeavouring to tidy up loose ends with Jason and Prospect Wealth Investment before he and James presented their fait accompli.

James returns from China

1. [138]

   Whilst in China, James met with Dan Li, a friend from university, and discussed a joint venture between PWI Group and Mr Li, where PWI Group would be a shareholder with Dan Li in a new company. James accepted that the establishment of such a company was a significant matter for PWI Group, saying “I think it is a very important matter”. James considered “it will open the door to a very big market like China and which means that we will have a very huge potential of business”. It was a matter for the directors of PWI Group to decide.

2. [139]

   On 14 December 2015, James returned from China and, according to James, reported his discussion with Mr Li at a meeting with Jason and Henry. The description of what was said at this meeting as set out James and Henry’s affidavits was in stark contrast to their oral evidence, which I prefer to their affidavits, although, for other reasons, may also be unreliable. According to James, he told Jason and Henry about his meeting with Mr Li, saying, “It’s time for us to do something big”. Jason apparently said he was about to go on holidays and he would let them take control of it. I reject James’ evidence. In circumstances where James and Henry had plans afoot to buy out Jason’s interest in the joint venture, I doubt that James would have mentioned a new business venture which he expected would be successful and in which he wanted Jason to have no part. Nor would James have wished that such a new business venture might give Jason any reason to want to stay in business together. As Jason was not enthusiastic about expanding into China, it seems to me that James decided to go down this path without Jason, and secretly.

3. [140]

   According to Henry, Mr Li was mentioned in the meeting, and also “briefly mentioned there is a potential … for working together in the Chinese market”. Apparently, James said there was a potential for working together in the Chinese market and Jason was happy with the result of the trip. Jason denies having any discussion with James on his return from China about Mr Li. Jason says he had never heard of Mr Li nor was he ever told of any discussions or negotiations with Mr Li or any discussions or negotiation of a joint venture by PWI Group with any other person or entity in China. I accept Jason’s evidence.

4. [141]

   James said that this meeting was one of the occasions on which he raised his concerns with Jason about not giving 100% to the business, although James did not mention this in his four affidavits. Whilst James said that the sales performance of PWI Group doubled from $2 million in 2014 to $4 million in 2015, he considered that Jason’s contribution to sales was only $500,000, which meant that the remaining $3.5 million was achieved by sales teams led by James. However, in circumstances where Jason’s role was to develop relations with developers rather than make sales, that could hardly be grounds for dissatisfaction, albeit that James had unilaterally changed Jason’s role in mid-2015 to sales only. James accepted that “there were new contracts signed into the new company, however, it’s separate from me getting 100% satisfied or Jason making 100% focus on the company”. It would seem that James was a hard man to please. In contrast, according to Henry, there was no fighting at the meeting and the directors went their separate ways on good terms. I find that James did not mention his meetings with Mr Li to Jason, nor his planned joint venture with Mr Li, on 14 December 2015, and the directors parted ways for holidays.

5. [142]

   On 16 December 2015, Jason enrolled Yizhu in a real estate agent course. It appears that it was contemplated that Yizhu would operate through Aoya International and, again, there was nothing untoward in this apart from making a gift to his girlfriend. On 20 December 2015, Jason went to the United States on holidays for about four weeks. By the end of 2015, PWI Group had made distributions of $510,000 to both Dentown and DRT Group and a further $180,000 to NYL Partners. This was effectively 42.5% to Jason and James and 15% to Henry.

6. [143]

   On 6 January 2016, PWI Group employed River Chu as Property and Sales Manager for a salary was $120,000 a year plus bonuses. James signed the contract for PWI Group. Her recruitment was not discussed with Jason, who considered Ms Chu’s salary to be excessive, pointing to advertisements placed for property managers up to $65,000 per annum. Henry agreed, after a long non-responsive speech, that the hiring of Ms Chu was not discussed with Jason despite the fact that he was a director. Notwithstanding that the salary was quite a significant amount of money, Henry considered that James was the Chief Executive Officer and could make that decision. Also in about January 2016, Jaycy began to think of leaving PWI Group because of issues with the management of the company. Jaycy was not required for cross-examination and no objection was taken to her affidavit.

James and Henry make a move to expand to China

1. [144]

   James said that in early January 2016 he had a telephone conversation with Mr Li. Although, when in China, they had discussed an arrangement where PWI Group would be a shareholder with Mr Li in a new company, James now said that he wasn’t clear about the future of PWI Group:

2. [145]

   On 8 January 2016, Henry paid $21,118.20 from PWI Group’s bank account to New Century 2001 Pty Limited, a foreign exchange company to which Australian dollars could be paid for payment on to a Chinese bank account in Chinese yuan. Jason was unaware of this. Henry says the payment was to the host of an exhibition in Beijing in May 2016 on migration and overseas properties, and tendered undated photographs taken of a stall for PWI Group at the 7th Property and Immigration Exhibition in China together with photographs of “Ju’Li Asia Office”. It was suggested to Henry that this was, in fact, a payment to Mr Li to establish a Chinese company for the purpose of a joint venture with PWI Group. Henry’s evidence on this subject was evasive. The description of the transaction in the bank statement was “PWI Group”, but Henry said that he used “PWI Group” as a default description for transactions when doing online banking. The lacuna of documentary evidence to support Henry’s evidence — where Henry might be expected to be in possession of documents to corroborate his account — points in favour of a conclusion that the money was used as the plaintiffs suggest: Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1959] HCA 8 at 320 per Windeyer J, citing with approval Wigmore on Evidence (3rd ed., 1940), “the failure to bring before the tribunal some circumstance, document or witness…”; Burke v LFOT Pty Ltd (2002) 209 CLR 282; [2002] HCA 17 at [134] (Callinan J) Ronchi v Portland Smelter Services Ltd [2005] VSCA 83 at [44] (Eames JA, with whom Buchanan JA agreed); Challenger Property Asset Management Pty Ltd v Stonnington City Council (2011) 34 VR 445; [2011] VSC 184 at [131]–[132]; Sino-Resource Imp & Exp Co Ltd v Oakland Investment Group Ltd [2018] QSC 98 at [112].

3. [146]

   The defendants submitted that I should not so find as “it is inconceivable” that it would cost this amount to register a company in China and it was “commercially rational” that payment for a stand at an international exhibit would be required months in advance. It would have been simple for the defendants to put the matter beyond doubt by tendering a single piece of paper to establish when the stand at the exhibition was booked and that the payment related to that stand. Having failed to do so, I think it is more likely that the monies were transferred by Henry from PWI Group’s bank account to China for the purposes of Mr Li establishing a new company in which it was apprehended that PWI Group would undertake expansion into China, and I so find.

4. [147]

   On 24 January 2016, Yizhu completed the real estate course. According to Yizhu, Jason suggested that he should get a website for a real estate business but, in fact, Yizhu established a real estate website for Aoya International. On 4 February 2016, Yizhu and Jason exchanged further WeChat messages about the establishment of a website, apparently for a construction company. On 4 February 2016, Yizhu began to create a website for Aoya International. It appears that efforts were being directed to set up Yizhu in a business.

5. [148]

   In about early February 2016, Jason pressed Henry for repayment of the home loan and Henry said he would fully repay the loan within one month. The loan was not repaid.

6. [149]

   This portion of the judgment is entitled “Separation Agreement” as the parties referred to it as such in their pleadings and affidavits. A more accurate heading would be “Buyout Agreement” but I have continued to adopt the parties’ terminology in an effort to avoid confusion.

7. [150]

   On 3 February 2016, James and Henry saw a solicitor who had been recommended by PwC and received advice.

First separation meeting

1. [151]

   On 5 February 2016, Mr Keats (who it will be recalled was a master selling agent) invited Jason, James and Henry to attend a function in Strathfield. After the function, Jason, Henry and James went into the city and had dinner at James’ suggestion as, “We have something important to discuss”. In cross-examination, Jason recalled what they said:

2. [152]

   Henry said that he proposed a new business structure over dinner — that a new company be established with the same shareholdings as PWI Group but with Jason as the sole director, with Jason to cease to be a director of PWI Group — to give greater responsibility to Jason alone and urge him to work harder. But Henry was unable to explain how the proposed new structure would have that result. Nor could James: the structure of the proposed new company was the same as that of PWI Group so that any income that PWI Group or the new company derived would be shared with Jason in the same proportions as the existing structure. Henry said the purpose of the meeting was to try to sort things out with Jason and to push him and encourage him to work harder. I do not accept this evidence in circumstances where James and Henry had already obtained accounting advice directed to buying out Jason’s interest and also legal advice.

3. [153]

   I accept Jason’s evidence of what was said at this meeting. The explanation given by James and Henry as to the reason to separate — a tough market — was disingenuous. Rather, James and Henry thought they were about to embark on a profitable venture in China and did not want to do it with Jason. James agreed that he made no attempt to tell Jason, before the meeting on 5 February 2016, that Mr Li wanted to take up the opportunity to enter into a partnership with PWI Group in a Chinese company, nor did he mention it at the meeting with Jason that evening. He did not tell Jason that he had spoken to Dan Li and agreed in principle that they would join together and that Dan Li was setting up a company for that purpose. James said he did not tell Jason about his potential joint venture in China because “I didn’t trust Jason anymore but I didn’t want to say anything before I had proper evidence”. I found James’ evidence on this matter to be remarkable.

4. [154]

   Yizhu met Jason after the dinner. Jason told her that James and Henry had told him that they wanted to separate. Jason was surprised and upset and did not say anything further on the subject that evening. Michelle recalls that Jason told her at this time, “James and Henry have asked me to leave PWI”.

5. [155]

   PWI Group was the joint venture corporate vehicle. On one view, by James and Henry telling Jason to “leave PWI”, they were giving notice that they wished to terminate the joint venture before the end of its fixed term. But I think that the better view is that James and Henry were proposing to buy out Jason’s interest in the joint venture, with the joint venture to continue without him. Whilst the terms on which they proposed to buy out Jason’s interest were to be negotiated, Jason was not given any other options, nor did he have any prospect of being able to persuade James and Henry to change their minds. There was nothing to stop James and Henry offering to buy out Jason’s interest or, failing agreement on a buyout or early termination, unilaterally terminating the joint venture agreement, although the latter course may have exposed them and their companies to a claim for damages for breach of the joint venture agreement.

Jason starts getting Dentown ready for business

1. [156]

   The next day, on 6 February 2016, Jason started to get Dentown ready to operate a real estate business. He asked Yizhu to help him advertise for staff, find premises, establish a website and establish a WeChat account. Yizhu understood from Jason that this was to be done as quickly as possible “because he said James and Henry want to separate with him”. Importantly Yizhu agreed in cross-examination:

2. [157]

   On 6 February 2016, Yizhu posted advertisements for staff. On 8 February 2016, Yizhu purchased a domain name for Dentown’s website. By 9 February 2016, the Dentown website was operational, but with much to be added before it was presentable. Yizhu began looking for premises in consultation with Jason. Yizhu says that, on 8 or 9 February 2016, Jason said to her that he was going to start competing with James, Henry and PWI Group. Jason emphatically denied that he said this and I accept his denial. Jason agreed that he told her that he needed to work quickly to set up his own business in Dentown.

3. [158]

   On 11 February 2016, Yizhu assisted Jason to open a trust account in his name as a licensed real estate agent. Yizhu also sought to amend an application she had already made for a corporate real estate licence for Aoya International to an application by Dentown, of which Yizhu would be licensee in charge. Late in the evening of 11 February 2016, James sent a WeChat message to Jason asking whether it would be convenient to meet the next day to “communicate well again” in advance of a directors’ meeting on 16 February 2016. Jason was reluctant: “Really have things to do”.

4. [159]

   The defendants suggested that Jason was involved in wrongdoing at the time in respect of two matters. First, the defendants object to the steps that Jason was then taking to set up another business to be conducted by Dentown. As I understand the argument, such steps were contrary to the “Non-Compete” portion of the “Non-Separate/Non-Compete” Term. This was not a term of the joint venture agreement but, in any event, there is no evidence that Jason conducted any business through Dentown at this time but, rather, was making preparations to do so.

5. [160]

   Second, on 11 February 2016, a referrer, Iverson Ting, sent a WeChat message to Henry asking whether an (unspecified) apartment was available, giving the details of some interested purchasers. Mr Ting recalled the message at 5.50 pm. Henry called Mr Ting, who said the client was no longer interested in the property. Jason says he received a similar call from Mr Ting, but the client later decided to buy a cheaper and smaller apartment and paid a deposit on that apartment a few days later. In fact, on 12 February 2016, Jason issued a receipt for an expression of interest deposit paid to PWI Group by the same interested purchasers on apartment A126 at a development in Epping. Contracts were exchanged on 30 March 2016 in the amount of $638,000, by which time, as will become apparent, relations between the parties had broken down. Although a sale of PWI Group, Jason placed Aoya International on the contract as the vendor’s agent to hide from PWI Group that he was taking the sale for Dentown. Ultimately, the sale was made by Dentown. Jason said that he also called the vendor, who was a partner of the developer, and told him what he was doing and the developer said that Jason could change the contract to Dentown. Jason said he moved the sale from PWI Group to Dentown “because we have a dispute”.

6. [161]

   The commission which Dentown thereby obtained, at PWI Group’s cost, should be repaid, but the amount of the commission unclear. According to a spreadsheet kept by Dentown, commission was incompletely noted as “paid ½ deducted from the …”, but the spreadsheet does not record the rate or amount of commission. The entry in the spreadsheet is shaded green which, Michelle explained, meant that the transaction had settled but the commission had not yet been paid. It would appear, therefore, that the final commission had not been received by Dentown when the spreadsheet was produced to the Court in about June 2018.

7. [162]

   There is in evidence a spreadsheet prepared by the defendants’ former solicitor, Helen Sin, which states that the commission rate was 3% of which half was paid to Mr Iverson and the balance, $9,570, was “Dentown gross profit after sales manager commission”. Ms Sin, who was not required for cross-examination, took spreadsheets that had been produced by Jason and Dentown in answer to notices to produce and “caused the entire Excel spreadsheets to be recreated by putting the pages together like pieces of a jigsaw”. Ms Sin then exhibited a series of summaries prepared from these recreated spreadsheets, although she did not say in her affidavit who prepared the summaries or how they were prepared. Ms Sin’s affidavit then included a table summarising the summaries of the recreated Excel spreadsheets. The “Dentown gross profit” is contained in one such table. I am not prepared to rely on the suggested 3% commission and the $9,570 as being Dentown’s gross profit in the absence of a document establishing these matters. But this can be ascertained on any calculation of commission owing to the plaintiffs.

8. [163]

   On 13 February 2016, Yizhu made further changes to Dentown’s emerging website, changing the background image to the same as that used for PWI Group. On 15 February 2016, Yizhu acquired a Dropbox link for Dentown. Yizhu added developer logos and development projects to Dentown’s website. Jason provided Yizhu with the codes or passwords needed to access the PWI Group Dropbox, so that Yizhu could copy information and documents into Dentown’s Dropbox. This was completed before 16 February 2016, although Jason clarified “that Dropbox is open source” which I understood to mean that the information contained in it was distributed widely by the developers to all of their agents. By availing himself of documents and information in PWI Group’s Dropbox, Jason was in breach of his duties as a director of PWI Group, although there is no evidence that the documents or information were confidential or, more importantly, that by doing so, Jason made a profit for which he should account to PWI Group. Later that evening, Jason sent a WeChat message to James confirming the time of the meeting the next day.

9. [164]

   On 16 February 2016, Jason completed an application for a corporation licence with the Office of Fair Trading. Yizhu was to be the licensee in charge for Dentown. Dentown’s Chinese name was added to its website.

Second separation meeting

1. [165]

   Later on 16 February 2016, Jason, James and Henry met at PWI Group’s office. James says that he raised issues of Jason’s performance with him before the meeting, when they were smoking cigarettes downstairs. I doubt it: the time had passed for such a conversation. According to Jason, the meeting proceeded as follows:

2. [166]

   James and Henry complain that Jason did not, at this meeting, tell them of the steps which he was then taking to set up a new real estate business in Dentown. If he had told them, then it is said that they would have been very concerned and would likely have ceased further discussions in relation to separating and would not have agreed to pay him the amounts discussed. I do not understand this complaint. James and Henry had indicated, in no uncertain terms, that they wished to buy out Jason’s interest in the joint venture or, failing that, terminate the joint venture. Jason was under no obligation to inform them of the steps he was taking to prepare for life after the joint venture. That was his business. The complaint appears to be based on the premise that, on buyout or early termination of the joint venture by James and Henry, Jason was obliged not to compete with James and Henry going forward. That is, the posited “Not-Separate/Not-Compete” term had continuing unilateral operation. Whilst James and Henry were at liberty to breach the “Not-Separate” component of this term, the “Not-Compete” component continued to apply to Jason. This submission is logically unappealing, nor do I understand there to be any legal basis for the unilateral operation of this term, unless it was also agreed between the parties that the term would operate in that fashion. In any event, as I have already found, the “Not-Separate/Not-Compete” term did not form part of the joint venture agreement.

3. [167]

   The defendants seek damages against Jason for misleading and deceptive conduct under sections 18 and 236 of the Australian Consumer Law for what he said, or did not say, to James and Henry at this time in respect of his efforts to establish a real estate business using Dentown. These claims are critically dependent upon a reasonable expectation of disclosure: Skinner v Redmond Family Holidays Pty Limited (2017) 123 ACSR 593; [2017] NSWCA 329 at [88]–[89]. The defendants submit that such an expectation arose here because Jason, James and Henry “were negotiating the commercial value of their rights and obligations” under the joint venture agreement. This is, with respect, a quintessential case where there is no reasonable expectation of disclosure. As French CJ and Kiefel J succinctly explained in Miller & Associates v BMW Australia Finance Limited (2010) 241 CLR 357; [2010] HCA 31 at [22]:

4. [168]

   On the morning of 17 February 2016, Henry received an email from a property developer regarding the settlement of a sale:

5. [169]

   Later on 17 February 2016, the directors exchanged emails regarding their discussions. The first email came from Henry, as follows:

6. [170]

   Jason replied promptly:

7. [171]

   On 18 February 2016, James responded:

8. [172]

   Later that evening Jason asked Yizhu to find someone to design a logo for Dentown, “May be unable to get PWI back. … Still decide to operate with Dentown”. This reflected an appreciation on Jason’s part that he had not been able to obtain agreement from James and Henry to continue to use the PWI Group names.

9. [173]

   Michelle deposed that Jason told her, “James and Henry have now agreed to repay his loan by 30 June 2016 as part of the separation agreement”. Michelle was by this time concerned when James failed to regularly pay the interest and failed to repay the loan on the agreed date. Jason also told her that James and Henry had not been treating him fairly in relation to the separation and he would have to start again with his own agency business. In cross examination, Michelle said she understood from what Jason told her that he had reached agreement with James and Henry to separate but “there were still some things that they need to follow for the procedures”.

10. [174]

    On 18 February 2016, Regina Yu forwarded the WeChat login details for PWI Group to Jason. Yizhu says that Jason forwarded this to her and asked her to login and get PWI Group’s followers for Dentown sales. Yizhu says that she logged in but was unable to take control of the account and sent a screenshot of the account details to Jason who apparently told her that it was important to take control of the WeChat account for PWI Group. Jason denies telling Yizhu that he wanted to control PWI Group’s WeChat public account. Rather he was interested to know how many followers PWI Group had and general information about the business as no-one was telling him about it. Although he had the password code, “but I didn’t do anything. I had a look, I left”. He denied trying to take all of the followers on PWI Group’s WeChat platform to Dentown, or that it was even possible to do so. Again, Jason likely breached his duties as a director of PWI Group in whatever he did, or attempted to do, with PWI Group’s WeChat public account. But it is not clear that he managed to do anything, and there is no evidence that he benefited from such a breach such that he ought to account to PWI Group for any profit thereby derived.

11. [175]

    On 19 February 2016, Jason responded to James’ recent email about what had happened at the meeting.

12. [176]

    James replied oddly,

13. [177]

    On 22 February 2016, Cabot Square prepared the annual report and tax return for Australia No 1 Group Trust for the year ended 30 June 2015. There is no evidence that these draft accounts were circulated to Jason at the time. According to the accounts, the trust received commission income of some $3.65 million and made distributions to beneficiaries of $1,972,689, of which 40%, some $790,000, was distributed Dentown. It will be recalled that these accounts reported income and expenses over an 18 month period from the commencement of the joint venture. Over that 18 month period, thus, Dentown was paid roughly $44,000 a month in distributions.

14. [178]

    Although the financial statements record that all of the income of PWI Group had been distributed, in fact, only about half had been paid and the balance “lent back by the unitholders to the No 1 Group trust”. Accordingly, as at 30 June 2015, the trust owed Dentown $527,710, which was recorded in the trust’s balance sheet as loans from the companies to the trust. However, Mr Yeung says that by reason of distributions paid to Dentown from 1 July 2015 to 18 October 2015, the amount owed by the trust to Dentown in respect of distributions unpaid as at 30 June 2015 had been reduced to $17,710.15.

15. [179]

    As I understand these accounts and Mr Yeung’s evidence, Dentown was owed $17,710.15 in distributions for the financial year ended 30 June 2015, and further amounts were presumably likely to be payable to Dentown once the accounts for the then current financial year were completed. If one uses a distribution of $44,000 a month, then Dentown stood to receive some $528,000 for the year ending 30 June 2016. If one considered the distributions owing for the year ended 30 June 2015 together with 8 months of the current financial year until 29 February 2016, Dentown would be entitled to some $370,000. This is reasonably close to the $450,000 then under discussion to buy out Jason’s interest in the joint venture and indicates that the businessmen had a ready appreciation of what Jason’s interest in the joint venture was worth.

16. [180]

    Also on 22 February 2016, Ju’Li Asia was registered in China. The sole shareholder and sole authorised person of the company was Mr Li. The incorporation of Ju’Li Asia and the preparation of the accounts at this time is consistent with advanced negotiations to buy out Jason’s interest in the joint venture and for James and Henry to pursue their ambition of a joint venture in China without Jason.

17. [181]

    In the evening of 22 February 2016, James sent a WeChat message to Henry and Jason arranging a “PWI Ju’Li Investment” meeting the following evening.

Third separation meeting

1. [182]

   On 23 February 2016, PWI Group lodged a 457 visa application for Charlie, having apparently done nothing with the application for two months. This is consistent with James and Henry seeking to secure PWI Group’s key salesperson given the imminent parting of ways of the directors.

2. [183]

   Later on 23 February 2016, Jason, James and Henry met at PWI Group’s office. According to Jason, James said, “We’ve already reached agreement on the main issues … there are two issues to deal with today. I am prepared to abandon the English name “PWI” and take over the Chinese, if you agree to reduce our final payment to you from $270,000 to $240,000.” Jason agreed. Jason offered to remain liable under the rental guarantees and bear any such losses in accordance with their entitlement to commissions. Henry and James agreed. According to Jason in cross-examination, James said, “Our relationship over end of February. If you want to stay, you will have to pay extra rent for this”. As Jason understood it, any income or expenses of PWI Group from 1 March 2016 on would have nothing to do with him.

3. [184]

   According to Henry, he and James agreed that Jason could keep 1% of the shares of PWI Group and the unit trust in order to monitor financial matters. Jason agreed to share any loss in respect of the rental guarantee. Jason asked when his loans would be repaid. They could not agree on entitlements to the names PWI and Ju’Li. The meeting ended with Jason apparently yelling, “When will you give me the money?” and Henry asking him to calm down, “Let’s talk when you respect the fact”.

4. [185]

   Again, the defendants complain that, at this meeting, Jason did not tell James and Henry the further steps he had taken to be ready to start a new real estate business through Dentown. For the reasons earlier stated, this complaint is ill-founded. James and Henry cannot have imagined that, having kicked Jason out of the joint venture, Jason was prohibited from taking steps to establish another business to pursue after his involvement in the joint venture ceased, nor that he was obliged to disclose what he was doing in that regard. If it had been important to James and Henry to ensure that Jason did not set up another business in competition with that conducted by PWI Group, then it is likely that they would have raised the matter with him during one of these meetings. James and Henry did not suggest in any of their affidavits that it was raised, nor do the contemporaneous emails refer to it. It did not form part of their bargain.

5. [186]

   A most interesting question is why James and Henry, so far as I can tell, did not disclose the draft financial statements to which he was entitled as a director of PWI Group and a unitholder of the trust and where it was envisaged that he would have continuing visibility of these accounts under the separation agreement as then being discussed.

Terms of separation agreement

1. [187]

   For there to be a binding agreement, Jason, James and Henry must have agreed on all essential terms. In Mushroom Composters Pty Limited v IS & DE Robertson Pty Limited [2015] NSWCA 1, Sackville AJA (with whom Macfarlan and Gleeson JJA agreed) explained the content of this requirement at [62]:

2. [188]

   In Feldman v GNM Australia Limited [2017] NSWCA 107, the defendants relied on Beazley P’s statement (with whom McColl and Macfarlan JJA agreed) at [61]:

3. [189]

   Having regard to the oral and documentary evidence, it is readily apparent that Jason, James and Henry had reached agreement to buy out Jason’s interest in the joint venture by the conclusion of the third meeting. The terms of that agreement were:

4. [190]

   I have had more difficulty ascertaining whether there was agreement in respect of the continuing use of business names and what that agreement was. James and Henry were proposing to buy out Jason’s interest and continue the joint venture. An important matter to the continuation of the joint venture was continuity of the names or brands. Jason wanted to have the names associated with Prospect Wealth Investment and PWI ‘back’ but James and Henry were, understandably, not prepared to lose the right to use the trading names associated with the joint venture. It appears to me that Jason reluctantly accepted, but did ultimately accept, the deal without the right to retain the name “PWI”. I say this having regard to three matters: Jason’s message to Yizhu recognised that he might not get the right to use the name “PWI” and might need to trade as Dentown; Jason did not suggest otherwise in a contemporaneous document until a draft deed sent on 11 March 2016 when Jason sought to re-agitate the issue at a time when James and Henry had not made the first payment; and, because the whole tenor of the negotiations was one of ‘take it or leave it’. In the end, I consider it most likely that Jason took what was on offer, including because there was no practical alternative by either continuing in the joint venture or being bought out by someone else.

5. [191]

   Through a series of meetings and email communications, Jason, James and Henry reached agreement on matters of central importance: when the buyout would be taken to have occurred; the price; the method of payment; the time for payment; the right to occupy the business premises; payment of other existing obligations (business and personal loans); payment of future, contingent obligations (commissions) and the method of calculation of those contingent obligations; and the right to use the business names. These were the essential terms and all were agreed. Whilst Henry and Jason both referred in their emails to an agreement being signed, I consider that the arrangements again fell within the first class in Masters v Cameron: there was a binding agreement which might later be formalised in a document.

6. [192]

   The defendants submit that any separation agreement would have had to have, as an essential term, an implied duty to cooperate and an implied term not to derogate from a grant. Assuming that to be so, the defendants submitted that this obliged Jason to leave Charlie and Jimmy and their sales teams alone. I do not accept this submission. A term sought to be implied must not contradict the express terms of a contract: Sanders v Snell (1998) 196 CLR 329; [1998] HCA 64. An implied term must not deal with a matter already sufficiently dealt with by the contract: John Alexander’s Clubs Pty Limited v White City Tennis Club Limited (2010) 241 CLR 1 at 36; [2010] HCA 19. By referring to their discussions on this subject as “a gentlemen’s agreement”, Jason, James and Henry acknowledged that there was no binding agreement in respect of Charlie and Jimmy. The consequence of the implied terms contended for by the defendants would be to upgrade a “gentlemen’s agreement” to a term of the agreement.

7. [193]

   The defendants say that there can be no binding separation agreement as Prospect Wealth Investment was a necessary party to it. However, Prospect Wealth Investment was no longer the joint venture corporate vehicle. Prospect Wealth Investment had continuing relevance to the joint venture as sub-lessee of the business premises, but had already granted a licence to PWI Group to occupy the premises. The separation agreement did not propose any change to PWI Group’s right to do so. Thus, it is difficult to understand why Prospect Wealth Investment had to be a party to the separation agreement but, if it did, its sole director, Jason, was present at all discussions and may be taken to have approved the terms of the separation agreement on behalf of Prospect Wealth Investment, if such approval was necessary.

8. [194]

   On 24 February 2016, Jason forwarded his wife, Michelle, an enrolment form for Certificate IV Property Services (Real Estate) for her to complete. He signed a leasing proposal for premises in Pitt Street, Sydney. On 25 February 2016, Dentown obtained a real estate licence and Jason opened a Dentown trust account. On 25 February 2016, Henry made an interest payment to Jason in respect of the home loan, being the last payment made. On 27 February 2016, the logo which had been designed for Dentown was added to its website, together with other content.

9. [195]

   On 29 February 2016, the plaintiffs say that the joint venture between the parties came to an end under a separation agreement. I think the more accurate description is that the joint venture continued but Jason ceased to be a participant as he had been bought out on the terms of the separation agreement.

Jason ceases to be a director of PWI Group

1. [196]

   Under the separation agreement, Jason ceased to be a director of PWI Group on 29 February 2016, but the defendants deny this result as contrary to the Corporations Act and the constitution of PWI Group. Section 203A of the Corporations Act provides that a director may resign by giving written notice of resignation to the company at its registered office. PWI Group’s constitution provided that, in addition to the circumstances in which the office of a director becomes vacant by virtue of the Corporations Act, the office of the director becomes vacant if the director resigns from office by notice in writing to the company. It would appear, therefore, that the effect of PWI Group’s constitution was that it was not necessary to provide written notice to the company at its registered office, but simply that the notice be in writing. PWI Group’s constitution does not suggest that this is the only way that a director may resign.

2. [197]

   The plaintiffs relied on Austin, Ford and Ramsay, Company Directors, Principles of Law and Corporate Governance (LexisNexis, looseleaf) at [2.53]:

3. [198]

   The defendants relied on Brereton J’s judgment in In the matter of Ji Woo International Education Centre Pty Limited [2016] NSWSC 1060, where the director did not resign in accordance with the requirements of the company’s constitution, although I note at [65]: (emphasis added)

4. [199]

   Here, it was suggested that there was another basis for contending that Jason had vacated the office of director. Jason was asked by James and Henry to resign as a director, to take effect on 29 February 2016, and Jason agreed to do so as a term of the separation agreement. The fact that Jason did not avail himself of the ability to notify ASIC of his resignation — which is optional but not compulsory — does not change the position that, under the separation agreement, Jason ceased to be a director of PWI Group on that date.

5. [200]

   On 1 March 2016, Jason sent a WeChat message advising that the account balance for PWI Group as at 1 March 2016 was $445,223.82. This is consistent with a reminder from Jason that the first payment of $300,000 was due and there were sufficient funds in the bank account to pay it. The first payment was not made.

Dentown starts business

1. [201]

   Jason says that Dentown did not commence trading until March 2016, as he considered that he was still in partnership with James and Henry until 29 February 2016. That appears to be the case. On 2 March 2016, a 1300 number, WeChat account and office address were added to Dentown’s website. The defendants accept that the first sales agency agreement which Dentown entered into was on 2 March 2016: defendants’ submissions at [1477(b)]. The defendants do not suggest that Dentown sold any apartments before March 2016, but point to the first sale as being on 18 March 2016.

2. [202]

   At Jason’s request, Yizhu began a spreadsheet for Dentown to record apartment sales. Dentown subscribed to realestate.com.au. According to Yizhu, Jason provided her with a spreadsheet of PWI Group sales, including amounts yet to be paid, and asked her to check it, which she did. This task appears to have been directed to ascertaining the commission to be paid by James and Henry on joint venture sales to 29 February 2016. The amounts of unpaid commission were large, as I understand the document, being between some $2.4 million and $3.7 million. On 3 March 2016, Jason arranged to meet James and Henry to check the commissions payable to him. Jason brought Yizhu to the meeting, introducing her as his accountant. James and Henry objected to her presence and the meeting did not proceed.

3. [203]

   On 8 March 2016, Dentown’s website was complete, according to Yizhu. On 9 March 2016, Henry sent a WeChat message to Jason, “We will conduct internal reconciliation of accounts in office at 7.30 pm tomorrow night (Thursday)”. Again, this is consistent with an agreement to part ways on the terms already found.

Tempers fray

1. [204]

   On 10 March 2016, Yizhu emailed Jason her reconciliation of the PWI Group spreadsheet as checked by her. Jason, James and Henry met that evening. Jason and Henry began working through the spreadsheet. According to Jason, about half way through the meeting, James said “You need to move your stuff out of the office now. Per our agreement you cease to be a part of the business from the end of last month”. Jason protested, as the first payment due on 29 February 2016 had not been paid. James said it would be paid by 15 March 2016 at the latest and, “If you stay you will need to pay rent”. James asked for a written summary of their oral agreement and Jason said, “But we’ve already agreed on this split last month. I mean I am here tonight basically to move out!”. Jason agreed to put the agreement in writing. Henry and James went and got some empty boxes and asked Jason to pack up. Jason packed up most of his items but there were not enough boxes. James and Henry piled the boxes into an empty room and Jason left.

2. [205]

   Jason said that James forced him out of the office on that occasion. James considered that Jason was packing up and leaving “to show that he was to leave the company so as to force us to pay him”. Jason agreed he may have told James and Henry that he had decided to move out because “I just want to — don’t want to lose face, I’ve been executive from PWI”. Jason obviously felt strongly about the meetings which took place in February 2016 and was emotional when asked about the events of 10 March 2016. Jason appeared angry about effectively being kicked out of his own business and referred to a “loss of face”. It appeared to me that the key discussions were heated and angry. The witnesses’ recall of what was discussed at these meetings seems likely to have been affected, on both sides, by these emotions, and also by trying to put their behaviour in the most favourable light.

Legal advice

1. [206]

   On 11 March 2016, Jason sent James and Henry a draft “Deed of Settlement and Release” which had been prepared by Juris Cor Legal. Clause 3, “Settlement”, provided:

2. [207]

   In mid-March 2016, Jason told Michelle that Henry and James had not performed their promises in relation to his separation from PWI and had threatened to cut him off from PWI without giving him anything back. “Although I have left PWI now, I understand that I shouldn’t be Dentown’s director whilst the dispute with Henry and James continues and I may still be thought of as a director of PWI”. He asked Michelle to consider acting as Dentown’s director whilst he would manage Dentown’s operations and business. Michelle agreed. On 15 March 2016, Michelle became director and secretary of Dentown, although she did not act in this role in a full-time capacity until after the school holidays were over. On 11 April 2016, Michelle began working fulltime as a director of Dentown and Yizhu exited the business.

3. [208]

   On 13 March 2016, Jason sent a WeChat message to James and Henry that he would go to the office that evening to take things away. Jason arrived but found no one there and he did not have a key to enter. James said that he waited for Jason for a long time but he didn’t come.

4. [209]

   On 15 March 2016, being the day by which James said he would pay Jason “at the latest”, James and Henry obtained legal advice in respect of the draft Deed of Settlement and Release.

5. [210]

   On 15 March 2016, Jason was also seeing a solicitor. Jason sent Yizhu a WeChat message that he was in solicitor’s office “taking Jimmy and Charlie talking about the case”. According to Charlie and Jimmy, they were not being paid commissions by James, and Jason took them to a solicitor’s office to discuss it. According to Charlie, the commissions have still not been paid. Indeed, James said that sales people were told when they started working for PWI Group, “there’s a so-called red line” that, if they left the company after having sold an apartment, they were not entitled to the 50% commission that was paid on settlement of the sale.

6. [211]

   Charlie said that Dentown was not mentioned at this meeting, whilst Jimmy could not recall. I expect it was discussed, although was likely not the central focus of the meeting. The solicitor had already prepared the draft Deed of Settlement and Release for Jason and was thus presumably already informed as to the separation agreement. The relevance of this meeting, as I understand it, is that it points to Jason, by this time, as being advanced in his efforts to persuade Charlie and Jimmy to work for Dentown, contrary to the “gentlemen’s agreement”. I think it is likely that Jason was taking Charlie and Jimmy to see his solicitor as a favour but also to enhance his relationship with them and perhaps thereby persuade them to work for him. The “gentlemen’s agreement”, however, was not a term of the separation agreement.

7. [212]

   Later that evening, Jason sent a voice message to Henry and James which has been translated and transcribed as follows:

8. [213]

   On 17 March 2016, Henry sent an email to Jason and James: (emphasis added)

The problem with Gondon Macquarie

1. [214]

   On about 18 March 2016, a solicitor sent Henry an email attaching the front page of the contract of sale for apartment B1.11 at Gondon Macquarie, which listed Dentown as the vendor’s agent. At 12.11 pm, the solicitor recalled the email. Henry showed it to James.

2. [215]

   One must backtrack slightly at this point. On 24 February 2016, Henry had sent a text to the person with whom he was dealing at Gondon Five about the availability of 3 apartments, including B1.11: all were confirmed as being available for sale. On 11 March 2016, Henry checked the availability of apartments at Gondon Five with Ms Cui, but was told it was “sold out”. Henry protested to Ms Cui that he had already received a deposit for apartment B1.11. Now, it was apparent that the apartment had been sold by Jason.

3. [216]

   Although this occurred in March 2016, after Jason had ceased to be a participant in the joint venture at the request of James and Henry, the view appears to have been taken by James and Henry that Jason was not entitled to compete with PWI Group by selling apartments in developments in which PWI Group was involved. There is no evidence that PWI Group had exclusive rights to sell B1.11: such a right was not conferred by the four agency agreements with Gondon Five which are in evidence. On the cessation of Jason’s participation in the joint venture and Jason’s cessation as a director of PWI Group — both of which occurred, it will be recalled, at the instigation of James and Henry — Jason owed no fiduciary duties to PWI Group nor any contractual obligations to his joint venturers apart from his ongoing obligation under section 183 and its equivalent in equity. Nor can it be said that Jason became aware of the opportunity to sell apartments at Gondon Five by reason of his directorship of PWI Group in circumstances where, it would appear, the right to sell apartments in developments such as Gondon Five was conferred by the developers on a number of agents and often on a non-exclusive basis.

4. [217]

   But worse still, Charlie was the salesperson who sold apartment B1.11 for Dentown. Charlie said:

5. [218]

   The combination of Dentown selling apartment B.11 using Charlie as salesperson appears to have proved too much for James and Henry.

Silence

1. [219]

   At 3.10 pm on 18 March 2016, Jason responded to Henry’s email of the previous day via WeChat as follows:

2. [220]

   At 4.40 pm on 18 March 2016, Jason emailed Henry and James again:

3. [221]

   On 21 March 2016, Jason sent a third message to James and Henry via WeChat:

4. [222]

   True to his word, Jason attended a PWI Group sales meeting at 7.00 pm that evening, unannounced. According to James, Jason came back “and made a nuisance”. According to Jason and confirmed by Jaycy and Jimmy, Jason told everyone, “I wish to advise you all that I have ceased co-operation with Henry and James since 1 March 2016”. James objected to this announcement and Jason said, “I just don’t want everyone to be misled”. James yelled, “This meeting has ended and all of you may leave now!” Jason added, “I wish to inform you that I am the licensee in charge. I may have to withdraw the corporate licence”. Jason agreed that he suggested that he might not relinquish his position as the licensee in charge of PWI Group in order to encourage James and Henry to pay him the monies which they had agreed to pay. James told Jason, “Don’t threaten me. You cannot come and take my sales team”. Jason asked Jaycy and Jimmy, “Did I ask you guys to come with me?” and they said, “No”.

5. [223]

   What is apparent from Jason’s statements to the sales meeting at PWI Group on 21 March 2016 is that he confirmed that his participation in the joint venture had ended on 29 February 2016. It was the case that Jason remained the licensee of PWI Group’s real estate licence and, in circumstances where James and Henry had not upheld their end of the bargain by making a distribution of $300,000 to him by 29 February 2016 or the extended date of 15 March 2016 and had not communicated with him at all since 17 March 2016 notwithstanding three communications from him, nor made any significant effort to work out the commissions which would be coming to him in due course for sales effected by 29 February 2016, it is unsurprising that Jason was concerned that he had physically left PWI Group’s offices but had not been paid.

James and Henry get on with it

1. [224]

   On 21 March 2016, a WeChat account was established for Ju’Li Asia. The WeChat account number is PWI8888. The profile picture on the WeChat account is that of PWI Group.

2. [225]

   On 24 March 2016, Hicksons Lawyers sent an email to Jason advising that they acted for James and Henry in their capacity as directors and members of PWI Group and attached a notice of general meeting. The notice, signed by James and Henry, was for a meeting to be held at Hicksons Lawyers at 5.00 pm on 22 April 2016 for the purpose of removing Jason as a director of PWI Group given the circumstances set out in the notice:

3. [226]

   On 25 March 2016, Jaycy left PWI Group. Jaycy went to work for Auschain Investment Group of her own accord: “At no time did Jason approach me to induce or cause me to join his own company Dentown”.

4. [227]

   On 29 March 2016, James sent a WeChat message to Jason asked whether they were free to have a catch-up the next day. They agreed to meet on the evening of 30 March 2016.

5. [228]

   On 30 March 2016, Cabot Square emailed Jason, James and Henry, congratulating James and Henry on the registration of J&L Global Holding Pty Limited as a trustee company for a unit trust. The directors of J&L Global Holding were James and Henry’s wives. The shareholders were DRT Group (63 shares) and NYL Partners (37 shares). James and Henry were setting up a new structure to use aside from the joint venture.

6. [229]

   On 30 March 2016 at about 9.00 pm, Jason, James and Henry met. Jason said he had held up his part of the deal by moving out of the office but they had not held up their end. According to Jason, James said,

7. [230]

   James said that 30 March 2016 was Jason’s last time in the office, and, “I gave him my official warning”. It is entirely unclear to me why James thought he had authority to give a fellow director an “official warning”, but I also do not accept his evidence that he did so in the circumstances as they had unfolded by that point in time. James said he told Jason to leave their sales team alone and stop telling people outside the company what had happened as it was damaging their reputation. Jason says he told James and Henry that he was only prepared to transfer the real estate licence if they carried out their promises to pay him under the separation agreement.

8. [231]

   On 31 March 2016, Jason sent a further WeChat message to James and Henry noting it was the last time that he would communicate with them as they had retained a lawyer but he wished to make one last attempt to resolve the matter privately before finding a lawyer himself. He expressed concern about engaging in litigation noting, “The way that we did many things was not really in accordance with the standards”. Jason noted that legal opinion may differ on each side of the dispute and, once he signed a costs agreement with his solicitor that afternoon, there was really no turning back. He repeated his request:

9. [232]

   Shortly afterwards, on 31 March 2016, Henry completed a form to become the licensee in charge of PWI Group. Henry explained in his cover email to NSW Fair Trading:

Charlie and Jimmy move to Dentown

1. [233]

   Sustained complaint was made that Jason persuaded Charlie and Jimmy to leave PWI Group and come to Dentown. The basis for this complaint was not clear to me in circumstances where Charlie and Jimmy were not employees of PWI Group and thus not bound to stay. There was nothing to support James and Henry’s contention that Charlie and Jimmy could work for PWI Group and no-one else. So far as I could tell, the industry in which these men worked did not operate that way, Jimmy and Charlie did not see themselves as so confined and there is no document recording any restraint on them working for whomever they wanted. James agreed that Charlie and Jimmy did not have a written contract with PWI Group and were not employees of PWI Group, but James still considered that they could only sell exclusively for that company. Nor was there any binding agreement preventing Jason from persuading them to work for Dentown. A “gentlemen’s agreement” is, self-evidently, not legally binding.

2. [234]

   It is also clear that Charlie and Jimmy were unhappy with how they had been treated by James and Henry, in particular, in respect of obtaining 457 visas for them. Charlie said that when PWI Group was established, there were discussions about PWI Group sponsoring him for a 457 visa “but actually there was no further step”. Charlie was clearly disappointed by this. Jimmy gave similar evidence. Jason agreed that Jimmy and Charlie told him “a lot of times” that they hadn’t been treated well by James at PWI Group and although he heard James mention applying for 457 visas a lot, Jimmy and Charlie were not satisfied that anything was actually happening “because James promised them a lot of things, but nothing happened”.

3. [235]

   James agreed that he used the 457 visa to try to keep Jimmy and Charlie working for him. On 2 December 2015, Charlie emailed documents to James in support of an application for a working visa, which may suggest that Charlie was not thinking about leaving PWI Group at the time. But Charlie explained that he had asked the solicitor “so many times, but I haven’t heard anything, so I am quite disappointed” and he was thinking of leaving PWI Group. “I was very disappointed, I nearly wanted to just give up. … I didn’t put it with so much hope.” Charlie said he didn’t come into the office after 2 December 2015 as he was thinking about leaving and didn’t do any sales work for PWI Group after that. James professed himself to be “astonished” by Charlie and Jimmy’s evidence that they were unhappy with what he did in the company and then, ironically, said “their testimony or evidence was amazingly identical”.

4. [236]

   PWI Group didn’t lodge Charlie’s 457 visa application until 23 February 2016 and, for Jimmy, until 26 February 2016. Charlie and Jimmy were unaware that this had been done. I think it was a case of ‘too little, too late’, and of James and Henry seeking, belatedly, to secure key staff.

5. [237]

   According to Yizhu, in mid-February or at the end of February, or early March 2016, Jason called Jimmy and Charlie and sought to persuade them to work for Dentown by offering a better commission, suggesting that he had better relationships with developers and saying that he would get them a 457 visa. According to Yizhu, Jason said that James wasn’t a very good person and that James was treating Jimmy and Charlie badly. Jimmy agreed that he had a number of discussions with Jason before joining Dentown.

6. [238]

   Yizhu was unclear about the exact date when these calls were made and I will defer to Charlie and Jimmy’s evidence on this matter as they were able to pinpoint the date with specificity by reason of their departures to, and return from, trips to China. On 26 February 2016, Charlie returned from China and sent a WeChat messages to his referrers that he was back, saying “We will have some changes soon, everyone wait for my news”. Charlie said the “news” related to Goldland Investment Group, the company that he had set up with his wife and colleagues. Charlie said that, at the time of the message to his referrers, he hadn’t decided whether to go with Goldland Investment Group, or Dentown, or both.

7. [239]

   On 3 April 2016, Yizhu sent Jimmy information in respect of various developments in Brisbane. Jimmy was then in China. On 5 April 2016, Yizhu sent Jason a list of people who had been found to perform various sales and reception jobs at Dentown, together with an organisational chart which included Charlie and Jimmy as sales managers. On 11 April 2016, Jimmy returned from a trip to China.

8. [240]

   In around April 2016, Michelle deposed that she attended a dinner with Jason, Charlie and Jimmy. Michelle understood from the dinner that Charlie had started working as a sales manager for Dentown in late March 2016 and that Jimmy would start working for Dentown in early April 2016. I find Charlie and Jimmy’s affidavits, to the extent that they suggested that Jason needed to speak to Michelle before hiring them, to be unlikely. Beyond Jason mentioning Charlie and Jimmy’s names to her, Michelle said that Jason did not tell her much about them coming to Dentown.

9. [241]

   On 1 June 2016, Dentown entered into employment contracts with Jimmy and Charlie for four years’ fulltime employment, commencing two weeks after the approval of a 457 visa. Charlie referred to the lack of security in working for PWI Group without a contract and, “when I joined Dentown I told Jason that I really want to have a contract”.

10. [242]

    I do not know precisely when Charlie and Jimmy started working for Dentown, save to say that there is no evidence that they did so before 1 March 2016. It was not a term of the separation agreement that Charlie and Jimmy stay with PWI Group, nor were they bound to by reason of any employment contract. Jason did not breach the separation agreement by persuading them to come to work for him, and they were keen to do so by reason of their long-standing dissatisfaction with James and Henry in relation to 457 visas and, in Jimmy’s case, a demotion.

Jason takes furniture

1. [243]

   On 3 April 2016, Jason sent a WeChat message to James and Henry advising that he had moved out over the weekend, including his old Prospect Wealth Investment desks, chairs and computers “we promised at that time”. Jason says that James and Henry agreed to him taking these items, and he did not move anything from their own offices. He removed two televisions which had come from Prospect Wealth Investment’s old office and which he had paid for, had not been transferred to PWI Group and for which he had not been reimbursed. The same was said to be the case in respect of a computer taken from the meeting room, furniture and the Zip instant filter water tap which he apparently tried to remove. Apparently, Henry and James had not agreed to Jason removing the furniture. A member of staff sent Henry an email the following morning setting out the missing furniture. I agree that the removal of furniture did not form part of the separation agreement and was, more likely, an act of anger by Jason in the circumstances as they were unfolding.

2. [244]

   In respect of the suggestion that Jason thereby took confidential information from PWI Group, Jason deposed that the six computers used by PWI Group had the same user and logon name and shared the same password, were accessible by anyone in the office and the information on the computers could be accessed by any person who worked for PWI Group. The computers which Jason took with him did not contain any contact history with clients or leads or contact details for introducers or other connections. According to Jason, forms and materials created by PWI Group for sales and marketing strategies were never said to be confidential or treated as confidential by anyone during his time at PWI Group but were freely sent to potential purchasers and vendors without restriction on use or publication. PWI Group training, sales and marketing strategy materials and forms were able to be downloaded from a Dropbox during Jason’s time with PWI Group. Whilst Henry prepared and presented, from time to time, the lists of names and contact details of PWI Group’s clients and leads on his laptop, these lists were not kept on the office computers. PWI Group’s training materials were kept on the computer of PWI Group’s human resources manager, Vivian Xi, and Jason did not take her computer.

3. [245]

   Beyond the defendants asserting that this material was confidential, I was not taken to any documents to support the assertion, and the assertion fails. Nor was there any evidence of the value of the furniture and equipment taken by Jason.

Continuing breach of section 183 by Jason

1. [246]

   On 14 March 2016, Jason forwarded an inquiry on domain.com.au for a property at Lane Cove from his PWI Group email to his Dentown email address. Likewise, he sent Yizhu an email from a developer in respect of a project and asked her to set up a new folder in the Dentown Dropbox for the project and “get more info from the old Dropbox”. Jason said this was a misunderstanding as he was referring to the old Prospect Wealth Investment Dropbox, although this seems an unlikely explanation. Jason forwarded Yizhu an agency agreement to print, sign and send to Colliers International “using my email address” and forwarded two emails from developers and asked her to download the material into Dropbox. On 19 March 2016, Yizhu and Jason advised him that all of the contacts on emails in his email inbox had been saved to his address book. On 31 March 2016, Jason forwarded an email from PWI Group to Dentown forwarding an inquiry received on domain.com.au for a property in Lane Cove.

2. [247]

   On 5 April 2016, Jason suggested that Yizhu look for information about a real estate project at Westmead in his PWI Group email. On 14 April 2016, Sothebys emailed Jason at PWI Group about a development and Jason expressed interest but provided his new Dentown email address advising “we are under-gone a re-branding of our company”. On 15 April 2016, Jason sent two emails from his PWI Group email to a Dentown employee attaching a Meriton price list and a Dropbox link for another project.

3. [248]

   Although Jason no longer had physical access to PWI Group’s offices, it appears that he continued to access documents and information of PWI Group electronically, apparently in an effort to gain business and sales for Dentown. Note 1 to section 183(1) of the Corporations Act makes plain that a director’s duty not to improperly use information obtained whilst a director to gain advantage for themselves “continues after the person stops being an officer … of the corporation”. This Note forms part of the Corporations Act and has the same status as the provisions of the Act: section 13, Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth); Pearce and Geddes, Statutory Interpretation in Australia, (8th ed, LexisNexis 2014) at [4.47], [4.57]. Jason breached this duty but there is no evidence that he derived any profit for which he should account to PWI Group, nor any evidence that PWI Group suffered any loss.

4. [249]

   The court may relieve a director from liability for breach of duty if it appears that the director has acted honestly and, having regard to all the circumstances of the case, ought fairly to be excused: section 1318, Corporations Act. The plaintiffs submit that Jason should be excused, citing French J’s remarks in Re Wave Capital Limited (2003) 47 ACSR 418; [2003] FCA 969 at [29], where his Honour noted that the section reflects a broad legislative policy that the law should not inflict unnecessary liability where non-compliance is the product of honest error or inadvertence and where the court can avoid its effects without prejudice to third parties or to the public interest in compliance with the law.

5. [250]

   I do not think it can be said that Jason’s continuing access to PWI Group’s electronic resources from 1 March 2016 on can be fairly characterised as the product of honest error or inadvertence. It was understandable in circumstances where Jason was physically excluded from PWI Group’s offices and had yet to be paid for his interest in the joint venture. But it is not necessary to determine the point as there is no evidence that PWI Group suffered any loss as a consequence of any breach of director’s duties, nor that Jason or Dentown enjoyed any profit: see section 1317H(1), (2) of the Corporations Act. Thus I do not need to consider this point further.

Repudiation of the separation agreement?

1. [251]

   The defendants submit that, if there was a separation agreement, it was repudiated by Jason and that repudiation has been accepted. In Koompahtoo Local Aboriginal Land Council v Sanpine Pty Limited; (2007) 233 CLR 115; [2007] HCA 61, the plurality described what is meant by “repudiation” at [44]:

2. [252]

   The repudiatory conduct is said to have comprised Jason’s approaches to Jimmy and Charlie, removing furniture, accessing PWI Group’s records electronically for a period of time and copying PWI Group’s website. As to the latter, Jason says that Dentown’s website was created through a commonly available third-party template and with reference to the existing website of PWI Group. The background photographs on the home page of Dentown and PWI Group’s website appear to be identical but, apart from that, the websites are different and Dentown’s name, contact details, distinctive logo and different Chinese name are clearly displayed throughout. However, the telephone and facsimile numbers of PWI Group are shown at the bottom of the home page, which suggests a degree of copying, although this error would probably have benefitted PWI Group by receiving calls intended for Dentown. Henry complains that some of the properties on Dentown’s website were the subject of agency agreements held by PWI Group and Jason says that the listing of “previous projects” on Dentown’s website merely indicated projects with which Dentown personnel had been involved. In the absence of seeing the agency agreements, I am not prepared to conclude that Dentown was breaching any PWI Group agency agreement by listing the properties on its website.

3. [253]

   Returning to the posited repudiatory conduct, it was not a term of the separation agreement that Jason not approach Jimmy and Charlie. That was part of a “gentlemen’s agreement”. If Jason sought to persuade Jimmy and Charlie to come and work for Dentown, then it was not a breach of the separation agreement and did not amount to repudiatory conduct.

4. [254]

   Removing furniture was an act of anger in circumstances where James and Henry had failed to make the first payment under the separation agreement. It could not be characterised as “unwillingness or an inability to render substantial performance of the contract”. Jason had already performed everything that he could under the separation agreement. His actions reflected his frustration at James and Henry’s refusal to do likewise.

5. [255]

   As to accessing PWI Group’s records electronically and copying PWI Group’s website, James and Henry did not become aware of this until they read Yizhu’s affidavit of February 2018, some two years later. Jason’s repudiatory conduct was accepted, it was submitted, by James and Henry refusing to pay Jason or respond to the draft Deed of Settlement and Release, but in circumstances where the asserted acceptance of Jason’s repudiation occurred before they knew of the repudiatory conduct, this submission is devoid of logic and legal support.

6. [256]

   Further, and alternatively, the defendants contended that they continued in the joint venture with Jason and did not abandon it. This submission does not have any ready application to the facts as I have found them to be.

Proceedings commenced

1. [257]

   On 13 April 2016, Jason’s solicitor found a website of Ju’Li Asia, which used the same logo as PWI Group. The Australian address of the company was Level 26, 66 Goulburn Street, Sydney NSW 2000, whilst PWI Group was on Level 25 of the same building. The website of Ju’Li Asia advertised properties similar to those of PWI Group including Gondon Macquarie at North Ryde. Jason’s solicitor called the mobile telephone number of the Sydney headquarters of Ju’Li Asia on 13 April 2016. James answered the phone. The solicitor asked, “Is it PWI?” and James replied “Yes”. James explained that he uses this phone in Australia for PWI Group business and he assumed that Mr Li used his telephone number to register the Chinese company.

2. [258]

   On 15 April 2016, Jason’s solicitor entered the Chinese characters “Ju’Li” into the search bar for a popular Chinese employment website and found that Ju’Li Asia was hiring Australian real estate salespersons. On clicking a link on the name Ju’Li Asia, Jason’s solicitor was taken to a web page for the company. The company’s web address was www.PWI100.com. On 15 April 2016, Jason’s solicitor again tried to visit the Ju’Li Asia website but it could no longer be reached.

3. [259]

   On 19 April 2016, these proceedings were commenced ex parte by an application to the Duty Judge. A freezing order was made in respect of the assets of PWI Group.

4. [260]

   On 26 April 2016, Jason sent a WeChat message to James and Henry seeking their co-operation in handing over work smoothly in respect of sales and clients notwithstanding the litigation. Jason complained that Henry had not provided “the lawyer’s contract page of my own, the contract for the apartment I bought in Gondon Macquarie, I still haven’t received yet. … A person cannot be narrow-minded like this”. Jason and Michelle had, in March 2016, paid deposits on three apartments in Gondon Macquarie as part of a loan to Ms Cui, a director of Gondon Five. It would appear that James and Henry treated these purchases as a breach of an obligation or restraint, perhaps the supposed continuing “Non-Separate/Non-Compete” term.

5. [261]

   At this time, Henry compared PWI Group’s website with that of Dentown and noted various similarities. On 28 April 2016, Henry changed the password to the PWI Group email and Dropbox to prevent Jason and former sales personnel having access to it. This prevented Jason from further breaching his continuing obligation under section 183 of the Corporations Act.

Joint venture with Ju’Li Asia and expansion to Brisbane

1. [262]

   On 10 May 2016, James and Henry, as directors of PWI Group, signed a joint venture agreement with Ju’Li Asia. James and Henry obviously did not consider that they needed to consult Jason before doing so and this is consistent with an understanding by all concerned that Jason was no longer a participant in the joint venture. PWI Group agreed to pay Ju’Li Asia $10,000 a month towards its operating expenses.

2. [263]

   On 20 August 2016, Jason, James and Henry met and, regrettably, came to blows. Jason’s access to PWI Group’s bank account ceased and thus his ability to monitor the payment of commissions to which he was entitled. By October 2016, Jason’s relationship with Yizhu appears to have also come to an end. The relationship ended badly.

3. [264]

   In late 2016, James and Henry decided to open an office in Brisbane. A bank guarantee of some $32,000 was required to secure the lease of premises. In November 2016, $32,245 was transferred from PWI Group’s bank account for this purpose. Making decisions to expand the company’s operations in this manner is consistent with an appreciation by James and Henry that Jason was no longer part of the joint venture. He was not a party to any of the communications with the bank in relation to the guarantee. On 17 November 2016, James and Henry signed a two-year lease for the Brisbane premises on behalf of PWI Group.

Tidying up finances

1. [265]

   On 28 November 2016, DRT Group issued an invoice to Gondon Five for commission on the sale of unit B405 for $41,184. It would appear that James was undertaking sales in the name of his company, DRT Group, rather than PWI Group. On 2 February 2017, DRT Group rendered invoices to Gondon Five for commission in respect of the sale of apartments A206 and C206 in the amounts of $32,076 and $36,700 respectively.

2. [266]

   On 2 March 2017, Henry sent an email to Jason and James entitled “meeting with accountant” arranging to meet with Cabot Square the following day to “deal with the financials which all directors now have from the accountants”. The meeting took place and Jason attended, although only for about 30 minutes. Jason’s attendance at this meeting at all was suggested to be inconsistent with his cessation as a director of PWI Group on 29 February 2016 under the separation agreement. However, the meeting was not called as a “meeting of directors”. It is not clear when the “minutes of directors meeting of PWI Group” exhibited to Henry’s affidavit were prepared or whether these minutes were circulated to Jason. Jason attended no further meetings.

3. [267]

   On 7 March 2017, Henry sent a further email to Jason and James entitled “PWI Group Distribution Meeting Notice” calling a directors’ meeting to finalise the financial statements so that tax returns could be lodged for the Australia No 1 Group Trust for the financial years ended 30 June 2015 and 30 June 2016. On 17 March 2017, a meeting of directors of PWI Group was held. Jason did not attend. The financial statements were approved by James and Henry. In addition to the resolutions approving the financial statements and lodgement of tax returns, the minutes record further resolutions passed of which no notice had been given. James and Henry resolved that the Australia No 1 Group Trust would pay distributions:

4. [268]

   On 7 February 2017, Henry had opened a bank account for PWI Group, called “PWI New Account” to which Jason had no access. On 24 May 2017, the bulk of the balance of PWI Group’s rental trust account, being some $230,000, was withdrawn and a portion comprising some $62,000 or 27% of the amount withdrawn was deposited to an existing PWI Group transaction account. This pattern continued at the end of each month until January 2018. The proportion of the amount withdrawn from the PWI Group’s trust account which was deposited to PWI Group’s transaction account ranged from 27% to 33%. On the face of it, James and Henry have diverted some $598,626 of PWI Group rental income away from PWI Group. The plaintiffs suggest this may be an attempt to divert the rental income of PWI Group away during the period of PWI Group’s rental guarantees, giving rise to a loss under the guarantee to deduct from commissions owing to Jason. I do not know. On any calculation of the commission owing to Jason under the separation agreement, this apparent diversion of rental income should be examined closely if it said that the rental guarantee was engaged for any particular sale.

5. [269]

   On 11 July 2017, Gondon Five made a final commission payment to PWI Group of $915,886 which was deposited into PWI Group’s bank account. On 28 October 2016, Gondon Five had already paid $1 million into PWI Group’s bank account for commissions. On 12 July 2017, Henry sent an email to Cabot Square noting that there were unpaid distributions to Dentown, DRT Group and NYL Partners for the financial year ended 30 June 2016 but said that $38,389 would need to be deducted from the distribution to be paid to Dentown to take into account PWI Group commissions which Dentown had received from Meriton in March and April 2016. Henry asked the accountants to arrange to pay the revised distributions, being $265,596 to DRT Group, $227,137 to Dentown and $83,893 to NYL Partners, and the payments were made the next day. The defendants seek an order that Jason pay the monies received from Meriton to PWI Group but, in circumstances where these commissions have already been taken into account by Henry before making this distribution, it is difficult to see why I would make such an order. But, on any calculation of the commissions owing to Jason under the separation agreement, the payment to Dentown of $227,137 will need to be taken into account.

6. [270]

   Jason accepted that Dentown also received $11,467.50 from Australand in respect of a sale by the joint venture, and this should also be taken into account when calculating what commissions he is owed under the separation agreement. The defendants sought an order that Jason pay these monies to PWI Group but, given the amount of money which Jason is apparently owed for commission, I think it is more appropriate for it to be taken into account when calculating commissions owed to Jason under the separation agreement .

James secures lease of premises

1. [271]

   In November 2016, Henry had emailed the managing agent of 66 Goulburn Street seeking a further lease. It will be recalled that it was in fact a sub-lease entered into by Prospect Wealth Investment rather than PWI Group. In February 2017, the property manager of 66 Goulburn Street followed up Henry about the proposed terms for a new lease of the premises. Henry replied “I will speak to my partner and get back to you”. Reference to a partner singular confirms that, by this point, Jason was not considered by Henry to be part of the joint venture or a director of PWI Group. On 9 May 2017, Henry and James, on behalf of PWI Group, signed a leasing proposal for the premises at 66 Goulburn Street for a further lease of 5 years with an option for a further 5 years. In returning the proposal to the property manager, Henry advised:

2. [272]

   On 26 July 2017, Henry gave instructions to L’Orient Legal that the new lessee of the premises at 66 Goulburn Street would be DRT Group. The solicitors explained this change to the lessor’s solicitor as follows:

3. [273]

   On 28 July 2017, James and his father incorporated Gondon Realty Pty Limited. James was the sole shareholder and his father was the sole officeholder. On 4 August 2017, the name of this company was changed to J&L Realty. On 7 August 2017, L’Orient Legal wrote to the lessor’s solicitor again, asking to change the sub-lessee to J&L Realty:

4. [274]

   On 9 August 2017, Henry sent a notice of meeting of directors to Jason and James. The business to be considered at the meeting on 15 August 2017 was whether PWI Group should execute a new lease for the business premises at 66 Goulburn Street (which may seem odd given that Henry and James had already gone to some lengths to secure a sub-lease of the premises to J&L Realty); to review the lease of premises in Brisbane (being a lease entered into after Jason had left the joint venture); and to review the company’s financial position. No resolutions were proposed.

5. [275]

   On 10 August 2017, the lessor’s solicitor sent a proposed sub-lease of the premises to J&L Realty. The sub-lease was to commence on 18 August 2017. On 15 August 2017, a director’s meeting for PWI Group was held by James and Henry. Jason did not attend. James and Henry resolved that PWI Group would not enter into a new lease of the premises at 66 Goulburn Street. The minutes do not record that Henry or James disclosed the proposed lease of the premises to J&L Realty, a company of which James was the sole shareholder. Henry and James also resolved that PWI Group would terminate some employments and only keep minimal costs on payroll. A similar resolution was passed in relation to the expenses of the Brisbane office. Further, Henry and James resolved to terminate the joint venture partnership with Ju’Li Asia and to not transfer any further funds to the company after September 2017. Henry and James resolved that PWI Group “will continue to fulfil its current obligations such as rental guarantee and future settlements with the minimal costs and the most flexible arrangements”. It can be inferred from these resolutions that PWI Group’s foray into China and Brisbane had not been successful, and PWI Group’s operations in Sydney were being wound down. The defendants agree that from July 2017 PWI Group decided not to continue its business other than to complete sales contracts which had already been entered into and to otherwise wind down the business.

6. [276]

   On 17 August 2017, the property manager for 66 Goulburn Street issued an invoice to J&L Realty for three months’ rent and a security deposit of three months’ rent, totalling $179,017.50. The same day, $20,324.75 was paid from PWI Group’s bank account to the property manager. As to why a portion of the invoice for premises leased to J&L Realty was being paid by PWI Group, James said that PWI Group occupied part of the premises under an oral licence from J&L Realty. This is at odds with the defendants’ points of defence, which pleads as a positive fact that, after entry into the lease by J&L Realty, PWI Group has and may continue to occupy part of the premises under licence from J&L Realty “for which no fee has been or will be charged to, and no payment has been or will be required from, PWI Group”: at [38A(c)(vii)]. It appeared to me to be another example of James saying what he thought would help him, regardless of whether it was true. I do not know what happened to the security deposit of $55,000 which had been paid by Prospect Wealth Investment for its sub-lease. No relief is sought in respect of it and thus I need not consider it further.

7. [277]

   On 6 September 2017, J&L Realty registered the business name “J&L Global”. On 5 May 2016, James and Henry had given an undertaking to the Court in these proceedings not to cause J&L Global Holding to conduct or carry on any business activity until the final hearing of the proceedings or until released from the undertaking by the Court. By J&L Realty adopting the business name “J&L Global”, the plaintiffs submitted that the defendants sought to circumvent the undertaking. That submission appears well-founded.

8. [278]

   On 20 September 2017, James and Henry executed a sub-lease of the premises at 66 Goulburn Street to J&L Realty. They also executed an incentive deed which included a $400,950 incentive. Because of the existing fit-out of the premises by PWI Group, the defendants admitted that J&L Realty was able to take this incentive as a credit against rent rather than use it for fit-out costs. The plaintiffs sought, in the alternative, an account against J&L Realty as having knowingly received the benefits of breaches of fiduciary duty by the defendants. But as I have found that the separation agreement is binding, it is not necessary to do so: the plaintiffs accept that this claim falls away by reason of the orders I will make effecting a transfer of their interest in PWI Group to the defendants.

9. [279]

   On 1 December 2017, J&L Realty obtained a real estate licence. It would appear that the remaining business of PWI Group was transferred to J&L Realty. In March 2018, Jason saw an advertisement for J&L Global as exclusive agent for a development by Gondon Elysee at Epping. River Chu was nominated as the representative. Ms Chu is listed on J&L Global’s website as an employee. By April 2018, the only real estate agent listed on openagent.com.au for PWI Group is Roland The, who is also a member of staff of J&L Global.

10. [280]

    On 5 April 2018, Henry sent a notice of meeting to James and Jason to take place on 13 April 2018, to finalise the financial statement and tax returns for the financial year ended 30 June 2017. Jason asked that the meeting be deferred until after a hearing scheduled on 4 May 2018. The meeting went ahead and, according to the minutes, James and Henry adopted the financial statements and tax return.

11. [281]

    On 8 August 2018, the defendants’ solicitors wrote to the plaintiffs’ solicitors regarding the proposed settlement of a dispute between PWI Group and Metro Property Development, a Queensland developer which had paid some $123,000 in commissions in respect of the sale of properties which did not ultimately settle. Henry had been in negotiations with Metro Property Development since February 2018 and a deed of settlement had been circulating since April 2018. In any event, the defendants now sought Jason’s approval of the proposed settlement. On 15 August 2018, the defendants’ solicitor pressed for a response from Jason’s solicitor noting that he was still a director of PWI Group and thus had duties and responsibilities to the company and further delays would run the risk of proceedings being commenced against PWI Group. On 16 August 2018, Jason’s solicitor replied:

12. [282]

    Since 29 February 2016, Jason has consistently conducted himself as if he ceased to be a joint venturer and a director of PWI Group on that date. Since 29 February 2016, James and Henry have also consistently conducted themselves as if Jason was no longer a director of PWI Group nor a joint venturer, except on occasion where it appeared to suit them to purport to call a meeting of directors including Jason for the purpose of obtaining his endorsement, generally, on financial statements. There is nothing in the period following 29 February 2016 which causes me to depart from my findings in respect of the existence of a separation agreement and its terms. James and Henry’s conduct during this period, however, is consistent with a decision on their part not to perform the separation agreement and, indeed, to pretend that it never happened. They appear to have formed the view at one point that they could get rid of Jason without paying him at all, motivated by misplaced fury about Apartment B1.11. Later, presumably they thought it was in their financial interests to proceed otherwise, perhaps because they didn’t have the funds to pay the amounts owing under the separation agreement including their home loans.

13. [283]

    On 3 August 2018, Jason lodged caveats over James and Henry’s homes, asserting an equitable charge or resulting trust arising from his contribution of monies towards the acquisition of the properties. On 15 October 2018, James and Henry took steps to have the caveats removed from their homes by applying to the Registrar General for lapsing notices pursuant to section 74J of the Real Property Act 1900 (NSW), and their wives were joined to the proceedings as a consequence. At the conclusion of the hearing, on 9 November 2018, I made orders extending the operation of those caveats until further order of the Court.

14. [284]

    The relief sought by the plaintiffs and defendants, as pleaded, was substantially distilled by the conclusion of the trial, and I will only deal in these already long reasons with what was pressed and determinative. I will also address the relief chronologically, that is, in the order in which it arose from events as they unfolded.

Unpaid commissions from Dentown to DRT Group

1. [285]

   Before the joint venture, from time to time James sold apartments for Jason. By the Amended Cross-Summons, DRT Group seeks payment of $104,348.75 in commissions from Prospect Wealth Investment or Dentown in respect of the sale of 10 apartments due to settle in 2015 or 2016. The Amended Statement of Cross-Claim does not plead the terms of the agreement between the parties, but simply asserts that Prospect Wealth Investment or Dentown is liable to pay.

2. [286]

   Although the terms of the agreement were not pleaded, James deposed to a conversation with Jason in December 2012. Jason did not reply to this part of James’ affidavit, perhaps because he was not obliged to so in the absence of a proper pleading. According to James, Jason proposed that he would find projects, negotiate the best commission and provide the details to James to secure sales. Dentown would take 0.5% commission for each sale and DRT Group would take the total commission after deducting the 0.5% retained by Dentown. Dentown would pay DRT Group half of the commission within 28 days of exchange of a contract for sale and the remaining commission within 28 days of settlement regardless of any delay in being paid by the vendor. Apparently, Jason offered to pay regardless of whether Dentown had been paid by reason of their friendship. Apart from this feature of the agreement, James described what would appear to be a rather standard arrangement between an agent and a sales person.

3. [287]

   The documentation tendered to support DRT Group’s entitlement to unpaid commission was scant. From June 2013 to May 2014, DRT Group issued the invoices to (mostly) Dentown on the exchange of contracts for the sale of apartments. The invoices recorded that half of the commission had been paid, and thus the balance was due on settlement of the sale of the apartment. In respect of the first invoice, on 21 June 2013 James emailed four invoices to Jason including in respect of Apartment D602, Australian Tower 3, saying “above 4 not paid to PWI Jason Wang yet”. This indicates that these sales were made for Prospect Wealth Investment rather than Dentown, and also suggests a recognition by James that Prospect Wealth Investment had not been paid and thus was not obliged to pay DRT Group. Subsequent invoices were rendered by DRT Group to Dentown. In terms of the current position in respect of these invoices, the most recent information is contained in Jason’s email of 8 November 2015, which is set out in the following table:

4. [288]

   Jason acknowledged that commissions to DRT Group remained outstanding,

5. [289]

   Michelle maintained a spreadsheet in respect of all of the property transactions in which Dentown was involved. The spreadsheet was first created by Yizhu on 2 March 2016 to record apartment sales for Dentown. In April 2016, Michelle copied over the recent, open sales by Dentown from Yizhu’s spreadsheet into another format and thereafter maintained the record herself. However, none of the apartments to which James refers are in the spreadsheet. I infer that there was no activity in respect of these transactions from 2 March 2016 on.

6. [290]

   I do not accept James’ contention that there was a term of an agreement between DRT Group and Dentown that Jason would pay James the second half of the commission on settlement of the sale of an apartment regardless of whether or when Jason was paid by the developer, for three reasons: it was not pleaded; it is not supported by the limited contemporaneous documents; it depends entirely on James’ evidence of a conversation and I did not find him to be a credible witness. DRT Group’s entitlement to the commission, therefore, depends upon proof that the sale of the apartments completed and, more importantly, proof that Dentown has been paid. The onus of proof was on DRT Group. It appears that the sale of some of the apartments have completed, by reason of admissions to that effect in Jason’s November 2015 or inferences which may be drawn from that email. It would have been simple for James to prove this by tendering title searches for the apartments. As to whether Jason has been paid by the developers, there was no proof of this, and evidence to the contrary. Consequently, this portion of DRT Group’s cross-claim fails.

7. [291]

   The defendants submitted that an order ought to be made for Prospect Wealth Investments and Dentown to provide a full accounting to determine what sales commissions remain outstanding and should be paid to DRT Group in respect of all sales exchanged by DRT Group for Dentown or Prospect Wealth Investment. In circumstances where the Amended Cross-Summons does not seek such an account, and where DRT Group only seeks unpaid commissions in respect of the sale of 10 apartments, I am not prepared to grant relief which is not pleaded nor otherwise warranted.

Dentown’s loans to the business

1. [292]

   It will be recalled that, in February 2014, Dentown and DRT Group each advanced $100,000 to Prospect Wealth Investment, monies which were repaid by PWI Group in July 2015. In addition, Dentown advanced $10,000 to Prospect Wealth Investment in January 2014, described in the bank statement as “PWI contribut Jas”, for initial expenses and by November 2014, had paid expenses of $46,190.44 of which $30,000 was repaid by PWI Group in December 2014.

2. [293]

   The monies advanced by Dentown were recorded in Australia No 1 Group’s financial statements, prepared by Cabot Square, as a loan, more than a year before the parties fells into dispute and were therefore likely properly recorded at the time. The defendants accept Dentown is entitled to be repaid and, as I have found, this was a term of the separation agreement which was not performed.

3. [294]

   Two questions arise. Who should be ordered to pay the loans? The loans are recorded in the accounts of Australia No 1 Group as a loan to the trust, but James and Henry agreed to repay the loans under the separation agreement, in their capacity as participants in a joint venture and either in their individual capacity and / or on behalf of their wholly-owned companies. Accordingly, the order to repay the loans should be made against the second to fifth defendants, being James, DRT Group, Henry and NYL Partners.

4. [295]

   The second question is whether the amount paid to Dentown should include interest on the $26,190 loan, given that the separation agreement did not include a term as to when the loans were to be repaid. Absent an express time stipulation, it is to be implied that the loans were to be repaid within a reasonable time. In the absence of submissions from either party on this issue, I consider that a reasonable time was 31 December 2016, being the time for payment of the second instalment under the separation agreement. The usual rate of pre-judgment interest should apply from the date of breach of the separation agreement, being 31 December 2016: section 100(1) of the Civil Procedure Act, read in conjunction with rule 6.12 of the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) and Practice Note SC Gen 16; Reinhold v New South Wales Lotteries Corporation (No 2) (2008) 83 NSWLR 762; [2008] NSWSC 187 at [83]; Arambasic v Veza (No 5) [2014] NSWSC 1399 at [12]; Wheatley v Kavanagh (2018) 19 BPR 38,691; [2018] NSWSC 1359 at [183].

Home loans and relief against properties

1. [296]

   The loans from Jason to James and Henry are repayable on demand unless the parties agreed by clear words that the loans were not repayable before a certain date or event: Young v Queensland Trustees Ltd (1956) 99 CLR 560 at 566; Ogilvie v Adams [1981] VR 1,041 at 1,043; Haller v Ayre [2005] 2 Qd R 410; [2005] QCA 224 at [26]–[30]; Chidiac v Maatouk [2010] NSWSC 386 at [234]–[239].

2. [297]

   James pleaded various agreements with Jason to the effect that he did not have to repay the loan until, essentially, he was able to do so. Michelle deposed, and was not cross-examined on the subject, that at no time before she was told of James’ defence in these proceedings, was she ever told that there was any agreement or suggestion that James was to repay the money only when he had renovated his home, had it revalued or refinanced or that he only had to pay the interest as or when he was able, or that Jason had agreed that James did not have to repay the loan until Prospect Wealth Investment or Dentown paid commissions owing to DRT Group. Ultimately, James’ various contentions largely evaporated at trial. In the end, James said he was deferring repayment of the loan until a judgment in this case, “Because I don’t know how to do. I don’t have experience. This is my first time here”.

3. [298]

   It does seem to me that Jason, from time to time, asked that James repay the home loan and James gave various reasons why he wasn’t able to and Jason gave him further time to pay. But those accommodations came to an end when the separation agreement was made in February 2016 when Jason agreed to extend the date for repayment of the loan until 30 June 2016. James wholly failed to perform the separation agreement and thus it seems to me that the conditions on which the home loan was extended were not satisfied. James is obliged to repay the loan with interest, being $229,490.41 from 9 April 2015 to date together with the agreed 5% interest per annum (which I note is less than the statutory rate of interest): section 100(3) of the Civil Procedure Act, Degman Pty Ltd (in liq) v Wright [1983] 2 NSWLR 348; Bans Pty Ltd v Ling (1995) 36 NSWLR 435.

4. [299]

   James claims an offset against the home loan for the amounts owing to him in respect of commission. Having failed to prove that these commissions are payable, this fails, but in any event I would not have found that the circumstances necessary to permit an offset exist here, since the debts are not owed between the same parties, and therefore are not “mutual” within the meaning of section 21 of the Civil Procedure Act, and because the debts do not have the necessary connection for a right of set-off to arise in equity: Equititrust Ltd v Franks (2009) 258 ALR 388; [2009] NSWCA 128 at [46]; CSR Investments Pty Ltd v Alcan Northern Territory Alumina Pty Ltd [2003] NSWSC 1137 at [35]; Murphy v Zamonex Pty Ltd (1993) 32 NSWLR 439 at 464–5; Lord v Direct Acceptance Corp Ltd (in liq) (1993) 32 NSWLR 362 at 367 (Court of Appeal); applying Rawson v Samuel (1841) Cr & Ph 154 at 178–9; (1841) 41 ER 451 at 458.

5. [300]

   Likewise, Henry pleaded various agreements with Jason to the effect that he did not have to repay the loan until he was able to do so. Michelle denied having heard the suggestion, or agreeing to lend money to Henry on terms that he would only repay the loan from monies paid to NYL Partners or as much as was reasonably practicable from any distribution from the trust. At trial, Henry did not seriously press these defences. Henry simply said he didn’t have the money to repay the loan. Henry said, “I do appreciate the loan”. However, since the beginning of 2016, Henry said that the company and his personal life had been “really struggling” including the legal costs of the proceedings and he had had to rent out the house. “The reality is I don’t have the money”. Henry said, “After this proceeding I will work even harder and harder to try my best with my best efforts to repay the loan as soon as possible”. Henry is liable to pay Jason $160,000 from 25 February 2016 to date together with the agreed 5% interest per annum.

6. [301]

   The more difficult question is whether Jason also has equitable interests in the properties purchased by James and Henry using the loans. The plaintiffs submit that each of the loans was expressly for the purpose of James and then Henry purchasing their homes. It was reasonable for Jason to assume, and for the Court to infer, that James and Henry were not intended to retain or deal with the title to their homes without complying with their assurances of repayment which procured those loans. It would be unconscionable for James and Henry not to acknowledge an interest of Jason in the titles to their homes by way of an equitable charge to secure repayment of their loans.

7. [302]

   The plaintiffs relied on Tadrous v Tadrous [2012] NSWCA 16. In that case, Mr and Mrs Tadrous advanced $560,000 to a brother over a two year period to enable him to redevelop his property by constructing three townhouses. The monies were paid following oral assurances by the brother that, on completion of the redevelopment, they would get their money back and be able to acquire one of the three townhouses at cost. The evidence pointed to numerous discussions about the brother’s aspirations to develop the townhouses, following which Mr and Mrs Tadrous borrowed money secured by a mortgage over their property. Mr Tadrous and his brother maintained extensive records about the expenditure of the money borrowed by Mr and Mrs Tadrous on the development. The brother contended that the arrangement was founded on trust rather than an enforceable contractual obligation and that there was no sufficient expectation to give rise to an equitable estoppel. The Court of Appeal rejected that argument. Per Meagher JA, with whom Young JA and Handley AJA agreed, at [38]–[39]:

8. [303]

   This, however, is a different situation. There is no doubt that the purpose of the loan was to enable James and then Henry to have sufficient funds to complete the purchase of a home. There is no doubt that James and Henry agreed to repay the loan at specified times and with interest. There was a contract in each case which is binding. It does not seem to me, however, to have been anticipated that James or Henry would secure the loans by an equitable interest in the property. Rather, it was understood by the lenders and borrower that the loan was unsecured. Indeed, Michelle felt uneasy about providing the loan to James “because at no time was I informed of any security or formal legal documentation having been offered by him to ensure he did repay by the end of June 2015, as promised”.

9. [304]

   The plaintiffs relied on New Galaxy Investments Pty Ltd v Thomson (2017) 18 BPR 36,811; [2017] NSWCA 153 in support of the proposition that if it “appears from the whole of the circumstances of the transaction that it was the intention of the parties that the lender have security over the property for his loan”, then the lender, whose loan is used to acquire the property, is subrogated in equity to the vendor’s lien over the titles. However it does not seem to me that the lenders stipulated that they would receive security and so this authority does not appear to me to assist the plaintiffs. As stated in New Galaxy Investments at [118]:

10. [305]

    I accept the defendants’ position that the description by Brereton J in Warden v Mortgage House No 1 Pty Limited (2006) 13 BPR 24,375; [2006] NSWSC 1462 is more apt, at [19]–[20]:

11. [306]

    On this occasion, the informality which characterised the parties’ dealings has the result that I am not satisfied that Jason has an equitable charge in the properties purchased using these loans. It follows that Jason does not have a caveatable interest in the properties and the application for the appointment of a receiver and sale of the properties fails. It also follows that I should make orders discharging the orders I made at hearing extending the operation of the caveats, such that those caveats now lapse: section 74LA of the Real Property Act.

Separation agreement

1. [307]

   The plaintiffs seek orders to enforce the separation agreement, being the payment of the agreed price and to enable the net profit on commissions paid in respect of sales made prior to 29 February 2016 to be calculated and paid. Specific performance of a contract may be ordered where there is a breach of contract and an award of damages at common law will not provide sufficient compensation for the plaintiff, that is, would not put the plaintiff in a situation as beneficial as if the agreement were specifically performed, or as Windeyer J put it in Coulls v Bagot’s Executor & Trustee Co Limited (1967) 119 CLR 460 at 503; [1967] HCA 3: “[W]hen specific relief is given in lieu of damages it is because the remedy, damages, cannot satisfy the demands of justice”.

2. [308]

   Damages are not an adequate remedy in this case as it would require the Court to quantify the monies which Jason would have received under the separation agreement and then deduct the value of his share in PWI Group and Dentown’s units in Australia No 1 Group Trust, which he continues to hold. But since 1 March 2016, James and Henry have continued to conduct the joint venture through PWI Group without reference to him and, over time, have run down the business and, since at least July 2017, transferred what remained of the business to J&L Realty. The value of Jason’s shares in PWI Group and Dentown’s units in Australia No 1 Unit Trust is unknown but the diminution in value of those assets is likely substantial and has been beyond his control. Accordingly, specific performance of the separation agreement is an appropriate remedy.

3. [309]

   I have found the agreed price to be slightly higher than that asserted by the plaintiffs as I have not accepted that it was agreed that the price would be reduced by $30,000 in return for use of the PWI name. Thus, Jason is entitled to be paid $180,000 and $270,000. These payments were due to be paid on 29 February 2016 and 31 December 2016 respectively. There was no agreement that interest would be paid in the event that these payments were not made on the agreed dates, so I will award interest at the usual rates under section 100(1) of the Civil Procedure Act.

4. [310]

   The parties agreed that, in the event that I found a separation agreement which included an obligation to pay commissions in respect of sales effected by the joint venture to 29 February 2016, it would be necessary for this to be ascertained separately. The plaintiffs submit that an accounting should be permitted by derivative action, but it seems to me a better description is simply the quantification of monies payable on enforcement of the separation agreement. The plaintiffs point to benefits obtained by the defendants from, and reductions in the net profit calculation caused by, breaches of duty of the defendants. I share the plaintiffs’ concerns that some of the transactions undertaken by James and Henry since they agreed to buy out Jason’s interest in the joint venture have troubling features. However, the exercise which it seems to me needs to be undertaken in order to fix a figure to pay Jason for the commissions is a more limited one, being:

5. [311]

   This does not require a wholesale investigation into the income and expenditure of the joint venture from 1 March 2016 on but a limited enquiry. The starting point appears to be the spreadsheet at Court Book 10, volume 1, pages 294–301, which formed part of Exhibit X in these proceedings. It seems to me to be a case of updating each of the sales in that spreadsheet to determine whether that sale has completed and whether any of the amounts referred to above have been paid, supported by reliable documentation in all cases. As earlier mentioned, the distribution in July 2017 of $227,137 will need to be taken into account by deducting it from the commission payable to Jason as well as the Australand commission of $11,467.50 and commission on Apartment A126. The most cost effective means of quantifying the commissions payable to Jason appears to me to be a referral under rule 20.14 of the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules, but I will wait to hear from the parties as to the identity of the referee and any associated procedures such as the production of spreadsheets, bank statements, invoices and receipts by the defendants to enable the referee to do his or her job.

6. [312]

   Finally, the monies owing under the separation agreement are owed by James and Henry and / or their respective companies. On payment of these monies, Jason should also ‘do equity’ and perform his remaining obligations under the separation agreement which are, on payment of the monies owing to him, to transfer his shares in PWI Group and Dentown’s units in Australia No 1 Group Trust to James and Henry or as directed by them.

7. [313]

   In the event that I did not find that there was a binding separation agreement, the plaintiffs sought relief from oppression under the Corporations Act. Whilst I would readily have concluded that the actions of James and Henry were sufficient to grant this alternative relief, it has not been necessary for me to consider this further.

Conduct after the separation agreement

1. [314]

   The defendants seek to recover from Jason any commission which he has earned for sales through Dentown from March 2016 on. This is on the basis that Jason remained a director of PWI Group and any such sales were thus secured in breach of his obligations as a director of PWI Group. As I have found he was no longer a director of PWI Group, this claim fails. Nor is it necessary to consider whether leave under section 237 of the Corporations Act should be granted to James and Henry to bring a derivative action in the name of PWI Group to remedy the effects of Dentown competing with it. Given my determinations, there remains no serious question to be tried which would warrant the granting of such leave. Likewise it is not necessary to consider the right of the beneficiary of a trust to sue when the trustee will not: the proposed action by the beneficiaries of the Australia No 1 Group Trust was to prosecute Jason and Dentown for breach of the “Non-Separate/Non-Compete” term. The term did not form part of the joint venture agreement, nor did Jason or Dentown have any continuing obligation not to compete with the joint venture after Jason’s interest in it was agreed to be bought out. This part of the cross-claim falls away.

2. [315]

   The defendants submit that Michelle was involved in Dentown’s breach, and continuing breach, of the “Non-Separate/Non-Compete” term from the end of April 2016 onwards. As I have found this term did not form part of the joint venture agreement nor, by reason of the separation agreement, have any continuing operation, the defendants’ claim against Michelle for breach of the term fails.

3. [316]

   The defendants contend that Michelle has accessorial liability for breaches of sections 180 to 183 of the Corporations Act as she involved herself in Jason’s breaches of his director’s duties, including by becoming a director of Dentown, and thus an account is also sought against Michelle for, as I understand it, profits earned by Dentown from 1 March 2016. Jason ceased to be a director of PWI Group on 29 February 2016. The only potential breach of any director’s duty, by him, is of his continuing obligations under section 183, by continuing to access PWI Group’s electronic information for up to two months. It is not clear to me how Michelle would have any accessorial liability for such a breach, even if the breach caused loss to PWI Group, and there is no evidence that it did. As Dentown was at liberty to establish a real estate business and compete from 1 March 2016 on, it follows that Jason, as a director of Dentown, was not in breach of his director’s duties to Dentown and, thus, and Michelle cannot have any accessorial liability. This claim fails.

4. [317]

   No relief is sought by the plaintiffs in respect of Prospect Wealth Investment. Jason is the sole director of that company. Dentown, DRT Group and NYL Partners remain shareholders. The company appears to serve no continuing function but as no relief is sought, I make no orders.

5. [318]

   For these reasons I make the following orders (annexed is a schedule containing the interest calculations incorporated into the amounts in each order):

   1. (1)

      (Loans to joint venture) Judgment for the plaintiffs against the second to fifth defendants in the amount of $29,962.

   2. (2)

      (Personal loan to James) Judgment in favour of the second plaintiff against the second defendant in the amount of $279,480.

   3. (3)

      (Personal loan to Henry) Judgment in favour of the second plaintiff against the third defendant in the amount of $187,795.

   4. (4)

      (First payment under separation agreement) Judgment in favour of the plaintiffs against the second to fifth defendants in the amount of $214,725.

   5. (5)

      (Second payment under separation agreement) Judgment in favour of the plaintiffs against the second to fifth defendants in the amount of $308,846.

   6. (6)

      (Referee) Order pursuant to rule 20.14 of the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) that a referee be appointed for inquiry and report on the commissions owing to the plaintiffs by the second to fifth defendants in accordance with paragraphs [310] to [311] of this judgment.

   7. (7)

      On payment by the second to fifth defendants of the judgments in Orders 1, 4 and 5, and the amount ascertained by the referee under Order 6:

   8. (8)

      In relation to caveat number AN560155 lodged over the land in folio identifier number 3/524698:

   9. (9)

      In relation to caveat number AN560149 lodged over the land in folio identifier number 10/793314:

   10. (10)

       Otherwise dismiss the Further Amended Summons filed on 9 November 2018.

   11. (11)

       Dismiss the Amended Cross-Summons filed on 29 October 2018.

   12. (12)

       Order the first to fifth defendants to pay the plaintiffs’ costs of the proceedings, being the costs of the claim and cross-claim.

   13. (13)

       Grant liberty to the parties within 14 days to: