austlii:qld/QBCCMCmr/2025/452
General information, not legal advice.
QBCCMCmr
2025-12-12
Original judgment source is linked above.
Surfers Plaza Resort [2025] QBCCMCmr 452
Crestden Pty Ltd & Tequila Sunrise Pods Pty Ltd (applicants)
The Body Corporate for Surfers Plaza Resort (respondent)
Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 (Qld) (Act), sections 227 and 229(3)(a)
Body Corporate and Community Management (Accommodation Module) Regulation 2020 (Accommodation Module)
INTERIM ORDER - whether an interim order is necessary because of the nature or urgency of the circumstances to which the application relates.
ADJUDICATOR POWERS - whether Adjudicator can be satisfied that an application raises a serious legal question and the balance of convenience between the parties justifies injunctive relief.
(a) That pending a further interim order, and until this dispute resolution application is finally determined or discontinued at an earlier time, the Body Corporate for the Surfers Plaza Resort Community Titles Scheme 6388 must not implement, or take any action, pursuant to Motion 5, purportedly passed at the Extraordinary General Meeting of the lot owners in the Scheme held on 7 November, 2025.
(b) Such further or other interim order(s) as may be determined to be just and equitable in the circumstances.
(a) declaration that Motion 5, purportedly passed at an Extraordinary General Meeting of the lot owners in the Surfers Plaza Resort Community Titles Scheme 6388 held on 7 November, 2025 is unreasonable, unlawful, void and of no effect
(b) Such further or other interim order(s) as may be determined to be just and equitable in the circumstances
(i) Building: $67,946,561.00;
(ii) Public Liability: $30,000,000;
(iii) Office Bearers: $5,000,000;
(iv) Machinery Breakdown: $100,000;
(v) Catastrophe: $21,403,167.
(c) the proportion of the total risks covered by the policy attributable to activities carried on, or proposed to be carried on, on the owner's lot.
9. Fair Apportionment of Insurance 2024 - 2025 Premium (ordinary resolution)
THAT pursuant to section 191(2)(c) of the Body Corporate and Community Management (Accommodation Module) Regulation 2020 the contribution of the respective lot owners to the total insurance premium for the reinstatement insurance policy for the 2024 to 2025 period with Co-insurance - Lloyds of London Policy No. WHHCTS6388 of $704,727.89 be adjusted so that it fairly reflects the proportion of the total risks covered by the policy attributable to activities carried on, on the owner's lot as follows:
AND contribution notices for the reinstatement insurance policy be issued to the respective owners for the total amounts as follows:
$246,654.76, in proportion to their respective contribution entitlements for Lots 3 - 146
AND THAT the amount of the contribution will be payable by two equal instalments with the due date for each instalment as follows:
Amount - 50% of total amount owing in accordance with the above, and in line with the respective contribution entitlements.
Amount - 50% of total amount owing in accordance with the above, and in line with the respective contribution entitlements.
10. Fair Apportionment of Insurance 2024 - 2025 Premium (ordinary resolution)
THAT pursuant to section 191(2)(c) of the Body Corporate and Community Management (Accommodation Module) Regulation 2020 the contribution of the respective lot owners to the total insurance premium for the reinstatement insurance policy for the 2024 to 2025 period with Co-insurance - Lloyds of London Policy No. WHHCTS6388 of $388,045.73 be adjusted so that it fairly reflects the proportion of the total risks covered by the policy attributable to activities carried on, on the owner's lot as follows:
AND contribution notices for the reinstatement insurance policy be issued to the
$177,724.94 in proportion to their respective contribution entitlements for Lots 1 and 3 - 146
AND THAT the amount of the contribution will be payable by two equal instalments with the due date for each instalment as follows:
Amount - 50% of total amount owing in accordance with the above, and in line with the respective contribution entitlements.
Amount - 50% of total amount owing in accordance with the above, and in line with the respective contribution entitlements.
(a) a motion to rescind Motion 10 (Rescission Motion); and
(b) passing the following motion (Motion 5) to replace Motion 10:
5. FAIR APPORTIONMENT OF INSURANCE 2025-2026 PREMIUM
RESOLVED THAT subject to the passing of the previous motion rescinding motion 10 of the 2025 AGM, pursuant to section 191 (2)(c) of the Body Corporate and Community Management (Accommodation Module) Regulation 2020 ("Accommodation Module"), the contribution of the respective lot owners to the total insurance premium for the reinstatement insurance policy for the 2025 to 2026 period with Howden Insurance Brokers of $364,806.07 (inc GST) be adjusted so that it fairly reflects the proportion of the total risks covered by the policy attributable to activities carried on, on the Owner's Lot as follows:
3. Lots 3 -146 Residential (in accord with the interested entitlement of each Lot) 42.77%
The applicants' grounds for seeking to Invalidate Motion 5
Investigations Pursuant to section 271 of the Act
• persistent insurer concerns regarding occupancy volume and fire risk.
An adjudicator may make an order that is just and equitable in the circumstances (including a declaratory order) to resolve a dispute, in the context of a community titles scheme, about-
(a) a claimed or anticipated contravention of the Act or the community management statement; or
(b) the exercise of rights or powers, or the performance of duties, under the Act or the community management statement; or
(c) a claimed or anticipated contractual matter about-
(i) the engagement of a person as a body corporate manager or service contractor for a community titles scheme; or
(ii) the authorisation of a person as a letting agent for a community titles scheme.
(1) The adjudicator may make an interim order if satisfied, on reasonable grounds, that an interim order is necessary because of the nature or urgency of the circumstances to which the application relates.
Examples
1. The adjudicator may stop the body corporate from carrying out work on common property until a dispute about the irregularity of proceedings has been investigated and resolved.
2. The adjudicator may stop a general meeting deciding or acting on a particular issue until it has been investigated and resolved.
(2) An interim order
(a) has effect for a period (not longer than 1 year) stated in the order; and
(b) may be extended, varied, renewed or cancelled by the adjudicator until a final order is made; (c) may be cancelled by a later order made by the adjudicator; and
(d) if it does not lapse or is not cancelled earlier, lapses when
(i) the application is withdrawn; or
(ii) the commissioner gives the person who made the application a written notice under section 241 rejecting the application; or
(iii) a final order is made by an adjudicator to whom the application is referred. ...
The legal principles governing the disposition of an application for interlocutory injunction were discussed by me in Stacks Managed Investments Ltd v Tolteca Pty Ltd [2015] QSC 234 at 3 to 5 and again in Tribal Health Pty Ltd v Flush Fitness Pty Ltd [2016] QSC 103. In the latter case I summarised relevant principle in these terms (at [23]):
(a) The law in Australia has long regarded it to be necessary to make two main inquiries: (i) whether the applicant has shown that it has a prima facie case; and (ii) whether the applicant has shown that the balance of convenience favours the granting of the relief claimed.
(b) The significance of the requirement that a prima facie case be shown is elaborated upon in Australian Broadcasting Corporation v O'Neill (2006) 227 CLR 572 and Live Earth Resource Management Pty Ltd v Live Earth LLC [2007] FCA 1034 at [11] to [13].
(c) The considerations brought to bear on the balance of convenience requirement were the subject of discussion in Australian Broadcasting Corporation v O'Neill and Bowen Central Coal Pty Ltd v Aquila Coal Pty Ltd [2011] QCA 334, the latter case clarifying that the adequacy of an award of damages and the question of the sufficiency of the usual undertaking were to be considered as part of the totality of the balance of convenience question.
(d) The progression of the two main inquiries is not a mechanical exercise. Whether the relief sought is prohibitory or mandatory, the Court should take whichever course appears to carry the lower risk of injustice if it should turn out to have been "wrong" in the sense of granting an injunction to a party who fails to establish his right at an ultimate trial, or in failing to grant an injunction to a party who succeeds at trial. In making that decision, the Court should weigh in the balance all relevant factors, including matters pertaining to the strength of the case to be tried and the balance of convenience.
(a) there are urgent circumstances;
(b) there is a prima facie case of sufficient merit to justify relief; and
(c) the balance of convenience between the parties justifies the order.
Extent to which Motion 5 concerns Reinstatement Insurance
(1) The owner of each lot that is included in the community titles scheme and is covered by reinstatement insurance required to be taken out by the body corporate is liable to pay a contribution levied by the body corporate that is a proportionate amount of the premium for reinstatement insurance that reflects -
(a) for a lot created under a building or volumetric format plan of subdivision - the interest schedule lot entitlement of the lot; and
(b) for a lot created under a standard format plan of subdivision - the cost of reinstating the buildings on the lot.
(2) The body corporate may adjust the contribution payable by an owner of a lot under subsection (1) in a way that fairly reflects -
(a) the extent to which the premium relates to fixtures and fittings that -
(i) form part of the lot; and (ii) are of a higher standard than the fixtures and fittings of lots included in the scheme generally; or
(b) the extent to which the premium relates to improvements made to the common property that benefit the lot; or
(c) the proportion of the total risks covered by the policy attributable to activities carried on, or proposed to be carried on, on the owner's lot.
(a) The applicants have not established that there are urgent circumstances.
(b) The applicants have not established that there is a prima facie case of sufficient merit to justify relief; and
(c) In any event the balance of convenience between the parties does not justify making the requested interim orders.
[1] See Howden Insurance renewal proposal at pp370-394 of attachments to application.
[2] Schedule A to the Community Management Statement
[3] Both Interest Schedule and Contribution Schedule
[4] Section 191 of the Accommodation Module
[7] Also described as a serious question to be tried.
[8] SDW2 Pty Ltd v JLF Corporation Pty Ltd [2017] QSC 001
Australian Broadcasting Corporation v Lenah Game Meats [2001] HCA 63
[9] See Howden Insurance renewal proposal at pp370-394 of attachments to application.
[10] For example public liability, and management liability.
(2006) 227 CLR 572