Benjamin Kasep

Telephone:
(02) 8915 5129
Email:
bkasep@13wentworth.com.au
CV:
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Called to the Bar:
2004

Benjamin Kasep

Ben has a broad practice encompassing both public and private law.

He has extensive experience in taxation law, family law and conflict of laws, and has appeared in trials and appeals in superior courts throughout Australia and overseas jurisdictions.

Ben served as a member of the New South Wales Bar Association Human Rights Committee from 2006 to 2009.

Areas of Practice

Qualifications

Bachelor of International Studies, UWS
Bachelor of Laws (Hons I), UWS

Membership

International Institute of Space Law
Australian Association of Constitutional Law
Selden Society

Selected Cases

High Court of Australia

  • Commissioner of Taxation v MBI Properties Pty Ltd [2014] HCA 49; (2004) 254 CLR 376; (2004) 315 ALR 32; (2004) 89 ALJR 138; (2004) 92 ATR 241; 2014 ATC ¶20-474—Sale of property subject to lease – Whether a purchaser’s continuing observance of obligations under a lease a ‘supply’ under the GST Act (Cth) (led by Anthony Slater QC)
  • Travelex Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation [2010] HCA 33; (2010) 241 CLR 510; (2010) 270 ALR; (2010) 84 ALJR 683; (2010) 76 ATR 329; 2010 ATC ¶20-214—Foreign currency exchange – Whether a supply of money is a ‘supply made in relation to rights’ under s 38-190 of the GST Act (Cth) (led by Stephen Gageler SC, Solicitor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia)
  • R v LK; R v RK [2010] HCA 17; (2010) 241 CLR 177; (2010) 266 ALR 399; (2010) 84 ALJR 395; (2010) 202 A Crim R 522—Conspiracy – Crown appeal against directed acquittal – Trial by jury and s 80 of the Constitution – Whether Crown appeal infringes the inviolability of a jury’s verdict of acquittal (led by T E F Hughes AO QC)

State Courts

Supreme Court of New South Wales

  • Li v Liu [2022] NSWCA 67; (2022) 402 ALR 366; (2022) Aust Contract R ¶90-505—Illegality – Whether the principle of illegality precludes recovery of damages under s 18 of the Australian Consumer Law – Restitution – Whether “agent’s defence” available (leading Joshua Raftery)
  • Todd Hadley Pty Limited v Lake Maintenance (NSW) Pty Ltd (No 2) [2020] NSWCA 81(special leave to appeal refused: [2020] HCASL 216)—Limitation of actions – Whether an action by a lender against a valuer for negligent valuation accrued no later than the sale of the mortgaged property (led by Mark McCulloch SC)
  • Smythe v Thomas [2007] NSWSC 844; (2007) 71 NSWLR 537; (2008) Aust Contract R ¶90-271—Contracts – Whether ‘eBay auction’ gives rise to an enforceable contract – Whether specific performance available
  • Davis v Westpac Life Insurance Services [2007] NSWCA 175; (2007) 226 FLR 285; (2008) 15 ANZ Ins Cas ¶90-132—Insurance – Whether insurer entitled to avoidance contract of life insurance under the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth) (led by John Graves SC)
  • Buchanan v Crown & Gleeson Business Finance Pty Ltd [2006] NSWSC 1465; (2006) 13 BPR 24,513; (2007) NSW ConvR ¶56-173—Caveats – Balance of convenience
  • Young v Lalic [2006] NSWSC 18; (2006) 197 FLR 27—Resulting and constructive trusts – Equitable estoppel – Tracing – Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court under the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth)

District Court of New South Wales

  • Donnelly v Hunter’s Hill Council [2020] NSWDC 76—Private nuisance – Whether tree roots causing damage to adjacent land an actionable nuisance – Whether the Council ‘adopted’ the nuisance – Whether injunctive relief should be granted
  • Medfin Australia Pty Ltd v Rafter [2007] NSWDC 72; (2007) 4 DCLR (NSW) 272—Hire purchase agreement – Contractual penalties

Federal Courts

Federal Court of Australia

  • Langford v RCL Cruises Ltd t/as Royal Caribbean Cruises [2023] FCA 626—Private international law – Whakaari/White Island eruption – Whether proceedings commenced in Australia should be stayed pending the outcome of proceedings commenced in the United States (led by Michael Winsor SC)
  • Ward v Commissioner of Taxation [2016] FCAFC 132; (2016) 247 FCR 372; (2016) 103 ATR 823; (2016) 153 ALD 433; 2016 ATC ¶20-583—Superannuation – Excess contributions tax – Discretion to disregard excess contributions – Whether Tribunal erred in construction of Div 292 of the ITAA 97 (Cth) (led by James Hmelnitsky SC)
  • International Litigation Partners Pte Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation [2014] FCA 671; (2014) 317 ALR 708—Request to access documents filed in family law proceedings – Whether utility in gaining access outweighed by public interest in confidentiality
  • AP Group Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation [2013] FCAFC 105; (2013) 214 FCR 301; 2013 ATC ¶20-417—Whether automotive industry ‘incentive payments’ consideration for supplies under the GST Act (Cth) (led by Michael Wigney SC)
  • Commissioner of Taxation v Pham [2013] FCA 579; (2913) 60 AAR 264; (2013) 94 ATR 528; (2013) 134 ALD 534—Non-publication order – Judicial review – Whether Tribunal fell into jurisdictional error by failing to take into account relevant considerations – Whether findings unsupported by evidence (led by Michael Wigney SC)
  • Yacoub v Commissioner of Taxation [2012] FCA 678; (2012) 292 ALR 128; (2012) 83 ATR 722; 2012 ATC ¶20-328—Property development − Whether applicants partners in a partnership or participants in a ‘non-entity joint venture’ under the GST Act (Cth)
  • ECC South Bank Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation [2012] FCA 795; (2012) 205 FCR 505; (2012) 87 ATR 902; [2012] Q ConvR ¶54-780; 2012 ATC ¶20-336—Whether student accommodation a supply of ‘commercial residential premises’ under s 40-35(1) of the GST Act (Cth) (led by Jane Needham SC)
  • KAP Motors Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation [2008] FCA 159; (2008) 168 FCR 319; (2008) 246 ALR 395; (2008) 69 ATR 927; 2008 ATC ¶20-007—Entitlement to refund of over-paid GST – Whether over-paid GST held on constructive trust (led by Stephen Gageler SC)

Family Court of Australia

  • Pearson & Pearson [2021] FamCAFC 34; (2021) 62 Fam LR 311; 2021 FLC ¶94-008—Where primary judge declined to set aside property orders under s 79A of the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) – Whether primary judge had undue regard to the parties’ demeanour – Whether the primary judge erred in not drawing Jones v Dunkel inference

 Foreign Courts

  • Fleming v Talagi, High Court of Niue, Action No. CV1 of 2010—Dismissal of Financial Secretary – Whether Premier of Niue committed misfeasance in public office – Whether damages available for breaches of the Constitution of Niue (led by Dr Gerard McCoy SBS QC SC of the Hong Kong Bar)
  • Qarase v Bainimarama, High Court of Fiji at Suva, Civil Action No. 60 of 2007—Executive powers – Dismissal of Prime Minister of Fiji – Whether military coup d’état grounds for invoking doctrine of necessity (led by Dr Gerard McCoy SBS QC SC of the Hong Kong Bar)

Administrative Appeals Tribunal

Ben has appeared in more than forty matters in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, many of which are reported in the Administrative Appeals Reports, Australian Tax Reports and Australian Tax Cases.

Publications Available for Download