Catchwords:

COSTS — Party/Party — General rule that costs follow the event — Discretion – No presumption or default rule as to the basis of the award of costs

STATUTORY INTERPRETATION – r 42.2 of Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) – whether s 98(1) of Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) confines the judicial discretion in awarding costs – whether a judge must take as a starting point that costs are to be assessed on the ordinary basis and justify any departure from that position