Agricultural and Rural Finance Pty Limited v Gardiner

Contracts – Interpretation – Where indemnity agreement provided that indemnity effective and enforceable if borrower "punctually paid" amounts under related loan agreement – Meaning of "punctually" – Whether context of agreement required departure from dictionary meaning – Whether conduct of lender in accepting late payment could render such payment "punctual".

Contracts – "Waiver" of contractual right – Meaning of "waiver" – Waiver distinguished from contractual variation and promissory estoppel – Whether doctrine referred to as "waiver" exists in form of election between inconsistent rights, common law doctrine of forbearance, or abandonment or renunciation of right – Whether any other residual form of "waiver" exists – Whether acceptance of late payments under loan agreement and other conduct constituted "waiver" by lender and indemnifier of condition for indemnity taking effect, that the borrower have "punctually paid" amounts under loan agreement.

Contracts – Election between inconsistent rights – Point at which choice between inconsistent rights arises – Whether indemnifier faced with choice between inconsistent rights.

Contracts – Forbearance from exercising contractual right – Relationship with estoppel – Influence of Statute of Frauds.

Contracts – Abandonment or renunciation of contractual right – Point at which time comes for abandoning or renouncing right – Whether time had come for lender or indemnifier to abandon or renounce right to insist on punctual payment under loan agreement.

Equity – Equitable doctrines – Election – Distinct character and application.

Words and phrases – "abandonment", "approbate and reprobate", "election", "forbearance", "punctually", "renunciation", "waiver".