Northern Territory firm Halikos loses epic court case against oil and gas giant Inpex

DARWIN property developers and hospitality firm Halikos has lost its multimillion-dollar court case against oil and gas giant Inpex

DARWIN property developers and hospitality firm Halikos has lost its multimillion-dollar court case against oil and gas giant Inpex.

The H105 hotel on Mitchell St

In the Supreme Court on Friday, Justice Judith Kelly delivered judgment for Inpex, meaning the oil and gas company will not have to pay damages to the local developers.

The case revolved around an agreement Halikos alleged it had with Inpex to supply accommodation for hundreds of workers, although the oil and gas company never put pen to paper on a written agreement.

Halikos built the H105 hotel on Mitchell St on the premise that it would be largely occupied by oil and gas workers.

Justice Kelly said on Friday that she had not finalised detailed written reasons for her decision, which were expected to run into hundreds of pages.

“I’m not likely to get back to it to finalise until December,” she said.

“I thought, in fairness to the parties, the most appropriate course of action was to pronounce judgment today.”

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The matter went to trial in 2017, and Justice Kelly said during the trial that the outcome would turn on differing accounts of who said what at different meetings.

The appeal period for the case will not begin until Justice Kelly publishes her formal reasons for decision.

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A decision on costs, which will almost certainly cost Halikos a further multimillion-dollar sum, is expected to be heard at a later date or be decided behind closed doors.

More to come