Medical Benefits Fund of Australia Limited v Cassidy John Bevins Pty Limited v Cassidy [2003] FCAFC 289

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Medical Benefits Fund of Australia Limited v Cassidy John Bevins Pty Limited v Cassidy [2003] FCAFC 289 TRADE PRACTICES – misleading and deceptive conduct – television, newspaper and billboard advertisements for private health insurance – where an insurer represented it would waive waiting periods – where fine print qualified primary representations – purpose of corrective advertising – whether appropriate to order a party to undertake corrective advertising for the purpose of the general education of the public – injunctive relief, including corrective advertising, must bear a sufficient nexus to the contravening conduct – accessorial liability – whether the advertising agency that developed the infringing advertisements was liable as an accessory – 'knowingly concerned in, or party to, the contravention' – whether intent a necessary component for accessorial liability PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – whether the Full Court should interfere with an exercise of discretion by the primary judge Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 1989 (Cth) ss 12DA, 12DB, 12DF, 12GE, 12GD(1) Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth) ss 12DA, 12DB, 12DF, 12GLA, 12GLB, 268 Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) ss 52A, 351 Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth), Pt V, ss 45(2), 52, 53(c), 53(g), 55A, 75B, 80, 80A, 86C, 86D Adler v Australian Securities and Investments Commission (2003) 46 ACSR 504 discussed Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Giraffe World Australia Pty Ltd (No 2) (1999) 95 FCR 302 referred to Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Hungry Jack's Pty Ltd [1996] FCA 955 referred to Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v IMB Group Pty Ltd [2003] FCAFC 17 referred to Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Nissan Motor Company (Australia) Pty Ltd and Anor (1998) ATPR 41-660 discussed Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v On Clinic Australia Pty Ltd (1996) 35 IPR 635 referred to Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Purple Harmony Plates Pty Ltd [2001] FCA 1062 referred to Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Real Estate Institute of Western Australia Inc (1999) 95 FCR 114 discussed Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Signature Security Group Pty Limited (2003) ATPR 41-908 referred to Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Target Australia Pty Ltd (2001) ATPR 41-840 referred to Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Virgin Mobile Australia Pty Ltd (No 2) [2002] FCA 1548 discussed Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Wizard Mortgage Corporation Limited (2002) ATPR 41-903 referred to Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Woolworths Limited (No 2) (2002) ATPR 41-890 referred to Brown v Jam Factory Pty Ltd (1981) 53 FLR 340 referred to Butt v Tingey (unreported, Davies, Neaves, Beazley JJ, 5 August 1993) referred to Campomar Sociedad, Limitada v Nike International Limited (2000) 202 CLR 45 referred to Cassidy v Nrma Health Pty Ltd [2002] FCA 1228 referred to Chan Cuong Su t/a Ausviet Travel v Direct Flights International (No 2) (1999) ATPR 41-677 referred to Chan Cuong Su v Direct Flights International Pty Ltd [1999] ATPR 41-677 referred to Crocodile Marketing v Griffith Vintners (1989) 28 NSWLR 539 referred to Dimension Data Australia Pty Ltd v Kepper [1999] FCA 1446 discussed Equity Access Pty Ltd v Westpac Banking Corporation (1989) 16 IPR 431 referred to Fernandez v Glev PtyLtd [2000] FCA 1859 discussed George Weston Foods Ltd v Goodman Fielder Ltd (2001) 49 IPR 553 discussed Georgianni v The Queen (1985) 156 CLR 473 discussed Heydon v NRMA Ltd (2000) 51 NSWLR 1 discussed Hospital Contribution Fund Australia Ltd v Switzerland Australia Health Fund Pty Ltd (1988) ATPR 40-846 referred to House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499 referred to Idoport Pty Ltd v National Australia Bank Ltd [2000] NSWSC 599 referred to Janssen Pharmaceutical Pty Ltd v Pfizer Pty Ltd (1986) ATPR 40-654 referred to King v GIO Australia Holdings Ltd (2001) 184 ALR 98 referred to Makita (Australia) Pty Ltd v Black & Decker (Australasia) Pty Ltd (1990) ATPR 41-030 referred to Minister for Health and Aged Care v Harrington Associates Ltd [2000] FCA 1723 referred to Paper Products Pty Ltd v Tomlinsons (Rochdale) Pty Ltd [1994] ATPR 41-315 referred to Parkdale Custom Built Furniture Proprietary Limited v Puxu Proprietary Limited (1982) 149 CLR 191 referred to Richardson & Wrench (Holdings) Pty Ltd v Ligon No. 174 Pty Ltd (1994) 123 ALR 681 referred to Ridgway v Consolidated Energy Corporation Pty Ltd (1987) ATPR 40-754 discussed Rural Press Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission [2002] FCAFC 213 discussed St Luke's Health Insurance v Medical Benefits Fund of Australia Limited (1995) ATPR 41-428 referred to Taco Company of Australia Inc v Taco Bell Pty Ltd (1982) 42 ALR 177 referred to Telstra Corporation v Optus Communications Pty Limited (1997) ATPR 41-541 referred to Trade Practices Commission v Optus Communications Pty Ltd (1996) 34 IPR 176 referred to Truth About Motorways Pty Ltd v Macquarie Infrastructure Investment Management Pty Ltd (2000) 34 ACSR 673 referred to Wheeler Grace & Pierucci Pty Ltd v Wright (1989) 16 IPR 189 discussed Yorke v Lucas (1985) 158 CLR 661 discussed