Venus Adult Shops Pty Ltd v Fraserside Holdings Ltd [2006] FCAFC 188

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Venus Adult Shops Pty Ltd v Fraserside Holdings Ltd [2006] FCAFC 188

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY – copyright infringement – cinematograph work – pirated DVDs – pornographic films – remedies – public policy – whether ground for refusing copyright protection – discretion to grant remedy – conversion – assessment of damages for conversion generally – statutory prohibitions and restrictions on resale – impact on assessment of value for conversion damages – Classification statutes of States and Territories – onus of proof in relation to illegality – failure by magistrate to give adequate consideration to assessment of damages by reference to illegality – evidence before magistrate inadequate to raise effect of statutory prohibitions and restrictions in respect of infringing articles TORTS – conversion – damages - illegality Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) s 86, s 101(1), s 115, s 116, Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995 (Cth) s 3 Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Enforcement Act 1995 (NSW) s 6 Classification of Films Act 1991(Qld) s 39 Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) (Enforcement) Act 1995 (ACT) Classification of Publications, Films and Computer Games Act (NT) Cases cited in the judgments: Walcot v Walker (1802) 7 Ves 1; 32 ER 1 Southey v Sherwood (1817) 2 Mer 435; 35 ER 1006 Murray v Benbow [1822] Jac 474n; 37 ER 929 Stockdale v Onwhyn (1826) 5 B&C 173; 108 ER 65 Baschet v London Illustrated Standard Co [1990] 1 Ch 73 Glyn v Weston Feature Film Company [1916] 1 Ch 261 Attorney-General v Guardian Newspapers Ltd (No 2) [1990] 1 AC 109 Stephens v Avery [1988] 1 Ch 479 ZYX Music GmbH v Chris King and Others [1995] FSR 566 Hyde Park Residents Limited v Yelland [1999] RPC 655 Hyde Parks Residents Limited v Yelland [2001] Ch 143 Mitchell Bros Film Group v Cinema Adult Theatre (1979) 604 F2d 852 Jartech Inc v Clancy (1982) 666 F2d 403 Aldrich v One Stop Video Ltd (1987) 13 BCLR 2(d) 106 Collier Constructions Pty Ltd v Foskett Pty Ltd (1990) 19 IPR 44 International Writing Institute Inc v Rimila Pty Ltd (1995) 57 FCR 135 Caxton Publishing Co Ltd v Sutherland Publishing Co [1939] AC 178 Flowfill Packaging Machines Pty Ltd v Fytore Pty Ltd (1983) Aust Torts Reports, 81-244 Hall v Barclay [1937] 3 All ER 620 Kuwait Airways Corporation v Iraq Airways [2002] 2 AC 883 Tom Hopkins International, Inc v Wall & Redekop Realty Ltd (1985) 20 DLR (4th) 407 Infabrics Ltd v Jaytes Ltd [1982] AC 1 Nelson v Nelson (1995) 184 CLR 538 Holman v Johnson (1775) 1 Cowp 341; 98 ER 1120 Jackson v Harrison (1978) 138 CLR 438 Gala v Preston (1991) 172 CLR 243 Bowmakers, Ltd v Barnet Instruments, Ltd [1945] 1 KB 65 Thomas Brown & Sons Ltd v Fazal Deen (1962) 108 CLR 391 Gollan v Nugent (1988) 166 CLR 18 Blackburn v Properties Limited [1980] VR 290 Pasickniak v Dojacek [1928] 2 DLR 545 Attorney-General of the Commonwealth of Australia v Adelaide Steamship Co Ltd [1913] AC 781 North Western Salt Company Ltd v Electrolytic Alkali Company Ltd [1914] AC 461 Humphery v Wilson [1929] All ER Rep 171 Holidaywise Koala Pty Ltd v Queenslodge Pty Ltd [1977] VR 164 R v Hicklin (1868) LR 3 QB 360 John Calder (Publications) Ltd v Powell [1965] 1 QB 509 Burnett v Chetwood (1720) 2 Mer 441; 35 ER 1008 Lawrence v Smith (1822) Jac 471 R v Curl (1727) 2 Stra 788; 93 ER 849 British Oxygen Company Ltd v Liquid Air Ltd [1925] Ch 383 Mitchell Brothers Film Group v Cinema Adult Theater 604 F2d 852 (5th Cir 1979) Devils Films, Inc v Nectar Video 29 FSupp2d 174 (SDNY 1998) Prior v Lansdowne Press Pty Ltd [1977] VR 65 General Tire and Rubber Co v Firestone Tyre and Rubber Co Ltd [1976] RPC 197 Watson, Laidlaw & Co Ld v Pott, Cassels and Williamson (1914) 31 RPC 104 Asamera Oil Corporation Ltd v Sea Oil & General Corporation and Baud Corporation, NV [1979] 1 SCR 633 Rodocanachi, Sons & Co v Milburn Brothers (1886) 18 QBD 67 Hi-Fert Pty Ltd v Kiukiang Maritime Carriers Inc [2000] FCA 660 Nichols Advanced Vehicle Systems Inc v Rees No 3) [1988] RPC 71 Manfal Pty Ltd v Longuet (1986) 8 IPR 410 (Qld Sup Ct) O'Mara Books Limited v Express Newspapers plc [1999] FSR 49 Clark v Nicholson (1835) 1 CM&R 724 Morgan v Powell (1842) 3 QB 278; 114 ER 513 Reid v Fairbanks (1853) 13 CB 692; 138 ER 1371 Munro v Willmott [1949] 1 KB 295 Lewis Trusts v Bambers Stores Limited [1982 FSR 281 Fire Nymph Products Ltd and Alpen Holdings Pty Ltd v Jalco Products (WA) Pty Ltd (1983) 1 IPR 79 Microsoft Corporation v Auschina Polaris Pty Ltd (1996) 71 FCR 231 Concrete Systems Pty Ltd v Devon Symonds Holdings Ltd (1978) 20 ALR 677 Beloff v Pressdram Ltd [1973] RPC 765 Redrow Homes Ltd v Betts Brothers Plc [1998] RPC 793 Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1 XL Petroleum (NSW) Pty Ltd v Caltex Oil (Australia) Pty Ltd (1985) 155 CLR 448 Copinger and Skone James on Copyright (15th Edition, Sweet & Maxwell, 2005) Cornish and Llewellyn, Intellectual Property: Patents, Copyright, Trade Marks and Allied Rights (5th Edition, Thomson Sweet & Maxwell, 2003) Phillips J, Copyright in Obscene Works: Some British and American Problems (1977) 6 Anglo-Am L Rev 138 Rogers E, Copyright and Morals (1919-20) 18 Mich L Rev 390 Morgan O, Copyright, the Public Interest and Content Restrictions (Intellectual Property Institute of Australia Working Paper No 13/03 May 2003) Lahore, Copyright and Designs (Butterworths) Tettenborn, Wiley and Bennett; The Law of Damages, (LexisNexis UK 2003) Tettenborn A, Damages in Conversion: the Exception or the Anomaly (1993) 52 CLJ 128 Buckley, Illegality and Public Policy (Sweet and Maxwell, 2002) VENUS ADULT SHOPS PTY LTD, TROPHER INSTALLATIONS PTY LTD, ALAN GEORGE VASSALLO, JERRY GORDON AND PHILLIP SALVATORE DE PRIMA v FRASERSIDE HOLDINGS LTD AND CALVISTA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD NSD 1617 OF 2005