McKellar v Container Terminal Management Services Ltd [1999] FCA 1101

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

McKellar v Container Terminal Management Services Limited [1999] FCA 1101 PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – pleadings – application for summary dismissal of proceeding pursuant to Federal Court Rules, O 20 r 2(a), (b) and (c) – whether amended statement of claim discloses reasonable cause of action – whether proceeding frivolous or vexatious – whether proceeding abuse of process of Court. PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – application to strike out amended statement of claim pursuant to Federal Court Rules, O 11 r 16 – whether amended statement of claim discloses reasonable cause of action – whether fails to plead material facts – whether pleading embarrassing – whether particulars inadequate. TRADE PRACTICES – Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) – s 51A, s 52, s 53B, s 75B – whether allegations appropriately pleaded – s 2A – whether Act applies to Minister where Act does not apply to Commonwealth – whether parties acting in concert with Minister can share in immunity. TORT – tort of conspiracy – whether "unlawful means conspiracy" appropriately pleaded – whether "conspiracy to injure" appropriately pleaded – whether "psychological injury" and "post traumatic stress" compensable – whether Commonwealth can be liable for tort of conspiracy – whether Minister "servant" of the Crown for purposes of vicarious liability. TORT – misfeasance in public office – elements of tort – whether Commonwealth can be vicariously liable for tort of misfeasance in public office committed by Minister of the Crown. Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth), ss 2A, 51A, 52, 53B, 75B, 82, 87 Workplace Relations Act 1996 (Cth) ss 298K, 298L Federal Court Rules, O 11 r 16, O 20 r 2(1)(a), O 20 r 2(1)(b), O 20 r 2(1)(c) Maritime Union of Australia v Patrick Stevedores No 1 Pty Ltd (1998) 77 FCR 456 referred to Patrick Stevedores Operations No 2 Pty Ltd v Maritime Union of Australia (1998) 77 FCR 478 referred to Patrick Stevedores Operations No 2 Pty Ltd v Maritime Union of Australia (1998) 153 ALR 643 referred to Dey v Victorian Railways Commissioners (1949) 78 CLR 62 at 91 applied General Steel Industries Inc v Commissioner for Railways (NSW) (1964) 112 CLR 125 at 128-9, 130 applied Webster v Lampard (1993) 177 CLR 598 at 602 applied Williams & Humbert Ltd v W & H Trade Marks (Jersey) Ltd [1986] 1 AC 368 at 435-6 referred to Cubillo v Commonwealth of Australia (1999) 163 ALR 395 at 415-6 applied Packer v Meagher (1984) 3 NSWLR 486 referred to Gallo v Dawson (1988) 82 ALR 401 referred to Yeldham v Rajski (1989) 18 NSWLR 48 referred to Kotan Holdings Pty Ltd v Trade Practices Commission (1991) 30 FCR 511 referred to Munnings v Australian Government Solicitor (1994) 118 ALR 385 referred to Dare v Pulham (1982) 148 CLR 658 at 664 referred to Mitanis v Pioneer Concrete (Vic) Pty Ltd (1997) ATPR ¶41-591 at 44,151 ff applied Trade Practices Commission v David Jones (Australia) Pty Ltd (1985) 7 FCR 109 at 114-5 referred to H 1976 Nominees Pty Ltd v Galli (1979) 40 FLR 242 at 246-7 referred to Pioneer Electronics Australia Pty Ltd v Edge Technology Pty Ltd [1999] FCA 142 at par 7 referred to Pridmore v Magenta Nominees Pty Ltd (1999) 161 ALR 458 at 462-3 referred to Bond Corporation Pty Ltd v Thiess Contractors Pty Ltd (1987) 14 FCR 215 at 222 applied Truth About Motorways Pty Ltd v Macquarie Infrastructure Investment Limited (1998) ATPR ¶41-633 at 40,977 referred to HECEC Australia Pty Ltd v Hydro-Electric Corp [1999] FCA 822 referred to State of Queensland v Pioneer Concrete (Qld) Pty Ltd (1999) ATPR ¶41-691 at 42,827-42,829 referred to Bartlett v Swan Television and Radio Broadcasters Pty Ltd (1995) ATPR ¶41-434 at 40,889 referred to Wright v TNT Australia Pty Ltd (1988) 15 NSWLR 662 at 677 referred to Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v IMB Group Pty Ltd [1999] FCA 819 referred to Global Sportsman Pty Ltd v Mirror Newspapers Ltd (1984) 2 FCR 82 referred to Elliott v Seymour [1999] FCA 976 at pars 89, 90, 91, 94, 97, 100-2 applied Crofter Hand Woven Harris Tweed Co Ltd v Veitch [1942] AC 435 referred to R v ICR Haulage Limited [1944] 1 KB 551 at 559 referred to Lonrho Ltd v Shell Petroleum (No 2) [1982] AC 173 at 188 and 189 referred to Lonrho Plc v Fayed [1992] 1 AC 448 referred to Lonrho Plc v Fayed (No 5) [1993] 1 WLR 1489 at 1496, 1502-1504 and 1509 referred to Huntley v Thornton [1957] 1 WLR 321 at 350 referred to Williams v Hursey (1959) 103 CLR 30 referred to Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd v Australian Federation of Air Pilots [1991] 1 VR 637 referred to Latham v Singleton [1981] 2 NSWLR 843 referred to United States Surgical Corporation v Hospital Products International Pty Ltd [1982] 2 NSWLR 766 referred to Maritime Union of Australia v Geraldton Port Authority [1999] FCA 899 applied Beach Petroleum NL v Johnson (1991) 105 ALR 456 referred to Gerakiteys v The Queen (1984) 153 CLR 317 at 320 referred to Peters v R (1998) 192 CLR 493 at 520 referred to Council for the City of the Gold Coast v Pioneer Concrete (Qld) Pty Ltd (1998) 157 ALR 135 at 150, 151-2 applied Galland v Mineral Underwriters Ltd [1977] WAR 116 at 119-20 applied Sorrell v Smith [1925] AC 700 at 716 referred to Trade Practices Commission v Allied Mills Industries Pty Ltd (1980) 32 ALR 570 at 579 applied R v Chow (1987) 11 NSWLR 561 at 570 referred to Limerick Steamship Co Ltd v The Commonwealth of Australia (1924) 24 SR(NSW) 214 at 250 referred to James v The Commonwealth (1939) 62 CLR 339 at 359-60 referred to Connor v Sankey [1976] 2 NSWLR 570 at 600 referred to Bank of NSW v The Commonwealth (1948) 76 CLR 1 at 362 referred to Sue v Hill (1999) 163 ALR 648 at 671-4 referred to Baillieu v Australian Electoral Commission (1996) 63 FCR 210 at 225-6 applied Attorney-General for New South Wales v Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd (1952) 85 CLR 237 at 249 referred to Racz v Home Office [1994] 2 AC 45 at 50-4 referred to Enever v The King (1906) 3 CLR 969 referred to Field v Nott (1939) 62 CLR 660 referred to Konrad v Victoria Police [1999] FCA 988 referred to State Chamber of Commerce and Industry v Commonwealth (The Second Fringe Benefits Tax Case) (1987) 163 CLR 329 referred to Unilan Holdings Pty Ltd v Kerin (1993) 44 FCR 481 at 483-4 referred to Re Ling; Ex parte Ling v Commonwealth (1995) 58 FCR 129 at 132 referred to Town Investments Ltd v Department of the Environment [1978] AC 359 at 383, 393 and 398 referred to Bank voor Handel en Scheepvaart NV v Administrator of Hungarian Property [1954] AC 584 referred to Credit Lyonnais Bank Nederland NV (now Generale Bank Nederland NV) v Export Credit Guarantee Department [1998] 1 Lloyds Rep 19 at 36–7, 41–2 referred to New South Wales v Bardolph (1934) 52 CLR 455 at 518–9 referred to Breavington v Godleman (1988) 169 CLR 41 at 68-9 R v Bow Street Metropolitan Stipendiary Magistrate, Ex parte Pinochet Ugarte (No 3) [1999] 2 WLR 827 at 844 referred to Midland Bank Trust Co Ltd v Green (No 3) [1982] 1 Ch 529 at 541 distinguished Nixon v Fitzgerald 457 US 731 (1982) referred to Northern Territory of Australia v Mengel (1995) 185 CLR 307 at 328-9, 345 and 347-8 referred to SITA Qld Pty Ltd v Queensland (1999) 164 ALR 18 at 35 referred to Johnson Tiles Pty Ltd v Esso Australia Ltd [1999] FCA 167 at pars 11, 14 and 16 referred to Woodlands v Permanent Trustee Company (1996) 68 FCR 213 at 230, 231 applied Thomson Publications (Australia) Pty Ltd v Trade Practices Commission (1979) 40 FLR 257 at 275 referred to Wirral Estates Limited v Shaw [1932] 2 KB 247 referred to New South Wales Bar Association v Forbes Macfie Hansen Pty Ltd (1988) 18 FCR 378 at 381 referred to Turner v The Bulletin Newspaper Co Pty Ltd (1974) 131 CLR 69 at 97 applied