Johnson Tiles Pty Ltd v Esso Australia Ltd [2000] FCA 495

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Johnson Tiles Pty Ltd v Esso Australia Ltd [2000] FCA 495 PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – Litigant requesting documents under freedom of information legislation from a government agency to assist it in presenting and conducting a case against that agency – Whether request is an interference with the administration of justice – whether the request undermined the integrity of the discovery processes of the Court – whether request vexatious and oppressive FREEDOM OF INFORMATION – Whether there are limitations upon a litigant's entitlement to request information from a government agency to assist the conduct of the litigant's case against the agency Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Vic) ss 17, 25A and 31 Environmental Protection Agency v Mink 410 U.S. 73 (1973) - cited Moussa v State of New York 458 N.Y.S. 2d 377 (A.D. 1982) - cited In the Matter of M. Farbman & Sons Inc v New York City Health and Hospitals Corp 62 N.Y. 2d 75 (1984) - considered Ryder v Booth [1985] VR 869 – cited Accident Compensation Commission v Croom [1991] 2 VR 322 – cited Department of Premier and Cabinet v Birrell [1990] VR 51 – cited Sobh v Police Force of Victoria [1994] 1 VR 41 – cited Victorian Public Service Board v Wright (1996) 64 ALR 206 – cited Victoria v Australian Building Construction Employees and Builders Labourers' Federation (1982) 152 CLR 25 – cited Pioneer Concrete (Vic) Pty Ltd v Trade Practices Commission (1982) 152 CLR 460 – cited Sentry Corporation v Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co (1990) 95 ALR 11 – cited South Carolina Co v Assurantie N.V. [1987] 1 A.C. 24 – applied CSR Ltd v Cigna Insurance Australia Ltd (1997) 189 CLR 345 – considered Environment Protection Authority v Caltex Refining Co Pty Ltd (1993) 178 CLR 477 – applied All-State Life Insurance Co v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (1996) 64 FCR 61 – distinguished National Labor Relations Board v Robbins Tire Rubber Co 437 U.S. 214 (1978) – cited