Dresna Pty Ltd v Misu Nominees Pty Ltd [2003] FCA 1537

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Dresna Pty Ltd v Misu Nominees Pty Ltd [2003] FCA 1537

PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – pleadings – application for leave to amend – whether proposed further amended statement of claim discloses reasonable cause of action – whether failure to plead material facts – whether pleading embarrassing – whether leave should be refused on discretionary grounds TORT – tort of conspiracy – whether appropriately pleaded – requirement that conspirators intend to injure applicant – whether "target" too general – "unlawful means" conspiracy – whether breach of contract constitutes "unlawful means" – whether making of "false suggestion" to ACCC relevantly unlawful act – whether breach of undertaking given under s 87B of Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) relevantly unlawful act – whether provision of false or misleading document to ACCC conduct "in trade or commerce" – whether conspiracy claim "mere surplusage" – whether unlawful act must itself be actionable – whether "unlawful means" must be same act for all conspirators

Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) ss 46, 52, 87B Patents Act 1952 (Cth) s 100(1)(k) Patents Act 1990 (Cth) s 138 Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth) ss 136, 137 Federal Court Rules O 11, O 13 r 2(2) The Commonwealth v Verwayen (1990) 170 CLR 394 at 456 discussed Queensland v JL Holdings Pty Limited (1997) 189 CLR 146 applied Cropper v Smith (1884) 26 ChD 700 at 710 cited 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 129 applied Prestige Group (Australia) Pty Ltd v Dart Industries Inc (1990) 26 FCR 197 at 213-219 distinguished Lonrho plc v Fayed [1990] 2 QB 479 at 489-490 and 492 discussed Lonrho plc v Fayed [1992] 1 AC 448 at 470 discussed Concrete Constructions (NSW) Pty Limited v Nelson (1990) 169 CLR 594 applied Mulcahy v R (1868) LR 3 HL 306 at 307 referred to Ahern v The Queen (1988) 165 CLR 87 at 93 referred to Allen v Flood [1898] AC 1 at 108 referred to Quinn v Leathem [1901] AC 495 referred to Sorrell v Smith [1925] AC 700 referred to Crofter Hand Woven Harris Tweed Co v Veitch [1942] AC 435 referred to Lonrho Ltd v Shell Petroleum Co Ltd (No 2) [1982] AC 173 at 186 discussed Elliott v Seymour [1999] FCA 976 discussed McKellar v Container Terminal Management Services Ltd (1999) 165 ALR 409 at 415-417, 435 discussed Maritime Union of Australia v Geraldton Port Authority (1999) 93 FCR 34 at 102, 104 discussed Metall und Rohstoff A.G. v Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette Inc [1990] 1 QB 391 referred to Lonrho Ltd v Shell Petroleum Co Ltd [1981] Com LR 74 discussed Grupo Torras SA v Sheikh Fahad Mohammed Al-Sabah [1999] All ER (D) 698 discussed Rookes v Barnard [1964] AC 1129 at 1204 referred to Credit Lyonnais Bank Nederland NV v Export Credit Guarantee Department [1998] 1 Lloyds LR 19 at 32 referred to Yukong Line Ltd of Korea v Rendsburg Investments Corp of Liberia (No. 2) [1998] 4 All ER 83 at 98-101 referred to Michaels v Taylor Woodrow Developments Ltd [2001] Ch 493 at 503-511 discussed Surzur Overseas Ltd v Koros [1999] 2 Lloyds CR 611 at 616-617 referred to Fatimi Ltd v Bryant (2002) Aust Tort Rep 81-677 at [183] and [195] discussed National Phonograph Company v Edison-Bell Consolidated Phonograph Company [1908] 1 Ch 335 referred to Williams v Hursey (1959) 103 CLR 30 at 76-80, 104-108, 122 referred to Coal Miners' Industrial Union of Workers (WA), Collie v True (1959) 33 ALJR 224 at 227 referred to Gold Coast City Council v Pioneer Concrete (Qld) Pty Ltd (1998) 157 ALR 135 at 150 referred to Vickery v Taylor (1910) 11 SR (NSW) 119 at 130-131 discussed Beach Petroleum NL v Johnson (1993) 43 FCR 1 at 19 cited McWilliam v Penthouse Publications Ltd [2001] NSWCA 237 at [13] cited IMAC Security Services Pty Ltd v Tyco Australia Pty Ltd [2002] VSC 592 at [27] cited O'Brien v Dawson (1942) 66 CLR 18 discussed Southan v Grounds (1916) 16 SR (NSW) 274 referred to Murphy v Farmer (1988) 165 CLR 19 referred to Musgrave v Martin [2003] FCA 920 referred to Joyce v Grimshaw (2000) 105 FCR 232 at 241-243 referred to Torquay Hotel Co Ltd v Cousins [1969] 2 Ch 106 at 139 referred to Davies v Nyland (1975) 10 SASR 76 at 96 referred to