Guglielman v Trescowthick [2004] FCA 326

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Guglielman v Trescowthick [2004] FCA 326 PRACTICE & PROCEDURE – pleadings – application to strike out statement of claim – whether the statement of claim discloses no reasonable cause of action, has a tendency to cause prejudice, embarrassment or delay and is an abuse of process of the Court – whether the requirements to sustain a cause of action under s 52 Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) (TPA) and s 56 Fair Trading Act 1987 (SA) (FTA) are made out in the statement of claim – whether the statement of claim alleges conduct which involved the use of postal, telegraphic or telephonic services to bring it within the extended operation of s 52 TPA – whether the statement of claim pleads the material facts enlivening liability under s 52 TPA and s 12DA Australian Securities and Investment Commission Act 1989 (Cth) (ASICA) – whether the conduct alleged in the statement of claim could arguably fall within the description of being 'in relation to financial services' – whether the statement of claim pleads any material fact which, if proven, would establish that the respondents made any of the communications – whether the pleading in relation to s 999 Corporations Law (Cth) is so broad that it is embarrassing and meaningless – whether the statement of claim contains allegations relating to the elements of causation and loss in the causes of action based upon s 52 TPA, s 56 FTA and s 12DA ASICA – whether the statement of claim is embarrassing because it does not identify the source of the alleged statutory duty

Australian Securities and Investment Commission Act 1989 (Cth) ss 12AA(3), 12AE, 12BA, 12DA, 12GF, 12GH(4) Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) s 1400 Corporate Law Economic Reform Program Act 1999 (Cth) Corporate Law Reform Act 1994 (Cth) Corporate Law Reform Bill 1993 (Cth) Corporations Law(Cth) ss 79, 670A, 728, 729, 731, 733, 765, 995, 995A, 999, 1005; up to 30 June 1998: ss 295A, 295B, 302, 303, 305; after 1 July 1998: ss 292, 295, 298, 302; up to 13 March 2000: s 232; after 13 March 2000: ss 180, 185, 1317H Fair Trading Act 1987 (SA) ss 54, 56, 84 Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) Federal Court Rules (Cth) O 11 r 16 Financial Sector Reform (Consequential Amendments) Act 1998 (Cth) Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) ss 6(3), 51N, 51A, 52, 75B, 82, 84(4) Dey v Victorian Railway Commissioners (1949) 78 CLR 62 cited General Steel Industries Inc v Commissioner for Railways (NSW) (1964) 112 CLR 125 cited Banque Commerciale SA, En Liquidation v Akhil Holdings Ltd (1990) 169 CLR 279 applied McKellar v Container Terminal Management Services Ltd (1999) 165 ALR 409; [1999] FCA 1101 applied Global Sportsman Pty Ltd v Mirror Newspapers Pty Ltd (1984) 2 FCR 82 cited Australian Ocean Line Pty Ltd v West Australian Newspapers (1983) 66 FLR 453 cited Universal Telecasters (Qld) Ltd v Guthrie (1978) 32 FLR 360 cited Gardam v George Wills & Co Ltd (1988) 82 ALR 415 cited Barton v Croner Trading Pty Ltd (1984) 54 ALR 541 cited Korczynski v Wes Loftus (Aust) Pty Ltd (1985) 62 ALR 225 cited Yorke v Lucas (1985) 158 CLR 661 discussed Cassidy v Saatchi & Saatchi Australia Pty Ltd [2004] FCAFC 34 cited King v Milpurrurru (1996) 136 ALR 327 distinguished Mentmore Manufacturing Co Ltd v Merchandise Marketing Co Inc (1978) 89 DLR (3d) 195 referred to Microsoft Corporation v Auschina Polaris Pty Ltd (1996) 71 FCR 231 cited Williams v Natural Life Health Foods Ltd [1998] 2 All ER 577 cited Synman v Cooper (1989) 91 ALR 209 applied Nescor Industries Group Pty Ltd v Miba Pty Ltd (1997) 150 ALR 633 cited Water Board v Moustakas (1988) 180 CLR 491 cited Dare v Pulham (1982) 148 CLR 658 referred to Australian Competition & Consumer Commission v Maritime Union of Australia (2001) 187 ALR 487; [2001] FCA 1549 applied Multigroup Distribution Services Pty Ltd v TNT Australia Pty Ltd (1996) ATPR 41-522 applied Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 applied Rejfek v McElroy (1965) 112 CLR 517 applied Janssen-Cilag Pty Ltd v Pfizer Pty Ltd (1992) 109 ALR 638 applied Wardley Australia Ltd v Western Australia (1992) 175 CLR 514 applied March v Stramare (E & M H) Pty Ltd (1991) 171 CLR 506 referred to South Australia v Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co (1997) 24 ACSR 231 cited Esanda Finance Corporation Ltd v Peat Marwick Hungerfords (1997) 188 CLR 241 applied O'Connor v SP Bray Ltd (1937) 56 CLR 464 applied Gardiner v State of Victoria [1999] 2 VR 461 applied Byrne v Australian Airlines Ltd (1995) 185 CLR 410 referred to Philip Morris (Australia) Ltd v Nixon (2000) 170 ALR 487 cited Lowe, Lippman, Figdor & Frank v A.G.C. (Advances) Ltd [1992] VR 671 Mutual Life & Citizens Assurance Co Ltd v Evatt (1968) 122 CLR 556 referred to Hedley Byrne & Co Ltd v Heller Partners [1964] AC 465 referred to ELEANOR GUGLIELMAN v ADAM JOHN TRESCOWTHICK, JOHN MAURICE PATTEN, ROSS GRAHAM OAKLEY, ROBERT DAVID MATTINGLY, ROGER ANDREW CURTIS & MARK CHARLES TRESCOWTHICK S 153 of 2002 MANSFIELD J 25 MARCH 2004 ADELAIDE