Kennedy v Wallace [2004] FCA 332

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Kennedy v Wallace [2004] FCA 332 LEGAL PROFESSIONAL PRIVILEGE – communications prepared for purpose of consultation with foreign lawyer – proof that such communications were for the dominant purpose of obtaining legal advice – burden of proof not discharged LEGAL PROFESSIONAL PRIVILEGE – scope of privilege – communications for purpose of seeking or receiving foreign legal advice – communications for purpose of obtaining foreign assistance to evade scrutiny of assets and transactions by Australian authorities – whether communications entitled to legal professional privilege CRIMINAL LAW – investigations and inquiries – search and seizure – warrant authorising seizure of documents of specified class– whether warrant authorised seizure of documents reasonably suspected of falling within specified class EVIDENCE – proceedings seeking declaration that document is privileged from production – disputed document sought in the course of ongoing investigation conducted under statutory authority – whether hearsay evidence of purpose of creation of document admissible – whether proceedings final or interlocutory for purposes of Evidence Act EVIDENCE – statutory discretion to exclude prejudicial evidence – whether discretion restricted to cases of potential misuse of evidence by tribunal of fact – whether discretion restricted to cases of potential forensic prejudice in instant case

Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) ss 3, 3C, 3F Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) ss 75, 117, 135 Adler v Gardiner (2002) 43 ACSR 24; [2002] FCA 1141 distinguished Attorney-General (NT) v Kearney (1985) 158 CLR 500 applied Attorney-General (NT) v Maurice (1986) 161 CLR 475 applied Baker v Campbell (1983) 153 CLR 52 applied Brouwer v Titan Corporation Ltd (1997) 73 FCR 241, 149 ALR 50 distinguished Bunbury v Bunbury 1 Beavan 318 (48 ER 963) considered Commissioner of Australian Federal Police v Propend Finance Pty Ltd (1997) 188 CLR 501applied Commonwealth v Lyon (2003) 203 ALR 553 cited Commonwealth v Northern Land Council (1991) 30 FCR 1, 103 ALR 267 distinguished Dalleagles Pty Ltd v Australian Securities Commission (1991) 4 WAR 325 cited Daniels Corporation International Pty Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (2002) 77 ALJR 40; 192 ALR 561 applied DSE (Holdings) Pty Ltd v InterTAN Inc (2003) 203 ALR 348 referred to Esso Australia Resources Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1999) 201 CLR 49 applied Great Atlantic Insurance Co v Home Insurance Co [1981] 1 WLR 529 considered Grofam Pty Ltd v ANZ Banking Group (1993) 45 FCR 445 considered Hart v Commissioner of Australian Federal Police (2002) 124 FCR 384 cited Hooper v Kirella Pty Ltd (1999) 96 FCR 1 considered In Re Duncan (Deceased) [1968] P 306 considered International Business Machines Corp v Phoenix International (Computers) Ltd [1995] 1 All ER 413 considered Lawrence v Campbell (1859) 4 Drewry 485, 62 ER 186 considered London Economics (Aust) Pty Ltd v Frontier Economics Pty Ltd [1999] FCA 932 distinguished Macfarlan v Rolt (1872) L.R. 14 Eq 580 considered Malouf v Malouf (1999) 86 FCR 134 cited National Crime Authority v S (1991) 29 FCR 203 applied Papakosmas v The Queen (1999) 196 CLR 297 considered Re Bufalo Corporation Pty Ltd (No 2) (2002) 43 ACSR 241 distinguished Re Doran Constructions Pty Ltd (In Liq) (2002) 194 ALR 101 distinguished Ritz Hotel Ltd v Charles of the Ritz Ltd (No 4) (1987) 14 NSWLR 100 considered The Larrakia People v Northern Territory [2003] FCA 1175 cited Three Rivers District Council v The Governor & Company of the Bank of England [2004] EWCA Civ 218 referred to Three Rivers District Council v The Governor & Company of The Bank of England [2003] EWCA Civ 474 referred to Daiske Yoshida, The Applicability of the Attorney-client Privilege to Communications with Foreign Legal Professionals, 66 Fordham L Rev 209, 1997 Nygh and Davies, Conflict of Laws in Australia, 7th Edn, 2002 Paul F Rothstein and Susan W Crump, Federal Testimonial Privileges (2004) § 2:40 TREVOR JOHN KENNEDY v ANDREW CHARLES VERSCHUER WALLACE, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION AND COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE N 3065 OF 2003 GYLES J 25 MARCH 2004 SYDNEY