AWB Limited v Australian Securities and Investments Commission [2008] FCA 1877

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

AWB Limited v Australian Securities and Investments Commission [2008] FCA 1877 PRIVILEGE – whether Australian Securities and Investment Commission Act 2001 (Cth) (ASIC Act) abrogates legal professional privilege – where ASIC decides pursuant to s 127(4) of the ASIC Act to share with another agency information gathered in the course of an ASIC investigation from persons who may have inadvertently or voluntarily disclosed communications subject to legal professional privilege of a third party – whether ASIC is required to give the third party a reasonable opportunity to assert legal professional privilege before sharing information – when corporate employee may assert or waive privilege belonging to corporation Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth) ss 13, 19, 22, 23, 68, 76, 127 Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) s 122 Ainsworth v Criminal Justice Commission (1992) 175 CLR 564 cited Annetts v McCann (1990) 170 CLR 596 cited British Coal Corporation v Dennis Rye Ltd (No 2) [1988] 3 All ER 816 cited Cadbury Schweppes Pty Ltd v Amcor Ltd (2008) 246 ALR 137 cited Commodity Futures Trading Commission v Weintraub 471 US 343 (1985) cited Cowell v British American Tobacco Australia Services Ltd [2007] VSCA 301 discussed Daniels Corporation International Pty Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (2002) 213 CLR 543 applied Federal Commissioner of Taxation v Citibank Ltd (1989) 20 FCR 403 disapproved Gangemi v Australian Securities and Investments Commission (2003) 129 FCR 284 cited In re Grand Jury Proceedings 469 F3d 24 (1st Cir 2006) cited JMA Accounting Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation (2004) 139 FCR 537 followed Johns v Australian Securities Commission (1993) 178 CLR 408 referred to Mann v Carnell (1999) 201 CLR 1 cited May v Deputy Commissioner of Taxation (1999) 92 FCR 152 Minister for Aboriginal Affairs v Peko-Wallsend Ltd (1985) 162 CLR 24 cited Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Yusuf (2001) 206 CLR 323 cited MM v Australian Crime Commission (2007) 244 ALR 452 considered Onefone Australia Pty Ltd v One.Tel Ltd [2007] NSWSC 1188 cited NP Generations Pty Ltd v Feneley (2001) 80 SASR 151 cited Rochfort v Trade Practices Commission (1982) 153 CLR 134 considered United States v Western Electric Corp Inc 1990-1 Trade Cases ¶ 68,939; 1990 WL 39129 (DDC 1990) cited Wrench LLC v Taco Bell Corporation 212 FRD 514 (WD Mich 2002) cited Australian Law Reform Commission, Privilege in Perspective, ALRC Report No 107 (2007) S McNicol, Law of Privilege (1992) AWB LIMITED v AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION