Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Allergy Pathway Pty Ltd (No 2) [2011] FCA 74

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Allergy Pathway Pty Ltd (No 2) [2011] FCA 74 Citation: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Allergy Pathway Pty Ltd (No 2) [2011] FCA 74

Parties: AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION v ALLERGY PATHWAY PTY LTD (FORMERLY ADVANCED ALLERGY ELIMINATION PTY LTD) and PAUL FREDERICK KEIR

File number: VID 361 of 2009

Judges: FINKELSTEIN J

Date of judgment: 10 February 2011

Catchwords: CONTEMPT OF COURT – civil contempt – breach of undertaking not to publish or cause to be published – whether statements posted on the respondent's Facebook and Twitter pages by others constitutes publication by the respondent – appropriate penalty

Legislation: Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth), s 31 Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth), s 24

Cases cited: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Allergy Pathway Pty Ltd [2009] FCA 960 Australian Meat Industry Employees Union v Mudginberri Station Pty Ltd (1986) 161 CLR 98 Biba Ltd v Stratford Investments Ltd [1973] Ch 281 Bunt v Tilley [2007] 1 WLR 1243 Byrne v Deane [1937] KB 818 Godfrey v Demon Internet Ltd [2001] QB 201 Hebditch v McIlwaine [1894] 2 QB 54 Lee v Wilson (1934) 51 CLR 276 Louis Vuitton Malletier SA v Design Elegance Pty Ltd (2006) 149 FCR 494 McLeod v St Aubyn [1899] AC 549 R v Griffiths; Ex parte Attorney General [1957] 2 QB 192 R v Thomson Newspapers Ltd; Ex parte Attorney-General [1968] 1 WLR 1 Thompson v Australian Capital Television Pty Ltd (1996) 186 CLR 574 Urbanchich v Drummoyne Municipal Council (1991) Aust Torts Reports ¶81-127 (NSW SC) Witham v Holloway (1995) 183 CLR 525