Jasmin Solar Pty Ltd v Trina Solar Australia Pty Ltd [2015] FCA 1453

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Jasmin Solar Pty Ltd v Trina Solar Australia Pty Ltd [2015] FCA 1453 Citation: Jasmin Solar Pty Ltd v Trina Solar Australia Pty Ltd [2015] FCA 1453

Parties: JASMIN SOLAR PTY LTD ACN 158 644 225 v TRINA SOLAR AUSTRALIA PTY LTD ACN 150 695 524 and TRINA SOLAR (US) INC

File number: QUD 905 of 2015

Judge: EDELMAN J

Date of judgment: 17 December 2015

Catchwords: PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW – service of process outside the jurisdiction – residual discretion to refuse leave if the proceeding would be stayed – proper law to apply where there is a dispute concerning whether a person is a party to agreement containing a proper law clause ARBITRATION – meaning of a "party to an arbitration agreement" in 7(2) of the International Arbitration Act – whether claims under Australian Consumer Law are capable of arbitration – whether claims are connected with the contract CONTRACT – agency – unnamed principal – whether principal undisclosed – doctrine of undisclosed principal – whether undisclosed principal is a party to an agent's contract

Legislation: Australian Consumer Law (Schedule 2 of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth)) ss 18 , 29(1)(a), 236, 237, 243 International Arbitration Act 1974 (Cth) ss 3, 7, 7(1), 7(1)(a), 7(1)(b), 7(1)(d), 7(2), 7(2)(b), 7(4), 8(5)(b) Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) rr 1.33, 10.42 10.43, 10.43(2), 10.43(4)

Cases cited: Allergan Pharmaceuticals Inc & Anor v Bausch & Lomb Inc & Anor (1985) ATPR 40-636 Amin Rasheed Shipping Corporation v Kuwait Insurance Co [1984] 1 AC 50 Armstrong v Stokes (1872) LR 7 QB 598 BEST Australia Ltd v Aquagas Marketing Pty Ltd [1988] FCA 242; (1988) 83 ALR 217 Bray v F Hoffman-La Roche [2003] FCAFC 153; (2003) 130 FCR 317 Cape Lambert Resources Ltd v MCC Australia Sanjin Mining Pty Ltd [2013] WASCA 66; (2013) 298 ALR 666 Casaceli v Natuzzi SpA [2012] FCA 691; (2012) 292 ALR 143 Cell Tech Communications Pty Ltd v Nokia Mobile Phones (United Kingdom) Ltd [1995] FCA 1211; (1995) 58 FCR 365 Comandate Marine Corp v Pan Australia Shipping Pty Ltd [2006] FCAFC 192; (2006) 157 FCR 45 Commonwealth Bank of Australia v White [1999] VSA 262; [1999] 2 VR 681 Compagnie d'Armement Maritime SA v Compagnie Tunisienne de Navigation SA [1971] AC 572 Dampskibsselskabet Nordon A/S v Gladstone Civil Pty Ltd [2013] FCAFC 107; (2013) 216 FCR 469 Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Co Ltd v Selfridge & Co Ltd [1915] AC 847 Epps v Rothnie [1945] KB 562 F Drughorn Ltd v Rederiaktiebolaget Transatlantic [1919] AC 203 Ferris v Plaister (1994) 34 NSWLR 474 Fiona Trust & Holding Corporation v Privalov [2007] UKHL 40; [2007] 4 All ER 951 Freeman & Lockyer (a firm) v Buckhurst Park Properties (Mangal) Ltd [1964] 2 QB 480 Gardiner v Heading [1928] 2 KB 284 Hargood v OHTL Public Company Ltd [2015] NSWSC 446 Ho v Akai Pty Ltd (in liquidation) [2006] FCAFC 159; (2006) 24 ACLC 1,526 Humane Society International Inc v Kyodo Senpaku Kaisha Ltd [2006] FCAFC 116; (2006) 154 FCR 425 Humble v Hunter (1842) 12 QB 310 IBM Australia v National Distribution Services Ltd (1991) 22 NSWLR 466 IMC Aviation Solutions Pty Ltd v Altain Khuder LLC [2011] VSCA 248; (2011) 38 VR 303 Integrated Asset Management Pty Ltd v Trans Communications Pty Ltd [2015] NSWSC 984 Keighley, Maxsted & Co v Durant [1901] AC 240 Mackender v Feldia AG [1967] 2 QB 590 Norden A/S v Beach Building and Civil Group Pty Ltd [2012] FCA 696; (2012) 292 ALR 161 Oceanic Sun Line Special Shipping Company Inc v Fay [1988] HCA 32; (1988) 165 CLR 197 Perdaman Chemicals and Fertilisers Pty Ltd v ICICI Bank Ltd [2013] FCA 175 Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd v Bligh (1940) 41 SR (NSW) 33 Peterson Farms Inc v C & M Farming Ltd [2004] EWHC 121 QH Tours v Ship Design & Management (Aust) Pty Ltd (1991) 105 ALR 371 Quikfund (Australia) Pty Ltd v Prosperity Group International Pty Limited (In Liq) [2013] FCAFC 5; (2013) 209 FCR 368 Quinlan v Safe International Forsakrings AB [2005] FCA 1362 Scott v Davis [2000] HCA 52; (2000) 204 CLR 333 Siu Yin Kwan v Eastern Ins Co Ltd [1994] 2 AC 199 Spiliada Maritime Corp Ltd v Cansulex Ltd [1987] AC 460 Sydbank Soenderjylland A/S v Bannerton Holdings Pty Ltd [1996] FCA 1224; (1996) 68 FCR 539 Venter v Ilona MY Ltd [2012] NSWSC 1029 Walter Rau Neusser Oel und Fett AG v Cross Pacific Trading Ltd [2005] FCA 1102 Voth v Manildra Flour Mills Pty Ltd [1990] HCA 55; (1990) 171 CLR 538 Webster Computer Systems Pty Ltd v Fujitsu Ltd [2007] FCA 825 Western Australia v Vetter Trittler Pty Ltd (in liq) (1993) 30 FCR 102 WesTrac Pty Ltd v Eastcoast OTR Tyres Pty Ltd [2008] NSWSC 894; (2008) 219 FLR 461 White v Baycorp Advantage Business Information Services Ltd [2006] NSWSC 441; (2006) 200 FLR 125 WSGAL Pty Ltd v Trade Practices Commission [1992] FCA 510; (1992) 39 FCR 472 Briggs A, "The Formation of International Contracts" [1990] LMCLQ 192 Davies M, AS Bell and Brereton PLG, Nygh's Conflict of Laws in Australia (9th ed, LexisNexis Butterworths, 2014) Delaney J and Lewis K "The Presumptive Approach to the Construction of Arbitration Agreements and the Principle of Separability – English Law Post Fiona Trust and Australian Law Contrasted" (2008) 31(1) UNSW Law Journal 341 Dicey, Morris, and Collins on The Conflict of Laws (15th ed, Sweet & Maxwell, 2012, vol 2)