Clipsal Australia Pty Ltd v Clipso Electrical Pty Ltd (No 3) [2017] FCA 60

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Clipsal Australia Pty Ltd v Clipso Electrical Pty Ltd (No 3) [2017] FCA 60 File number: NSD 2537 of 2013

Judge: PERRAM J

Date of judgment: 3 February 2017

Catchwords: TRADE MARKS – claims for infringement of trade marks – nature of the market for electrical accessories – whether first respondent's mark should be cancelled – whether first respondent infringed applicants' marks – whether first respondent's use trade mark use TORTS – passing off – whether respondents' conduct constituted passing off TRADE PRACTICES – whether respondents' conduct misleading and deceptive – whether representations about goods false or misleading

Legislation: Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) Sch 2 ss 2, 18, 29(1) and 236 Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) s 140 Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth) ss 6, 10, 17, 44, 57, 60, 62A, 88(1), 88(2), 120, 122(1) and 190(a)

Cases cited: 10th Cantanae Pty Ltd v Shoshana Pty Ltd (1987) 79 ALR 299 Anchorage Capital Partners Pty Ltd v ACPA Pty Ltd (2015) 115 IPR 67 Anchorage Capital Partners Pty Ltd v ACPA Pty Ltd (No 3) (2015) 331 ALR 512 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Air New Zealand (2014) 319 ALR 388 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Air New Zealand Ltd (No 5) (2012) 301 ALR 352 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v PT Garuda Indonesia Ltd (2016) 330 ALR 230 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v TPG Internet Pty Ltd (2013) 250 CLR 640 Australian Postal Corporation v Digital Post Australia (2013) 308 ALR 1 Australian Woollen Mills Ltd v FS Walton & Co Ltd (1937) 58 CLR 641 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 CA Henschke & Co v Rosemount Estates Pty Ltd (2000) 52 IPR 42 Cooper Engineering Co Pty Ltd v Sigmund Pumps Ltd (1952) 86 CLR 536 Crazy Ron's Communications Pty Ltd v Mobileworld Communications Pty Ltd (2004) 209 ALR 1 DC Comics v Cheqout Pty Ltd (2013) 212 FCR 194 de Cordova v Vick Chemical Co (1951) 68 RPC 103 Edmunds v Edmunds [1935] VLR 177 Edwards v The Queen (1993) 178 CLR 193 General Electric Co v The General Electric Co Ltd [1972] 1 WLR 729 Global One Mobile Entertainment Pty Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission [2012] FCAFC 134 Interlego AG v Croner Trading Pty Ltd (1992) 39 FCR 348 JR Consulting & Drafting Pty Ltd v Cummings (2016) 329 ALR 625 Keller v LED Technologies Pty Ltd (2010) 185 FCR 449 Mars Australia Pty Ltd v Sweet Rewards Pty Ltd (2009) 81 IPR 354 Mayne Industries Pty Ltd v Advanced Engineering Group Pty Ltd (2008) 166 FCR 312 McWilliam's Wines Pty Ltd v McDonald's System of Australia Pty Ltd (1980) 49 FLR 455 Norman Kark Publications Ltd v Odhams Press Ltd [1962] RPC 163 Parkdale Custom Built Furniture Pty Ltd v Puxu Pty Ltd (1982) 149 CLR 191 Reckitt & Coleman Products Ltd v Borden Inc [1990] RPC 341 Registrar of Trade Marks v Woolworths Ltd (1999) 93 FCR 365 Salena Estate Wines Pty Ltd v Devito (2005) 92 SASR 360 Scotch Whisky Association v De Witt (2007) 74 IPR 382 Shell Company of Australia Ltd v Esso Standard Oil (Australia) Ltd (1963) 109 CLR 407 Solarhart Industries Pty Ltd v Solar Shop Pty Ltd (2011) 281 ALR 544 Southern Cross Refrigerating Co v Toowoomba Foundry Pty Ltd (1954) 91 CLR 592 Symbion Pharmacy Services Pty Ltd v Idameneo (No 789) Ltd (2011) 91 IPR 547 The Kendall Co v Mulsyn Paint & Chemicals (1963) 109 CLR 300 Vivo International Corp Pty Ltd v Tivo Inc (2012) 294 ALR 661 Heydon JD, Cross on Evidence (10th ed, Lexis Nexis Butterworths, 2015)