Liaoning Zhongwang Group Co Ltd v Alfield Group Pty Ltd [2017] FCA 1223

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Liaoning Zhongwang Group Co Ltd v Alfield Group Pty Ltd [2017] FCA 1223 File number: NSD 13 of 2017

Judge: GLEESON J

Date of judgment: 19 October 2017

Catchwords: ARBITRATION – application for summary judgment under s 31A of the Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) in respect of an application for enforcement of a foreign arbitral award under s 8(3) of the International Arbitration Act 1974 (Cth) – summary judgment and enforcement application resisted on the grounds that arbitration agreement not valid under the law of the country where the award was made, that the respondent was unable to present its case at the arbitration and that enforcement would be contrary to public policy – where law of foreign country not proved – where argued that arbitration agreement was a sham and that threats were made against the person of a director of the respondent preventing it from participating in the arbitration – application for summary judgment granted

Legislation: Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) s 31A International Arbitration Act 1974 (Cth) ss 2D, 3, 8, 9, 39 Federal Court Rules 2011 , rr 26.01, 28.44

Cases cited: Air Great Lakes Pty Ltd v K S Easter (Holdings) Pty Ltd (1985) 2 NSWLR 309 AJU v AJT [2011] SGCA 41; [2011] 4 SLR 739 Amasya Enterprises Pty Ltd v Asta Developments (Aust) Pty Ltd [2016] VSC 326 Application of ARD and RGD; re FGG and Family Law (Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption) Regulations 1998 (Cth) [2014] NSWSC 1963 Australian Broadcasting Corporation v XIVth Commonwealth Games Ltd (1988) 18 NSWLR 540 Australian Maritime Systems Ltd v McConnell Dowell Constructors (Aust) Pty Ltd [2016] WASC 52 Bakri Navigation Co Ltd v Owners of the Ship 'Golden Glory' Glorious Shipping SA [1991] FCA 306; (1991) 217 ALR 152 BP Exploration Co (Libya) Ltd v Hunt [1980] 1 NSWLR 496; (1980) 47 FLR 317 Comandate Marine Corp v Pan Australia Shipping Pty Ltd [2006] FCAFC 192; (2006) 157 FCR 45 Commercial Union Assurance Company of Australia Ltd v Ferrcom Pty Ltd (1991) 22 NSWLR 389 Dallah Real Estate & Tourism Holding Co v Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Government of Pakistan [2010] UKSC 46; [2011] 1 AC 763 Damberg v Damberg [2001] NSWCA 87; (2001) 52 NSWLR 492 Danthanarayana v Commonwealth of Australia [2016] FCAFC 114 Deutsche Schachtbau-und Tiefbohrgesellschaft mbH v R'As al-Khaimah National Oil Co [1987] 2 Lloyd's Rep 246; [1990] 1 AC 295 Dongwoo Mann+Hummel Co Ltd v Mann+Hummel GmbH [2008] 3 SLR 871; [2008] SGHC 67 Dynamit Actien-Gesellschaft v Rio Tinto Co Ltd [1918] AC 260 Equuscorp Pty Ltd v Glengallan Investments Pty Ltd [2004] HCA 55; (2004) 218 CLR 471 Florance v Hutchinson (1891) 17 VLR 471 Gujarat NRE Coke Limited v Coeclerici Asia (Pte) Ltd [2013] FCAFC 109; (2013) 304 ALR 468 Hebei Import & Export Corporation v Polytek Engineering Co Ltd [1999] HKC 205 Honeywell International Middle East Ltd v Meydan Group LLC (formerly known as Meydan LLC) [2014] EWHC 1344; [2014] 2 Lloyd's Rep 133 IMC Aviation Solutions Pty Ltd v Altain Khuder LLC [2011] VSCA 248; (2011) 38 VR 303 International Relief and Development Inc v Ladu [2014] FCA 887 Jefferson Ford Pty Ltd v Ford Motor Company of Australia Ltd [2008] FCAFC 60; (2008) 167 FCR 372 Monde Petroleum SA v Westernzagros Ltd [2015] EWHC 67 (Comm); [2015] Bus LR D11; [2015] 1 Lloyd's Rep 330 National Iranian Oil Company v Crescent Petroleum Company International Ltd [2016] EWHC 510 (Comm); [2016] 2 Lloyd's Rep 146 Neilson v Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria Ltd [2005] HCA 54; (2005) 223 CLR 331 Nichol v Discovery Africa Ltd [2016] FCAFC 182; (2016) 118 ACSR 554 Österreichische Länderbank v S'Elite Ltd [1981] QB 565; [1980] 3 WLR 356 Polar Aviation Pty Ltd v Civil Aviation Safety Authority [2012] FCAFC 97; (2012) 203 FCR 325 PT First Media TBK (formerly known as PT Broadband Multimedia TBK) v Astro Nusantara International BV [2014] 1 SLR 372; [2013] SGCA 57 Raftland Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation of the Commonwealth of Australia [2008] HCA 21; (2008) 238 CLR 516 Royal Boskalis Westminster NV v Mountain [1999] QB 674; [1998] 2 WLR 538 Soleimany v Soleimany [1999] QB 785; [1998] 3 WLR 811 Spencer v Commonwealth [2010] HCA 28; (2010) 241 CLR 118 Sun Tian Gang v Hong Kong & China Gas (Jilin) Ltd [2016] HKEC 2128 TCL Air Conditioner (Zhongshan) Company Ltd v Castel Electronics Pty Ltd [2014] FCAFC 83; 232 FCR 361 Temilkovski v Australian Iron & Steel Pty Ltd (1966) 67 SR (NSW) 211; [1996] 1 NSWR 276 (CA) The Parchim [1918] AC 157 The Ship "Mercury Bell" v Amosin (1986) 27 DLR (4th) 641 Toyota Motor Corporation Australia Ltd v Ken Morgan Motors Pty Ltd (1994) 2 VR 106 Uganda Telecom Ltd v Hi-Tech Telecom Pty Ltd [2011] FCA 131; (2011) 277 ALR 441 Vantage Systems Pty Ltd v Priolo Corporation Pty Ltd [2015] WASCA 21; (2015) 47 WAR 547 Westacre Investments Inc v Jugoimport­SPDR Holding Co Ltd [2000] 1 QB 288; [1998] 2 WLR 770 Davies M, Bell AS and Brereton PLG, Nygh's Conflict of Laws (9th ed, LexisNexis Butterworths, 2014) Gaillard E and Di Pietro D (eds); Leleu-Knobil N (reference ed), Enforcement of Arbitration Agreements and International Arbitral Awards: The New York Convention in Practice (Cameron May, 2008) Morris JHC (ed), Dicey and Morris on the Conflict of Laws, (10th ed, Sweet & Maxwell, 1980) Heydon JD, Cross on Evidence (7th ed, LexisNexis Butterworths, 2004) Heydon JD, Cross on Evidence (11th ed, LexisNexis Butterworths, 2017)