Roberts-Smith v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Limited (No 25) [2021] FCA 1558

Federal Court of Australia

Roberts-Smith v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Limited (No 25) [2021] FCA 1558 File numbers: NSD 1485 of 2018 NSD 1486 of 2018 NSD 1487 of 2018

Judgment of: ABRAHAM J

Date of judgment: 14 December 2021

Catchwords: PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – application for leave to inspect, uplift and copy documents – legal professional privilege – whether privilege has been waived – whether conduct of respondents is consistent with the maintenance of the privilege – where documents sought are relevant to the respondents' application for leave to issue a subpoena to a witness to give evidence – privilege waived – leave granted

Cases cited: Attorney-General (NT) v Maurice [1986] HCA 80; (1986) 161 CLR 475 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Australian Lending Centre Pty Ltd (No 2) [2011] FCA 1057; (2011) 283 ALR 299 AWB Ltd v Cole (No 5) [2006] FCA 1234; (2006) 155 FCR 30 Commissioner of Taxation v Rio Tinto Ltd [2006] FCAFC 86; (2006) 151 FCR 341 Council of the New South Wales Bar Association v Archer [2008] NSWCA 164; (2008) 72 NSWLR 236 DSE (Holdings) Pty Ltd v Intertan Inc [2003] FCA 384; (2003) 127 FCR 499 Goldberg v Ng [1995] HCA 39; (1995) 185 CLR 83 Mann v Carnell [1999] HCA 66; (1999) 201 CLR 1 New South Wales v Betfair Pty Ltd [2009] FCAFC 160; (2009) 180 FCR 543 Osland v Secretary, Department of Justice [2008] HCA 37; (2008) 234 CLR 275 Roberts-Smith v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Limited (No 12) [2021] FCA 465 Roberts-Smith v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Limited (No 23) [2021] FCA 1460