Infrastructure Services Luxembourg S.a.r.l. v Kingdom of Spain (security for costs) [2024] FCA 234

Federal Court of Australia

Infrastructure Services Luxembourg S.à.r.l. v Kingdom of Spain (security for costs) [2024] FCA 234 File number: NSD 602 of 2019

Judgment of: STEWART J

Date of judgment: 13 March 2024

Catchwords: PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW – privileges of consular officials – Vienna Convention on Consular Relations – whether ordering foreign state to provide security for costs in its application to assert consular immunity would infringe on consular immunity PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – security for costs – where application made for foreign state to provide security for costs in application by that state for the court to reconsider ex parte examination orders naming consular officers – power of the court to order security for costs – whether a party has a right to challenge orders made against it ex parte unfettered by the imposition of conditions such as provision of security for costs – exercise of discretion

Legislation: Consular Privileges and Immunities Act 1972 (Cth) s 5 Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) ss 53, 54, 56, 59(1) Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) rr 19.01, 39.05(a), 41.01, 41.10(1), Sch 1 Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) s 108 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) r 38.02(3) Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, opened for signature 24 April 1963, 596 UNTS 261 (entered into force 19 March 1967), Arts 40, 44

Cases cited: A1 for Maintenance Pty Ltd v Lehal Pty Ltd [2018] FCA 1476 Australian Federation of Islamic Councils Inc v Westpac Banking Corp (1988) 17 NSWLR 623 Bryan E Fencott & Associates Pty Ltd v Eretta Pty Ltd [1987] FCA 102; 16 FCR 497 Cameron v Cole [1944] HCA 5; 68 CLR 571 Commissioner of Taxation v Vasiliades [2016] FCAFC 170; 344 ALR 558 Eiser Infrastructure Ltd v Kingdom of Spain [2020] FCA 157; 142 ACSR 616 Fiorentino v Irons [1997] FCA 1425; 79 FCR 327 Juan Ysmael & Co Inc v Government of the Republic of Indonesia [1955] AC 72 Kingdom of Spain v Infrastructure Services Luxembourg S.à.r.l. (No 2) [2021] FCAFC 28; 388 ALR 315 Kingdom of Spain v Infrastructure Services Luxembourg S.à.r.l. (No 3) [2021] FCAFC 112; 392 ALR 443 Kingdom of Spain v Infrastructure Services Luxembourg S.à.r.l. [2021] FCAFC 3; 284 FCR 319 Kingdom of Spain v Infrastructure Services Luxembourg S.à.r.l. [2023] HCA 11; 275 CLR 292 Lal v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (No 2) [2014] FCA 892 Madgwick v Kelly [2013] FCAFC 61; 212 FCR 1 Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co Ltd v Generic Health Pty Ltd [2019] FCA 230; 140 IPR 109 Savcor Pty Ltd v Cathodic Protection International APS [2005] VSCA 213; 12 VR 639 Shearson Lehman Brothers Inc v MacLaine Watson & Co Ltd (No 2) [1988] 1 WLR 16 Davies, M et al Nygh's Conflict of Laws in Australia (10th ed., LexisNexis Butterworths, 2020)