Bulga Coal Management Pty Ltd v Hope Wine Group Pty Ltd [2020] NSWSC 1783

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Bulga Coal Management Pty Ltd v Hope Wine Group Pty Ltd [2020] NSWSC 1783 Hearing dates: 27 November 2020 Date of orders: 10 December 2020 Decision date: 10 December 2020 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Ward CJ in Eq Decision: 1. Dismiss with costs the notice of motion filed on 1 October 2020 by the defendant. 2. List the matter for directions in the Real Property List on 18 December 2010. Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE – discovery – Practice Note SC Eq 11 – whether documents sought are relevant to the resolution of real issues in the proceedings – whether categories are unnecessarily oppressive – whether orders for discovery will unjustifiably delay proceedings – categories held to have at best tangential relevance – documents sought in relation to defence under s 133A of Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) not relevant where s 133A is not pleaded – held that limited potential relevance of documents sought does not warrant likely incursion of significant costs – delay likely to incur held to be inconsistent with just quick and cheap facilitation of proceedings – orders for discovery refused. Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 56, 57 Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW), s 133A Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 21.2 Cases Cited: Alister v R (1984) 154 CLR 404; [1984] HCA 85 Associated Dominions Assurance Society Pty Ltd v John Fairfax & Sons Pty Ltd (1952) 72 WN (NSW) 250 Attorney-General (NSW) v Chidgey [2008] NSWCCA 65 British American Tobacco Australia Ltd v Peter Gordon & Anor [2006] NSWSC 1473 Cosco Holdings Pty Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (Cth) [1997] FCA 1504; 37 ATR 432 Graphite Energy Pty Ltd v Lloyd Energy Systems Pty Ltd [2014] NSWSC 1326 ICAP Pty Ltd v Moebes [2009] NSWSC 306 In the matter of Metal Storm Limited (subject to a DOCA) [2016] NSWSC 306 Ingot Capital Investments Pty Ltd v Macquarie Equity Capital Markets (No 6) [2007] NSWSC 124. Leighton International v Hodges; Thiess Reinforced Earth [2012] NSWSC 458 Midcoast Petroleum Pty Ltd v Keldros Pty Ltd [2019] NSWSC 970 Nicholls v Michael Wilson and Partners Limited [2010] NSWCA 100 Palavi v Radio 2UE Sydney Pty Ltd [2011] NSWCA 264 Portal Software International Pty Ltd v Bodsworth [2005] NSWSC 1115 R v Saleam (1989) 16 NSWLR 14 Trade Practices Commission v Arnotts Ltd (No 2) (1989) 21 FCR 306; [1989] FCA 340 White v Tulloch (1995) 127 FLR 105; 19 Fam LR 696 Texts Cited: P Young, Annotated Conveyancing and Real Property Legislation New South Wales (3rd ed, 2003, Butterworths) Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Bulga Coal Management Pty Ltd (Plaintiff/Respondent) Hope Wine Group Pty Ltd (Defendant/Applicant) Representation: Counsel: B Hancock (Plaintiff/Respondent) D Parish (Defendant/Applicant)