Secretary of the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment v Blacktown City Council [2021] NSWCA 145

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Secretary of the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment v Blacktown City Council [2021] NSWCA 145 Hearing dates: 31 May 2021 Date of orders: 15 July 2021 Decision date: 15 July 2021 Before: Bell P at [1]; Brereton JA at [83]; McCallum JA at [98] Decision: 1. Grant leave to appeal. 2. Appeal dismissed with costs. Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE – subpoenas – to produce documents or things – application to set aside – legitimate forensic purpose – test for determining the validity of a subpoena issued in civil proceedings – whether sufficient that the documents sought by a subpoena have "apparent relevance" to an issue in the proceedings – whether necessary to satisfy the court that the documents are likely materially to assist the case of the party issuing the subpoena – consideration of bases for setting aside subpoenas CIVIL PROCEDURE – Subpoenas – Legitimate forensic purpose – origins of concept – converse of abuse of process – whether a party issuing a subpoena will lack a legitimate forensic purpose if unable to demonstrate that documents sought by subpoena likely to assist its case – legitimate forensic purpose may be presumed where documents sought have apparent relevance to matters in issue or are capable of assisting in cross examination COURTS AND JUDGES – precedential value of decisions of Court of Appeal refusing leave to appeal. Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) ss 4, 56, Sch 1 Evidence Act 1898 (NSW) s 12 Justices Act 1902 (NSW) ss 26, 36(3) Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991 (NSW) Land and Environment Court Act 1979 (NSW) s 38(1)-(2) Oaths Act 1900 (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) s 101(2)(e) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) r 51.14 Cases Cited: A v Z (2007) 212 FLR 255; [2007] NSWSC 899 Air Canada v Secretary of State for Trade [1983] 2 AC 394 Alister v The Queen (1984) 154 CLR 404; [1984] HCA 85 Attorney-General (NSW) v Chidgey (2008) 182 A Crim R 536; [2008] NSWCCA 65 Attorney-General for New South Wales v Stuart (1994) 34 NSWLR 667; (1994) 75 A Crim R 8 Botany Bay Instrumentation and Control Pty Limited v Stewart [1984] 3 NSWLR 98 Brand v Digi-Tech [2001] NSWSC 425 Burchard v Macfarlane [1891] 2 QB 241 Carroll v The Attorney-General for New South Wales (1993) 70 A Crim R 162 Carter v Hayes (1994) 61 SASR 451; (1994) 72 A Crim R 387 Commissioner of Taxation v Glastonbury Steel Fabrications Pty Ltd (1984) 75 FLR 298; (1984) 15 ATR 887 Cornwell v R [2010] NSWCCA 59 CSR Limited v Cigna Insurance Australia Limited (1997) 189 CLR 345; [1997] HCA 33 D v Australian Financial Security Authority, formerly known as Insolvency & Trustee Service Australia [2017] NSWCA 50 Gould v Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) (2018) 333 FLR 352; [2018] NSWCCA 109 Hassan v Sydney Local Health District (No 2) [2021] NSWCA 122 Hatton v Attorney-General (Cth) (2000) 158 FLR 31; [2000] FamCA 892 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 ICAP Australia Pty Ltd v BGC Partners (Australia) Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 307 ICAP Pty Ltd v Moebes [2009] NSWSC 306 In re the Will of F. B. Gilbert (deceased) (1946) 46 SR (NSW) 318; (1946) 63 WN (NSW) 176 In the matter of Force Corp Pty Ltd (Recs and Mgrs Apptd) (in liq) [2018] NSWSC 896 La La Land Byron Bay Pty Limited v The Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority [2015] NSWCA 254 Lane v The Registrar of The Supreme Court of New South Wales (Equity Division) (1981) 148 CLR 245; [1981] HCA 35 Liristis v Gadelrabb [2009] NSWSC 441 Lowery v Insurance Australia Ltd (2015) 90 NSWLR 320; [2015] NSWCA 303 Maddison v Goldrick [1976] 1 NSWLR 651 Mohareb v Saratoga Marine Pty Ltd [2020] NSWCA 235 National Employers' Mutual General Association Ltd v Waind [1978] 1 NSWLR 372 Nicholls v Michael Wilson & Partners Limited [2010] NSWCA 100 Norris v Kandiah [2007] NSWSC 1296 Phelps v Prothero (1849) 2 De G & Sm 274; [1849] 64 ER 123 Portal Software v Bodsworth [2005] NSWSC 1115 PPK Willoughby Pty Ltd v Baird [2019] NSWCA 48 R v Keane [1994] 1 WLR 746; [1994] 2 All ER 478 R v McPhail (1988) 36 A Crim R 390 R v Reardon (No 2) (2004) 60 NSWLR 454; [2004] NSWCCA 197 R v Saleam (1989) 16 NSWLR 14; (1989) 39 A Crim R 406 R v Saleam [1999] NSWCCA 86 R v Spizzirri (2000) 117 A Crim R 101; [2000] QCA 469 Re Don [2006] NSWSC 1125 Roy Morgan Research Centre Pty Ltd v Commissioner of State Revenue of the State of Victoria (2001) 207 CLR 72; [2001] HCA 49 Santos Ltd v Pipelines Authority of SA (1996) 66 SASR 38 Sharpe v Grobbel [2017] NSWSC 1065 Simjanoski v La Trobe University [2004] VSCA 125 Summers v Moseley (1834) 2 Cr & M 477; (1834) 149 ER 849 The Commissioner for Railways v Small (1938) 38 SR (NSW) 564; (1938) 55 WN (NSW) 215 Trade Practices Commission v Arnotts Limited (No 2) (1989) 88 ALR 90; [1989] FCA 340 Trade Practices Commission v Arnotts Limited [1989] FCA 311 X v Director of Public Prosecutions [1995] 2 VR 622 Texts Cited: B Coles, "The Confetti of the Justice System – Subpoenas, Justice and Third Parties" (2016) 42(3) Australian Bar Review 385 L Beck, "The Constitutional Duty to Give Reasons for Judicial Decisions" (2017) 40 UNSW Law Journal 923 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Secretary of the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (Applicant) Blacktown City Council (First Respondent) Jong Mi Hong (Second Respondent) Min Kyung Hong (Third Respondent) Representation: Counsel: