Reliance Financial Services Aust Pty Ltd v Assaf [2022] NSWSC 1061

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Reliance Financial Services Aust Pty Ltd v Assaf [2022] NSWSC 1061 Hearing dates: 4 August 2022 Date of orders: 4 August 2022 Decision date: 04 August 2022 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Henry J Decision: Direct that the first defendant give evidence by audio-visual link, subject to conditions. Catchwords: PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – contested application for first defendant to give evidence by audio-visual link from Lebanon – where first defendant does not wish to travel to Australia because of the risks posed by COVID-19 and because he is the carer for his ill father who resides in Lebanon – application granted on conditions Legislation Cited: Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), Sch 2 Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) Evidence (Audio and Audio Visual Links) Act 1998 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Cases Cited: Australian Securities and Investments Commission v GetSwift Limited [2020] FCA 504 In the matter of Mulberry Capital Management Pty Limited v Shen - AVL Application [2022] NSWSC 1023 Stott v Advanta Seeds Pty Ltd [2020] NSWSC 846 Touma v Diocese of Saint Maron, Sydney [2020] NSWSC 1926 Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Reliance Financial Services Aust Pty Ltd (Plaintiff) Alex Ali Assaf (First Defendant) Lion Gain Pty Ltd (Sixth Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr D Allen (Plaintiff) Mr M Thompson (First Defendant)