Racing New South Wales v Racing Victoria Ltd [2024] NSWSC 147

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Racing New South Wales v Racing Victoria Ltd [2024] NSWSC 147 Hearing dates: 6 December 2023 Date of orders: 23 February 2023 Decision date: 20 March 2024 Jurisdiction: Equity - Commercial List Before: Rees J Decision: Directions made in respect of determination of privilege claims. Catchwords: JUDGMENT AND ORDERS – parties bring in orders to reflect reasons – construction of orders – whether ambiguity required before judgment consulted – principles at [5]-[11] – ambiguity not a pre-condition to consider judgment. COMMON INTEREST PRIVILEGE – legal advice shared between competitors – whether joint interest in governance of an industry body constitutes a "common interest" – principles at [115] –– whether parties' interests are selfish or adverse to one another. PRELIMINARY DISCOVERY – adequacy of preliminary discovery challenged – whether direct evidence should be given as to compliance with orders – whether claims for client legal privilege ought be supported by direct evidence. Legislation Cited: Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), s 45 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 55(1), s 75 Cases Cited: Airservices Australia v Transfield Pty Ltd (1999) 92 FCR 200 Ampolex Ltd v Perpetual Trustee Co (Canberra) Ltd (1995) 37 NSWLR 405 Andrianakis v Uber Technologies Inc; Taxi Apps Pty Ltd v Uber Technologies Inc [2022] VSC 196 Aquasure Pty Ltd v Thiess Pty Ltd (No 2) [2022] VSC 389 Asahi Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd v Pacific Equity Partners Pty Limited (No 4) [2014] FCA 796 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v NSW Ports Operations Hold Co Pty Ltd [2020] FCA 1232 Australian Consolidated Press Ltd v Morgan (1965) 112 CLR 483 AWB Limited v Cole (No 5) (2006) 155 FCR 30 Cygnett Pty Ltd v Souris [2020] FCA 1754 Drivetime Radio Australia Pty Ltd v Pivotal Creative Solutions Pty Ltd trading as Broadcast GP [2010] NSWSC 763 DSE (Holdings) PTY Ltd v Intertan Inc (2003) 135 FCR 151 Grant v Downs (1976) 135 CLR 674 Grocon Group Holdings Pty Limited v Infrastructure NSW (No 3) [2023] NSWSC 1352 Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd v National Competition Council (2008) 247 ALR 385 Hancock v Rinehart (Privilege) [2016] NSWSC 12 Hastie Group Ltd (in liq) v Moore (2016) 339 ALR 635 In the matter of Global Advanced Metals Pty Limited [2019] NSWSC 1545 Inlon Pty Ltd v Celli SpA [2017] NSWSC 569 Kennedy v Wallace (2004) 142 FCR 185 Komlotex Pty Ltd v AMP Ltd [2022] NSWSC 1525 Lim v Comcare (2019) 165 ALD 217 Liu v The Age Company Ltd (2016) 92 NSWLR 679 Media Ocean Ltd v Optus Mobile Pty Ltd (No 10) [2010] FCA 1348 Pratt Holdings Pty Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (2004) 136 FCR 357 Priest v New South Wales [2006] NSWSC 1281 Racing New South Wales v Racing Victoria Ltd (No 2) [2023] NSWSC 576 Racing New South Wales v Racing Victoria Ltd (No 3) [2023] NSWSC 838 Rinehart v Rinehart [2016] NSWCA 58 Schreuder v Murray (No 2) (2009) 41 WAR 169 Sydney Airports Corp Ltd v Singapore Airlines Ltd [2005] NSWCA 47 Traderight (NSW) Pty Ltd (ACN 108 880 968) v Bank of Queensland Limited (ACN 009 656 740) (No 16) and 13 related matters [2013] NSWSC 418 UIL (Singapore) Pte Ltd v Wollongong Coal Ltd [2023] FCA 1578 Westgate Finance Pty Ltd v May [2012] NSWSC 806 Texts Cited: John Tarrant, "Construing Undertakings and Court Orders" (2008) 82 ALJ 82 Perry Herzfeld and Thomas Prince, Interpretation (2nd ed, 2020, LawBook Co) Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Racing New South Wales (First Plaintiff/Applicant) Russel Balding (Second Plaintiff/Applicant) Racing Victoria Ltd (First Defendant/Respondent) Greg Nichols (Second Defendant/Respondent) Brian Kruger (Fourth Defendant/Third Respondent) Representation: Counsel: O Jones (Plaintiffs) T Maxwell (Defendants)