G&S Engineering Services Pty Ltd v MACH Energy Australia Pty Ltd (No 16) [2024] NSWSC 955

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: G&S Engineering Services Pty Ltd v MACH Energy Australia Pty Ltd (No 16) [2024] NSWSC 955 Hearing dates: 19 July 2024 Date of orders: 05 August 2024 Decision date: 05 August 2024 Jurisdiction: Equity - Technology and Construction List Before: McGrath J Decision: Declaration that legal professional privilege attaches to parts of draft witness statement, which is to be redacted accordingly prior to the defendants/cross-claimants inspecting the statement: see [150] Catchwords: EVIDENCE — privileges — legal professional privilege — draft supplementary witness statement — where statement produced to court pursuant to subpoena to produce issued by defendants/cross-claimants to witness — where plaintiffs/cross-defendants assert legal professional privilege over whole or alternatively parts of document — dominant purpose test — finding that document was produced for dual equal purposes — finding that document contained reference to confidential communications properly the subject of legal professional privilege — HELD — statement to be redacted in kind and made available for inspection by the defendants/cross-claimants Legislation Cited: Court Suppression and Non-publication Orders Act 2010 (NSW) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Cases Cited: Armstrong Strategic Management & Marketing Pty Ltd v Expense Reduction Analysts Group Pty Ltd [2012] NSWCA 430 Asahi Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd v Pacific Equity Partners Pty Ltd (No 2) [2014] FCA 481; (2014) 312 ALR 403 Attorney-General (NT) v Maurice (1986) 161 CLR 475; [1986] HCA 80 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Cadbury Schweppes Pty Ltd (2009) 174 FCR 457; [2009] FCAFC 32 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v NSW Ports Operations Hold Co Pty Ltd [2020] FCA 1232 Barnes v Commissioner of Taxation [2007] FCAFC 88; (2007) 242 ALR 601 Carter v Northmore Hale Davy & Leake (1995) 183 CLR 121; [1995] HCA 33 Commissioner of Australian Federal Police v Propend Finance Pty Ltd (1997) 188 CLR 501; [1997] HCA 3 Commissioner of Taxation v Pratt Holdings Pty Ltd [2005] FCA 1247 Daniels Corporation International Pty Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (2002) 213 CLR 543; [2002] HCA 49 Edwards v Nine Network Australia Pty Ltd (No 4) [2022] FCA 1496 Esso Australia Resources Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1999) 201 CLR 49; [1999] HCA 67 G&S Engineering Services Pty Ltd v MACH Energy Australia Pty Ltd (No 9) [2023] NSWSC 1093 Grant v Downs (1976) 135 CLR 674; [1976] HCA 63 Hancock v Rinehart (Privilege) [2016] NSWSC 12 Harmony Shipping Co SA v Saudi Europe Line Ltd [1979] 1 WLR 1380 Kennedy v Wallace (2004) 142 FCR 185; 213 ALR 108; [2004] FCAFC 337 New Reinsurance Corporation Ltd (in liq) v Renaissance Reinsurance Ltd [2007] NSWSC 258 Pratt Holdings Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation (2004) 136 FCR 357; [2004] FCAFC 122 Public Transport Authority of Western Australia v Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd (2007) 34 WAR 279; [2007] WASCA 151 Ritz Hotel Ltd v Charles of the Ritz Ltd (No 22) (1988) 14 NSWLR 132 Sydney Airports Corporation Ltd v Singapore Airlines Ltd [2005] NSWCA 47 Tavcol Pty Ltd v Valbeet Pty Ltd [2016] NSWSC 1002 Trade Practices Commission v Sterling (1978) 36 FLR 244 Category: Procedural rulings Parties: G&S Engineering Services Pty Ltd (First Plaintiff/Cross-Defendant/Applicant) DRA Pacific Pty Ltd (Second Plaintiff/Cross-Defendant/Applicant)