Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police v HWCJ GLB Pty Ltd (No 5) [2024] NSWSC 1463

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police v HWCJ GLB Pty Ltd (No 5) [2024] NSWSC 1463 Hearing dates: On the papers Date of orders: 19 November 2024 Decision date: 19 November 2024 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Dhanji J Decision: (1) Pursuant to s 323 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Cth), the Commonwealth is to pay the costs of the following applicants as agreed or assessed: (a) James Nadel (Applicant 002) (b) Robert Brooks and Maehal Enterprises, Inc (Applicant 003) (c) John Adams Roesch JR (Applicant 004) (d) Clifford Librach (Applicant 005) (e) Castle Bespoke Management Limited (Applicant 006) (f) Brian Bunzeluk (Applicant 010) (g) Isen Chen (Applicant 012) (h) Mei McNeilly previously Chunmei Yang (Applicant 015) (i) James Michael McBrayer (Applicant 018) (j) Neil Richardson (Applicant 020) (k) Steven Michael Rubinstein (Applicant 023) (l) Rajeev Sharma (Applicant 024) (m) John Amodeo (Applicant 025) (n) Marc Christiaen van der Chijs (Applicant 026) (o) Ching-Liu Wu (Applicant 027) (p) Michael Peter Sampson (Applicant 030) (q) Yu Geng (Applicant 031) (r) Jeffrey Edel (Applicant 036) (s) Ronald Lewis Myers and Digital Properties West, LLC (Applicant 037) (t) Xiao Ni Xu (Applicant 039) (u) Mallik Greene (Applicant 042) (v) Humphrey Company Ltd (Applicant 044) (w) Lanping Li (Applicant 045) (2) Pursuant to s 323 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Cth), the Commonwealth is to pay the costs of the following applicants as agreed or assessed, limited to the period up to and including the date on which the complete affidavit of Mr Nasr dated 15 November 2023, including any annexures, was served on that applicant: (a) John Squires Poelman (Applicant 007); (b) Xiao Ya Dong (Applicant 009); (c) Harwin Group Inc (Applicant 014); (d) Jie Bai (Applicant 035); (e) Ravinder Sagoo (Applicant 038) Catchwords: COSTS – proceeds of crime – award of costs – general principles – costs follow the event – compensatory nature of costs – variety of approaches taken by applicants as to costs orders sought – substantial costs incurred by some applicants – question as to against whom a costs order should be made – whether against the defendants, the plaintiff or the Commonwealth – costs against a public authority – s 323 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Cth) – s 98 of the Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) – whether the Commissioner an "unsuccessful party" – indemnity costs – whether power to award costs extends to award of costs in separate but related proceedings – meaning of "costs" – statutory interpretation – proposed cap – a superficial attraction – costs awarded as agreed or assessed Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) ss 3, 56, 98 Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW) s 35 Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) ss 79, 80 Proceeds of Crime Act 1987 (Cth) s 101 Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Cth) ss 5, 39, 47, 49, 297, 323 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) rule 42.1 Cases Cited: Allplastics Engineering Pty Ltd v Dornoch Ltd [2006] NSWCA 33 Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police v Vo (2015) 302 FLR 209; [2015] NSWSC 1523 Bisstt v Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) (Supreme Court (Vic), Hayne J, 24 February 1993, unrep) Commissioner of Australian Federal Police v Cole (No 2) [2018] NSWSC 1123 Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police v Cacu (No 2) [2015] NSWSC 1894 Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police v HWCJ GLB Pty Ltd (No 2) [2024] NSWSC 482 Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police v HWCJ GLB Pty Ltd (No 3) [2024] NSWSC 897 Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police v HWCJ GLB Pty Ltd (No 4) [2024] NSWSC 921 Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police v Opal Storm Pty Ltd [2018] VSCA 301 Commonwealth of Australia v Gretton [2008] NSWCA 117 Diez v Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) (2004) 62 NSWLR 1; [2004] NSWCA 452 Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) v Adorjany [2000] NSWSC 76 Fowkes v Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions [1997] 2 VR 506 Gwe v Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police (No 2) (2020) 103 NSWLR 535; [2020] NSWCA 350 Harrison v Melham (2008) 72 NSWLR 380; [2008] NSWCA 67 Lennon v Gibson and Howes Limited (1919) 26 CLR 285; [1919] AC 709 Latoudis v Casey (1990) 170 CLR 534; [1990] HCA 59 Mahenthirarasa v State Rail Authority of New South Wales (No 2) (2008) 72 NSWLR 273; [2008] NSWCA 201 North Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service Inc v Bradley (No 2) [2002] FCA 564 Northern Territory v Sangare (2019) 265 CLR 164; [2019] HCA 25 Ohn v Walton (1995) 36 NSWLR 77 Oshlack v Richmond River Council (1998) 193 CLR 72; [1998] HCA 11 Williams v Lewer [1974] NSWLR 91 Category: Consequential orders Parties: Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police (Plaintiff) HWCJ GLB Pty Ltd (First Defendant) JCJ Health Pty Ltd (Second Defendant) GSL Bud Pty Ltd (Third Defendant) Hong HZ Pty Ltd (Fourth Defendant) LJ Yin Pty Ltd (Fifth Defendant) Wenhao Globle Pty Ltd (Sixth Defendant) TJL International Pty Ltd (Seventh Defendant) XM Global Pty Ltd (Eighth Defendant)