Gough & Gilmour v Caterpillar of Australia (No. 7) [2001] NSWIRComm 147

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION : Gough & Gilmour v Caterpillar of Australia (No. 7) [2001] NSWIRComm 147 FIRST APPLICANT Gough & Gilmour Holdings Pty Limited

SECOND APPLICANT Harcourt David Gough

PARTIES : THIRD APPLICANT Anthony Lansley Gilmour

FIRST RESPONDENT Caterpillar of Australia Limited

SECOND RESPONDENT Caterpillar Inc. FILE NUMBER: IRC 5227 of 2000 CORAM: Boland J Unfair contract - Interlocutory proceedings - Legal professional privilege - Whether Industrial Relations Commission Rules 1996 displace common law in favour of Evidence Act in relation to legal professional privilege as it applies to discovery process - Imputed waiver - State of mind - Whether privilege in relation to material other than legal advice may be waived - Implied waiver - Whether by putting into issue their awareness of legal position applicants impliedly waived privilege in respect of legal advice - Partial waiver - Knowing and voluntary disclosure of privilege material CATCHWORDS : Practice and Procedure - Interlocutory proceedings - Legal professional privilege - Whether Industrial Relations Commission Rules 1996 displace common law in favour of Evidence Act in relation to legal professional privilege as it applies to discovery process - Imputed waiver - State of mind - Whether privilege in relation to material other than legal advice may be waived - Implied waiver - Whether by putting into issue their awareness of legal position applicants impliedly waived privilege in respect of legal advice - Partial waiver - Knowing and voluntary disclosure of privilege material Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) LEGISLATION CITED : Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Industrial Relations Act (NSW) 1996 Industrial Relations Commission's Rules 1996 Adelaide Steamship Co Ltd v Spalvins (1998) 152 ALR 418 Attorney-General for Northern Territory v Maurice (1986) 161 CLR 475 Burnell v British Transport Commission [1956] 1 QB 187 Data Access Corporation v Powerflex Services Pty Ltd (1994) AIPC 91-112 Esso Australia Resources Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1999) 201 CLR 49, (1999) 168 ALR 123 General Accident Fire and Life Assurance Corporation Ltd v Tanter [1984] 1 WLR 100 CASES CITED : George Doland Limited v Blackburn Robson Coates & Co [1972] 1 WLR 1338, [1972] 3 All ER 959 Grant v Downs (1976) 135 CLR 674 Great Atlantic Insurance Co v Home Insurance Co [1981] 1 WLR 529, [1981] 2 All ER 485 Mann v Carnell (1999) 201 CLR 1, (1999) 168 ALR 86 Murray v Rentworks Ltd [2001] NSWIRComm 132 Nea Karteria Co Ltd v Atlantic and Great Lakes Steamship Corporation [No 2] [1981] Com LR 138 Telstra Corporation Ltd v BT Australasia Pty Ltd (1998) 85 FCR 152 Wayne Lawrence Pty Limited v Hunt & Ors t/a Hunt, Musgrave & Peach (Unreported, Hodgson CJ in Eq, Supreme Court of New South Wales, 19 October 1999), [1999] NSWSC 1044 HEARING DATES: 06/20/2001 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 07/09/2001