IDOPORT PTY LTD & ORS v NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LTD & 8 ORS; IDOPORT PTY LTD "JMG" & MARKET HOLDINGS PTY LTD v DONALD ROBERT ARGUS; IDOPORT PTY LTD "JMG" v NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LTD [12] [2000] NSWSC 1077

Reported Decision : 50 NSWLR 641

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : IDOPORT PTY LTD & ORS v NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LTD & 8 ORS; IDOPORT PTY LTD "JMG" & MARKET HOLDINGS PTY LTD v DONALD ROBERT ARGUS; IDOPORT PTY LTD "JMG" v NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LTD [12] [2000] NSWSC 1077 revised - 24/11/2000 FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 50113/98; 50026/99; 3991/00 HEARING DATE(S) : 14/11/00, 15/11/00, 16/11/00, 20/11/00 JUDGMENT DATE : 23 November 2000

Idoport Pty Limited (Plaintiff) PARTIES : Market Holdings Pty Ltd (Plaintiff) National Australia Bank Limited (Defendant) Donald Robert Argus (Defendant) JUDGMENT OF : Einstein J

COUNSEL : JJ Garnsey QC, RC Titterton (Plaintiffs) JR Sackar QC, JA Halley (Defendants) SOLICITORS : Withnell Hetherington (Plaintiffs) Freehill Hollingdale & Page (Defendants) CATCHWORDS : Evidence - Evidence Act 1995 - Is the Evidence Act a code - Expert opinion evidence - Ultimate Issue Rule - s80 of the Evidence Act - Expert opinion evidence as to foreign law - Proper scope for expert opinion evidence as to foreign law - Rule that expert opinion evidence not to usurp the essential function of the court - evidence allowed. Evidence Act 1995 LEGISLATION CITED : Interpretation Act 1987 Native Title Act 1993 Allstate Life Insurance Co v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (No 6) (1996) 64 FCR 79 Ancher, Mortlock, Murray & Wooley Pty Ltd v Hooker Homes Pty Ltd [1971] 2 NSWLR 278 Carl Zeiss Stiftung v Rayner & Keeler Ltd (No 2) [1967] AC 853 Clark v Ryan (1960) 103 CLR 486 Daniels v State of Western Australia [2000] FCA 858 (unreported, Federal Court of Australia, 21 of September) Grey v Australian Motorists General Insurance Co Pty Ltd [1976] 1 NSWLR 669 James Hardie & Co Pty Ltd v Hall (1998) 43 NSWLR 554 Joseph Crosfield & Sons Ltd v Techno Chemical Laboratories 29 TLR 378 Lowery v R [1974] AC 85 Murphy v The Queen (1989) 167 CLR 94 National Mutual Holdings Pty Ltd v The Sentry Corporation (1989) 22 FCR 209 Newcastle City Council v GIO General Ltd (1997) 191 CLR 85 O'Brien v Gillespie (1997) 41 NSWLR 549 Parkasho v Singh [1968] P 233 CASES CITED : Papakosmas v The Queen (1999) 196 CLR 297 Pepsi Seven Up Bottlers Perth Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation (1995) 62 FCR 289 Quick v Stoland Pty Limited (1998) 87 FCR 371 R v Holmes [1953] 2 All ER 324 R v Palmer [1981] 1 NSWLR 209 Rogers v Whitaker (1992) 175 CLR 479 RW Miller & Co Pty Ltd v Krupp (Australia) Pty Ltd (1991) 34 NSWLR 129 Symonds v Egan National Valuers (NSW) Pty Ltd (No 15) (unreported Supreme Court of NSW 22 February 1996) Telstra Corporation v Australis Media Holdings Pty Ltd (No 2) (1997) 41 NSWLR 346 Transport Publishing Co Pty Ltd v The Literature Board of Review (1956) 99 CLR 111 ULV Pty Ltd v Scott (1990) 19 NSWLR 190 United States Surgical Corporation v Hospital Products International Pty Ltd [1982] NSWLR 766. United States Surgical Corporation v Hospital Products International Pty Ltd (unreported, Supreme Court of New South Wales, 19th April 1982) United States Trust Co of New York v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (1995) 37 NSWLR 131 147 Walton v Corporate Venture Pty Ltd (unreported, ACT Supreme Court, 6 June 1996) Westpac Corporation Ltd v Jury (unreported, Supreme Court of NSW 17 October 1995) DECISION : Parties to revisit objections in the light of this judgment.