Morgan v Union Shipping (NZ) Ltd [2001] NSWSC 325

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Morgan v Union Shipping (NZ) Ltd [2001] NSWSC 325 FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 20273/00 HEARING DATE(S) : 22, 23, 26 & 28 March 2001 JUDGMENT DATE : 4 May 2001

PARTIES : Sean Morgan Union Shipping (New Zealand) Limited JUDGMENT OF : Sperling J at 1

COUNSEL : Mr Larry King SC with Mr Kernick for the Plaintiff (Respondent) Dr Andrew Bell for the Defendant (Applicant) SOLICITORS : Carroll & O'Dea Solicitors for the Plaintiff (Respondent) Norton White Lawyers & Notaries for the Defendant (Applicant) CATCHWORDS : Private International Law - choice of law - injury occurring within foreign flagged vessel in New South Wales territorial waters - whether law of the flag or law of New South Wales applies - inappropriate forum - whether correct test in New South Wales is "clearly inappropriate" or "inappropriate" Accident Insurance Act 1998 (NZ) LEGISLATION CITED : Accident Rehabilitation and Compensation Insurance Act 1992 (NZ) Accident Rehabilitation and Compensation Insurance (Ordinary Residence Definition) Regulations 1992 (NZ) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) Breavington v Godleman (1988) 169 CLR 41 C E Heath Underwriting & Insurance (Australia) Pty Ltd v Barden (Supreme Court, 19 October 1994, unreported) Eastern Petroleum Australia Ltd v Horseshoe Lights Gold Pty Ltd (1985) 9 ACLR 980 Esanda Finance Corp Ltd v Peat Marwick Hungerfords (1997) 188 CLR 241 General Steel Industries Inc v Commissioner for Railways (NSW) (1964) 112 CLR 125 Goddard v Polar Cream Pty Ltd (1946) 47 SR (NSW) 154 Hellenic Lines Ltd v Rhoditis 398 US 306, 26 L Ed 2d 252, 90 S Ct 1731 (1970) Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia Ltd v Hunt (1982) 44 ALR 365 Lauritzen v Larsen 345 US 571, 97 L Ed 1254, 73 S Ct 921 (1952) McKinnon v Iberian Shipping Co Ltd [1955] SLT 49 CASES CITED : Oceanic Sun Line Special Shipping Co. Inc. v Fay (1988) 165 CLR 197 Peter Kent Development Pty Ltd v Australia & New Zealand Banking Group (Supreme Court, 6 May 1980, unreported) Phillips v Eyre (1870) LR 6 QB 1 Romero v International Terminal Operating Co 358 US 354, 3 L Ed 2d 368, 79 S Ct 468 (1959) Silverton Ltd v Harvey [1975] 1 NSWLR 659 Spiliada Maritime Corporation v Cansulex Ltd [1987] AC 460 St Pierre v South American Stores [1936] 1 KB 382 The Mary Moxham [1876] 1 PD 107 Voth v Manildra Flour Mills Pty Ltd (1990) 171 CLR 538 W F Motors Pty Ltd v Maydwell (Supreme Court, 23 April 1993, unreported) Wickstead v Browne (1992) 30 NSWLR 1 Zhang v Regie Nationale des Usines Renault SA [2000] NSWCA 188 DECISION : 1. The defendant's notice of motion filed on 11 December 2000 is dismissed; 2. The defendant is to pay the plaintiff's costs of the notice of motion.