ASIC v Adler & 4 Ors [2001] NSWSC 1103

Reported Decision : (2002) 20 ACLC 222

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : ASIC v Adler & 4 Ors [2001] NSWSC 1103 revised - 30/11/2001 CURRENT JURISDICTION: Equity FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 2753/01 HEARING DATE(S) : 29/11/01 JUDGMENT DATE : 29 November 2001

In the matter of HIH Insurance Limited (in provisional liquidation) ACN 008 636 575 and HIH Casualty and General Insurance Limited (in provisional liquidation) ACN 008 482 291 Australian Securities & Investments Commission (Plaintiff)

PARTIES : Rodney Stephen Adler (First Defendant) Raymond Reginald Williams (Second Defendant) Domenic Fodera (Third Defendant) Adler Corporation Pty Ltd (ACN 054 924 373) (Fourth Defendant) Lynda Sharon Adler (Fifth Defendant) JUDGMENT OF : Santow J

R B S Macfarlan QC/ P Durack (Plaintiff) COUNSEL : B W Walker, SC/ I M Jackman (First and Fourth Defendants) J E Sexton, SC (Third Defendant) Jan Redfern, Solicitor for ASIC (Plaintiff) SOLICITORS : Gilbert & Tobin (First and Fourth Defendant) Dibbs Crowther & Osborne (Third Defendant) CATCHWORDS : EVIDENCE - Expert evidence challenged as not satisfying s79 of Evidence Act 1995 - Expert director of companies and former leading accountant and auditor. LEGISLATION CITED : Evidence Act s79; s80 H G v R (1999) 197 CLR 414 CASES CITED : Makita (Australia) Pty Ltd v Sprowles ([2001] NSWCA 305, 14 September 2001, unreported) Maronis Holdings Ltd v Nippon Credit Australia Pty Ltd (2001) 38 ACSR 404 Ocean Marine Mutual Insurance Association (Europe) OV v Jetopay Pty Ltd ([2000] FCA 1463, 27 November 2000, unreported) DECISION : Evidence admissible.