Rosenboom & Ors v Qantas Airways Ltd & Ors [2002] NSWSC 792

Reported Decision : (2002) 56 NSWLR 164

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Rosenboom & Ors v Qantas Airways Ltd & Ors [2002] NSWSC 792 CURRENT JURISDICTION: Common Law FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 20131/01; 20132/01; 20080/01; 20136/01; 20079/01; 20711/00; 20710/00; 20009/01 HEARING DATE(S) : 22 & 23 August 2002 JUDGMENT DATE : 6 September 2002

Sonya Rosenboom (P in 20131/01) Mavis Bridge (P in 20132/01) Lyn Massey (P in 20080/01) Matthew Frost (P in 20136/01) Megan McEwan (P in 20079/01) Roystone Pursehouse (P in 20711/00) PARTIES : Regina Woodward (P in 20710/00) Todd Jaques (P in 20009/01) Qantas Airways Limited (D1 in 20131/01, 20132/01, 20080/01, 20136/01, 20079/01 & 20009/01) Malaysian Airline System Berhad (D2 in 20136/01) PT Garuda Indonesia Limited (D1 in 20711/00) British Airways Plc (D1 in 20710/00) Civil Aviation Safety Authority (D2 in 20131/01, 20132/01, 20080/01, 20711/00, 20711/00, 20079/01 & 20009/01; D3 in 20136/01) JUDGMENT OF : Sperling J at 1

Mr M McHugh for the Plaintiff in each matter Ms S Brent (solicitor advocate) for the First Defendant in matters 20131/01, 20132/01, 20080/01, 20136/01, 20079/01 & 20009/01 COUNSEL : Mr G Nell with Ms F Rogers for the Second Defendant in matter 20136/01 Mr M Macrossan for the First Defendant in matter 20711/00 Mr B Shields for the First Defendant in matter 20710/00 Mr S Donaldson SC for the Second Defendant in matters 20131/01, 20132/01, 20080/01, 20711/00, 20711/00, 20079/01 & 20009/01 and for the Third Defendant in matter 20136/01 Slater & Gordon Pty Ltd Lawyers for the Plaintiff in each matter Minter Ellison Lawyers for the First Defendant in matters 20131/01, 20132/01, 20080/01, 20136/01, 20079/01 & 20009/01 SOLICITORS : Blake Dawson Waldron Lawyers for the Second Defendant in matter 20136/01 Riley Gray-Spencer for the First Defendant in matter 20711/00 Ebsworth & Ebsworth Lawyers for the First Defendant in matter 20710/00 Mallesons Stephen Jaques for the Second Defendant in matters 20131/01, 20132/01, 20080/01, 20711/00, 20711/00, 20079/01 & 20009/01 and for the Third Defendant in matter 20136/01 CATCHWORDS : Cross-vesting applications - plaintiff's application - principles applicable - scope of legitimate considerations - relevance of prospective savings in private & public cost from pooling of similar cases in the one jurisdiction for joint case management - absence of factors otherwise connecting the cases with the proposed forum LEGISLATION CITED : Jurisdiction of Courts (Cross-vesting) Act 1987, s5 Supreme Court Rules 1970, Pt 1 r 12, Pt 74 r 8 Bankinvest AG v Seabrook (1988) 14 NSWLR 711 Dawson v Baker (1994) 120 ACTR 11 James Hardie & Coy Pty Ltd v Barry (2000) 50 NSWLR 357 CASES CITED : Lubbe v Cape Plc [2000] 1 WLR 1545 Production Spray Painting & Panel Beating Pty Ltd & Ors v Newnham & Ors (1991) 27 NSWLR 644 Quinn v Leatham [1901] AC 495 Spiliada Maritime Corporation v Cansulex [1987] AC 460 Wilson v Nattrass [1993] SASC 3945 DECISION : 1. That, in each matter, the proceedings be transferred to the Supreme Court of Victoria; 2. That, in matters 20131/01, 20132/01, 20080/01, 20079/01, 20710/00 and 20009/01, the second defendant only to pay the plaintiff's costs of the notice of motion; 3. In matter 20136/01, the second and third defendants only to pay the plaintiff's costs of the notice of motion; 4. In matter 20711/00, the first and second defendants pay the plaintiff's costs of the notice of motion; 5. Liberty to apply on two days notice within four weeks, for any reconsideration of the orders as to costs.