Union Shipping New Zealand Ltd v Morgan [2002] NSWCA 124

Reported Decision : (2002) 54 NSWLR 690

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Union Shipping New Zealand Ltd v Morgan [2002] NSWCA 124 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40379/01 HEARING DATE(S) : 28 February 2002 JUDGMENT DATE : 14 June 2002

PARTIES : Union Shipping New Zealand Ltd (Appellant) Sean Morgan (Respondent) JUDGMENT OF : Heydon JA at 1; Hodgson JA at 120; Santow JA at 121

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Supreme Court LOWER COURT SC 20273/00 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Sperling J JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : Mr A S Bell/Mr R D Glasson (Appellant) Mr J D Hislop QC/Mr J A Kernick (Respondent) SOLICITORS : Norton White (Appellant) Carroll & O'Dea (Respondent) CATCHWORDS : Conflict of laws - choice of law in tort - defendant company incorporated in New Zealand - plaintiff natural person resident in New Zealand - plaintiff employee of defendant - plaintiff suffering tortious injury during course of employment on defendant's barge - barge sailing under New Zealand flag - vessel wholly within Australian territorial waters - anchored in harbour unloading coal - whether law governing dispute Australian or New Zealand law - Conflict of laws - forum non conveniens - factors persuading court whether to dismiss Notice of Motion or to grant permanent stay of proceedings - Courts - precedent - doctrine of stare decisis - relevance of non-binding foreign authority where no binding authority obtains - D LEGISLATION CITED : Interpretation Act 1987 Private International Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1995 Boys v Chapman [1971] AC 356 Carr v Fracis Times & Co [1902] AC 176 Chow Hung Ching v R (1948) 77 CLR 449 Chung Chi Cheung v R [1939] AC 160 Commonwealth v Mewett (1997) 191 CLR 471 Cook v Cook (1986) 162 CLR 376 Cunard Steamship Co Ltd v Mellon 262 US 100 (1923) Far Eastern Shipping Co Ltd v Abrankin [1999] VSCA 107 Fisher v Agios Nicolaus V 628 F 2d 308 (1980) Hellenic Lines Ltd v Rhoditis 398 US 306 (1970) John Pfeiffer Pty Ltd v Rogerson (2000) 203 CLR 503 Lauritzen v Larsen 345 US 571 (1953) M'Elroy v M'Allister 1949 SC 110 MacKinnon v The Iberia Shipping Co Ltd 1955 SC 20 CASES CITED: McKain v R W Miller & Co (SA) Pty Ltd (1991) 174 CLR 1 Machado v Fontes [1897] 2 QB 231 Owners of SS Reresby v Owners of SS Cobetas [1923] Sc LT 719 Phillips v Eyre (1870) LR 6 QB 1 Regie National des Usines Renault SA v Zhang (2002) 187 ALR 1 Romero v International Terminal Operating Co 358 US 354 (1959) Sayers v International Drilling Co NV [1971] 1 WLR 1176 The Arum [1921] P 12 The "Halley" (1868) LR 2 PC 193 The Lotus PCIJ, Series A, No 10 (1927) The Mary Moxham (1876) 1 PD 107 United States v Flores 289 US 137 (1933) Voth v Manildra Flour Mills [Pty Ltd] (1991) 171 CLR 538 Wildenhus' Case 120 US 1 (1887) Yorke v British & Continental Steamship Co Ltd (1945) 78 Ll L Rep 181 DECISION : Appeal dismissed with costs