MRT Performance P/L v Mastro Motors Inc [2005] NSWSC 316

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : MRT Performance P/L v Mastro Motors Inc [2005] NSWSC 316

HEARING DATE(S) : 31/03/05, 01/04/05

JUDGMENT DATE : 1 April 2005

JUDGMENT OF : White J

DECISION : See para 47 of judgment.

CATCHWORDS : CONFLICT OF LAWS - Anti-suit injunction - Proceedings in Florida by a Florida company against a company registered in NSW - Application for a permanent injunction to restrain foreign proceedings - Whether foreign proceedings are vexatious or oppressive - Comity - Whether local forum has a sufficient interest or connection with the matter in question to justify interference with foreign court - Whether NSW is a clearly inappropriate forum to determine if the defendant is in breach of contract - Florida the natural forum to determine the dispute as a whole - Injunction refused. - CONTRACT - Whether indemnity clause in distributorship agreement is a promise not to sue - Whether term should be implied that the defendant agreed not to sue - Held that indemnity clause inapplicable to third-party complaint.

Donohue v Armco Inc (2002) 1 Lloyd's Rep 425 Eastern Extension Australasia & China Telegraph Co Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1923) 33 CLR 426 CSR Ltd v Cigna Insurance Australia Ltd (1997) 189 CLR 345 Airbus Industrie GIE v Patel [1999] AC 119 CASES CITED : Apple Corps Ltd v Apple Computer Inc & Ors [1992] RPC 70 Sunbird Plaza Pty Ltd v Maloney (1988) 166 CLR 245 Dickinson v Motor Vehicle Insurance Trust (1987) 163 CLR 500 Government Insurance Office (NSW) v R J Green & Lloyd Pty Ltd (1966) 114 CLR 437 Darlington Future Ltd v Delco Australia Pty Ltd (1986) 161 CLR 500