HIH Casualty and General Insurance (NZ) Limited (in liquidation) v General Reinsurance Australia Limited & Ors [2004] NSWSC 659

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : HIH Casualty and General Insurance (NZ) Limited (in liquidation) v General Reinsurance Australia Limited & Ors [2004] NSWSC 659 HEARING DATE(S) : 20/07/04 JUDGMENT DATE : 29 July 2004

JURISDICTION: Equity Division Commercial List JUDGMENT OF : Einstein J DECISION : Application for leave to appeal to be dismissed.

CATCHWORDS : Arbitration - Commercial Arbitration Act 1983 (NSW) - Application for leave to appeal from Award - Principles - Insurance - Reinsurance Treaty - Whether risk covered by policy was a Trade Credit risk within class of business reinsured under Reinsurance Treaty Commercial Arbitration Act 1983 (NSW) LEGISLATION CITED : Companies Act 1993 Supreme Court Act 1970 Trade Practices Act Anaconda Operations Pty Limited v Fluor Australia Pty Ltd [2003] VSC 275 Ashmore Aged Care Centres Pty Limited v Cigna Insurance Australia Limited (1988) 5 ANZ Ins Cas 60-860 Azzopardi v Tasman UEB Industries Ltd (1985) 4 NSWLR 139 Bank of New South Wales v Commonwealth (1948) 76 CLR 1 Beaudoin v Hartford Accident and Indemnity Company et al 594 So 2d 1049 (1992) (La CA). Bell v Bell 417 So 2d 115 (1982) (La CA) Blackford & Sons (Calne) Ltd v Borough of Christchurch [1962] 1 Lloyd's Rep 349 DeCosta v Columbia Broadcasting System, Inc et al, 383 Fsupp 326 (1974) (USDC) 339 Flamm v Flamm 442 So 2d 1271 (1983), 1273 (La CA) Fredericks v Warren 561 So 2d 209 (1990) (La CA) Gianfriddo v Garra Constructions Pty Ltd [1971] VR 289 Glynn v Margetson & Co. [1893] AC 351 Graham Evans & Co Pty Ltd v SPF Formwork Pty Ltd (unreported, NSW Supreme Court, 9 April 1991) BC 9102137 Gunns Forest Products Ltd v North Insurances Pty Ltd [2004] VSC 155 HIH Casualty & General Insurance Ltd v Waterwell Shipping Inc & Anor (1998) 43 NSWLR 601 Ipswich Borough Council v Fisons PLC [1990] 1 Ch 709 Johnson v American Home Assurance (1998) 192 CLR 266 CASES CITED : Larkin v Parole Board (1987) 10 NSWLR 57 Manufacturers Mutual Insurance Limited v Stargift Pty Limited (1984) 3 ANZ Ins Cas 60-615 Maye v Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society Limited (1924) 35 CLR 14 MGICA Limited v United City Merchants (Australia) Limited (1986) 4 ANZ Ins Cas 60-729 Natoli v Walker [New South Wales Court of Appeal 26 May 1994, unreported] BC 9402554 Otis Elevators Pty Ltd v Zitis (1986) 5 NSWLR 171 Pioneer Shipping Ltd v BTP Tioxide Ltd (The Nema) [1981] Com LR 197 Promenade Investments Pty Limited v State of New South Wales (1992) 26 NSWLR 203 Porotto v Fiduciary Trust Co 75 NE 2d 17 (1947) (Mass SC), 20 Ransom (Inspector of Taxes) v Higgs [1974] 1 WLR 1594 Robert Salzer Constructions Pty Ltd v Barlin Scott Air Conditioning Pty Ltd [1980] VR 545 Robertson Thomson v French (1803) 4 East 130 Rosell v Esco d/b/a Jolly Elevator Corp, et al 549 So 2d 840 (1989) (La SC) Smith v Two "R" Drilling Company Inc 606 So 2d 804 (1992), (La CA) 808 Taxation, Commissioners of v Kirk [1900] AC 588 The Nema W & A McArthur Ltd. v State of Queensland & Ors (1920) 28 CLR 530 W J Alan & Co Ltd v El Nasr Export & Import Co [1971] 1 Lloyd's Rep 401 PARTIES : HIH Casualty and General Insurance (NZ) Limited (in liquidation) (Plaintiff) General Reinsurance Australia Limited (First Defendant) FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 50027/04 COUNSEL : Mr N Hutley SC, Mr J Lockhart (Plaintiff) Mr R Forster SC, Mr R Carruthers (Defendant) SOLICITORS : Blake Dawson Waldron (Plaintiff) Allens Arthur Robinson (Defendant)