AMACA PTY LTD v Bernard George FROST [2006] NSWCA 173

Reported Decision : 67 NSWLR 635

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: AMACA PTY LTD v Bernard George FROST [2006] NSWCA 173

HEARING DATE(S): 3 May 2006

JUDGMENT DATE: 4 July 2006

JUDGMENT OF: Spigelman CJ at 1; Santow JA at 133; McColl JA at 134

DECISION: 1 The appeal is allowed with costs; 2 The cross-appeal is dismissed with costs; 3 Set aside the orders of Curtis J of 17 August 2005; 4 Proceedings 407/2002 in the Dust Diseases Tribunal of New South Wales are dismissed with costs.

CATCHWORDS: PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW – Choice of law – Tort – Place of the Tort – Negligence – Where asbestos manufactured in New South Wales by Defendant – Where Plaintiff exposed to asbestos in New Zealand – Tort occurred in New Zealand - PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW – Choice of law – Where law of New Zealand applies – Where Plaintiff prevented from commencing proceedings "in any court in New Zealand" – Plaintiff prevented from commencing proceedings in Australia

Accident Rehabilitation and Compensation Insurance Act 1992 (NZ), s 17 Accident Insurance Act 1998 (NZ), ss 4, 5, 7, 23, 24, 39, 40, 41, 394, 395, 396, 398, LEGISLATION CITED: Dust Diseases Tribunal Act 1989, s 32 Evidence and Procedure Act (New Zealand) 1994 (Cth), s 40 Injury Prevention Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2001 (NZ)

Armagas Ltd v Mundogas SA [1986] 1 AC 717 Australian Gaslight Co v Valuer-General (1940) 40 SR (NSW) 126 Boys v Chaplin [1971] AC 356 Breavington v Godleman (1988) 169 CLR 41 Buttigeig v Universal Terminal and Stevedoring Corp [1972] VR 626 Castree v ER Squibb & Sons Ltd [1980] 1 WLR 1248 D'Ath v TNT Australia Pty Ltd [1992] 1 Qd R 369 Distillers Co (Biochemicals) Ltd v Thompson [1971] AC 458 Dow Jones & Co Inc v Gutnick (2002) 210 CLR 575 Edwards (Inspector of Taxes) v Bairstow [1956] AC 14 Granite Springs Pty Ltd v Intercooler Water Dispensers Pty Ltd [2000] VSC 224 Hope v Bathurst City Council (1980) 144 CLR 1 Jackson v Spittall (1870) LR 5 CP 542 CASES CITED: Jacobs v Australian Abrasives Pty Ltd [1971] Tas SR 92 James Hardie & Co Pty Ltd v Carley [1999] NSWCA 80 James Hardie & Co Pty Ltd v Putt (1998) 43 NSWLR 554 James Hardies Industries Pty Ltd v Grigor (1998) 45 NSWLR 20 John Pfeiffer Pty Ltd v Rogerson (2000) 203 CLR 503 MacGregor v Application des Gaz [1976] Qd R 175 McKain v R W Miller & Co (SA) Pty Ltd (1991) 174 CLR 1 Nielson v Overseas Projects Corp of Victoria Ltd [2005] HCA 54; 79 ALJR 1736 Phillips v Eyre (1870) LR 6 QB 1 Pulido v RS Distributions Pty Ltd [2003] ACTSC 61 Regie National des Usines Renault SA v Zhang (2002) 210 CLR 491 Stevens v Head (1993) 176 CLR 433 Voth v Manildra Flour Mills Pty Ltd (1990) 171 CLR 538 Vetter v Lake Macquarie City Council (2001) 202 CLR 439