Great Southern Loans & Anor v Locator Group [2005] NSWSC 438

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Great Southern Loans & Anor v Locator Group [2005] NSWSC 438

HEARING DATE(S) : 29 April 2005

JUDGMENT DATE : 13 May 2005

JURISDICTION : Equity

JUDGMENT OF : McDougall J at 1

DECISION : See paras [83] and [84] of judgment

CATCHWORDS : PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW - injunctions - where first plaintiff sought to restrain proceedings commenced by defendant in Victorian Magistrates' Court - where second plaintiff sought to restrain proceedings commenced by defendant in Victorian County Court - whether first plaintiff and defendant bound by terms of licence agreement between second plaintiff and defendant - where licence agreement contained arbitration clause and exclusive jurisdiction clause - antisuit injunctions - nature of power to grant antisuit injunction - whether antisuit injunction should be granted in exercise of equitable jurisdiction - whether court clearly inappropriate forum - whether Victorian proceedings vexatious and oppressive - discretionary factors - whether existence of alternative remedy affords basis for refusing relief - whether comity affords basis for refusing relief - whether arbitration and exclusive jurisdiction clauses continue to bind parties after purported termination for breach - whether claims in Victorian proceedings fall outside scope of arbitration and exclusive jurisdiction clauses - whether s 21 of Service and Execution of Process Act prevents grant of antisuit injunction based on exclusive jurisdiction clause

Commercial Arbitration Act 1984 (Vic) Corporations Act 2001 LEGISLATION CITED : Jurisdiction of Courts (Cross-vesting) Act 1987 Service and Execution of Process Act 1992 (Cth)

Beecham (Australia) Pty Ltd v Roque Pty Ltd (1987) 11 NSWLR 1, 6 British Airways Board v Laker Airways Ltd [1985] AC 58 CSR Ltd v Cigna Insurance Australia Ltd (1997) 189 CLR 345 Evers v Firth (1986) 10 NSWLR 22 Heyman v Darwins Ltd [1942] AC 356, 359 CASES CITED : Ferris v Plaister (1994) 34 NSWLR 474 Greinert v Jarrett [2004] NSWSC 209 McDonald v Dennys Lascelles Ltd (1933) 48 CLR 457, 476-477 Port Jackson Stevedoring Pty Ltd v Salmond & Spraggon (Australia) Pty Ltd (1980) 144 CLR 300 Rick Manietta Pty Ltd v National Mutual Life Association of Australia Ltd (8 September 1995, unreported; BC 9503951) World Firefighters Games Brisbane 2002 v World Firefighters Games Western Australia Inc (2001) 161 FLR 355, 360 [15]-366 [38].