McGrath & Anor as liquidators of HIH Insurance Limited (in Liq) [2007] NSWSC 436

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : McGrath & Anor as liquidators of HIH Insurance Limited (in Liq) [2007] NSWSC 436

HEARING DATE(S) : 15/03/07

JUDGMENT DATE : 4 May 2007

JURISDICTION : Equity Division Corporations List

JUDGMENT OF : Barrett J

DECISION : No direction given.

CATCHWORDS : CORPORATIONS - winding up - application by liquidators for direction - where liquidators required to answer subpoenas in criminal proceedings - very large quantity of documents - some subject to legal professional privilege - desire of liquidators to avoid expense of examining all documents - liquidators wish to produce all documents - whether appropriate matter for court's direction

Australian Securities and Investments Act 2001 (Cth), Part 3 of Division 3 Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) ss.479(3) LEGISLATION CITED : Criminal Procedure Act 1996, s.225 HIH Royal Commission (Transfer of Records) Act 2001 (Cth) Trustee Act 1925, s.63

British Coal Corporation v Dennis Rye Ltd (No 2) [1988] 1 WLR 1113 Carter v The Managing Partner, Northmore Hale Davy & Leake (1994) 183 CLR 121 Goldberg v Ng (1994) 33 NSWLR 639 Goldberg v Ng (1995) 185 CLR 83 Johns v Australian Securities Commission (1993) 178 CLR 408 Mercantile Credits Ltd v Dallhold Investments Pty Ltd (1994) 15 ACSR 230 CASES CITED : Re HIH Insurance Ltd (2001) 39 ACSR 645 Re G B Nathan & Co Pty Ltd (1991) 24 NSWLR 674 Re HIH Insurance Ltd (2001) 39 ACSR 645 Re HIH Insurance Ltd (2002) 20 ACLC 851 Re Lorenz's Settlement (1861) 1 Dr & SM 401; 62 ER 433 Re McGrath as liq of HIH Insurance Ltd (2002) 41 ACSR 66 Rice v Connolly [1966] 2 All ER 649 Spotless Group Ltd v Premier Building & Consulting Pty Ltd [2006] VSCA 201