Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd v Probiotec Pharma Pty Ltd [2010] NSWSC 532

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd v Probiotec Pharma Pty Ltd [2010] NSWSC 532

HEARING DATE(S) : 21 May 2010 JURISDICTION : Equity

JUDGMENT OF : Biscoe AJ

EX TEMPORE JUDGMENT DATE : 21 May 2010

DECISION : Probiotec's application for leave to amend to plead fraud against AZPA is dismissed.

CATCHWORDS : AMENDMENT - to defendant's pleading to allege fraud against another defendant after close of evidence in order to bolster statutory proportionate liability defence. - CONTRACT - whether statutory proportionate liability regime applies to a claim for breach of a strict contractual performance duty

Civil Liability Act 2002 LEGISLATION CITED : Civil Procedure Act 2005 Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005

CATEGORY : Procedural and other rulings

Aon Risk Services Australia Ltd v Australian National University [2009] HCA 27, 239 CLR 175 CASES CITED : Queensland v J L Holdings Pty Ltd [1997] HCA 1, 189 CLR 146 Reinhold v NSW Lotteries Corporation (No 2) [2008] NSWSC 187

TEXTS CITED : McDonald and Carter, "The Lottery of Contractual Risk Allocation and Proportionate Liability" (2009) 26 JCL 1

Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd (Plaintiff) PARTIES : Probiotec Pharma Pty Ltd (First Defendant/Cross Claimant) AZPA Holdings Pty Ltd (Second Defendant/Cross Respondent)

FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 2007/00266606

Mr L Gyles SC with Mr E Cowpe (Plaintiff) COUNSEL : Mr D Fagan SC with Mr P B Walsh (First Defendant/Cross Claimant) Mr R Manly SC with Mr P Hamill SC and Mr B Guzzo (Second Defendant/Cross Respondent)