Leighton International Limited v Gavin John Hodge [2011] NSWSC 1381

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Leighton International Limited v Gavin John Hodge [2011] NSWSC 1381 Hearing dates: 22 August 2011, 25 October 2011 Decision date: 16 November 2011 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: Bergin CJ in Eq Decision: Application for stay refused Catchwords: [PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW] - [PRACTICE & PROCEDURE] - application to stay proceedings - claims by plaintiffs of breach of employment contract/breach of duty of loyalty in respect of conduct in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Indonesia - concurrent process in Malaysia by defendant for reinstatement - real issues - prospective witnesses in many different countries in the Asian region - whether a clearly inappropriate forum for plaintiffs' claims - referral of questions of foreign law to foreign court or to referee Legislation Cited: Civil Law Act 1956 (Malaysia) Contracts Act 1950 (Malaysia) Courts of Judicature Act 1964 (Malaysia) Industrial Court Rules 1967 (Malaysia) Industrial Relations Act 1967 (Malaysia) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 Cases Cited: Agar v Hyde [2000] HCA 41; (2000) 201 CLR 552 Akai Pty Limited v The People's Insurance Company Limited [1996] HCA 39; (1996) 188 CLR 418 Amalan Tepat Sdn Bhd v Lee Wai Yen [1996] 2 ILR 1394 Ballard v Multiplex Ltd [2008] NSWSC 1019; (2008) 68 ACSR 208 Barry Francis Spencer/Barii Spencer Abdullah v Courts Mammoth Berhad [2009] 1 ILR 515 Fleming v Marshall [2011] NSWCA 86 General Steel Industries Inc. v Commissioner for Railways (NSW) [1964] HCA 69; (1964) 112 CLR 125 Lo Mu Sen & Sons Sdn Bhd v Loo Yoon Nien [2005] 1 ILR 800 Md Zain Ismail v Jadi Imaging Technologies Sdn Bhd [2008] 3 ILR 457 Misran Tamam v Pembangunan Pertanian Melaka Sdn Bhd [2007] 4 ILR 553 Nixdorf Computer (M) Sdn Bhd v Tan Hong Yak [1996] 2 ILR 1236 Puttick v Tenon Limited [2008] HCA 54; (2008) 238 CLR 265 Tan Bee Huat v Tan Chong Apparels Sdn Bhd & Anor [2006] 2 ILR 1320 Voth v Manildra Flour Mills Pty Ltd [1990] HCA 55; (1990) 171 CLR 538 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Leighton International Limited (1st Plaintiff) Leighton Offshore Pte Ltd (2nd Plaintiff) Leighton Holdings Limited (3rd Plaintiff) Gavin John Hodge (Defendant) Representation: G Hatcher SC/C Ward (Plaintiffs) J C Giles (Defendant) Herbert Geer Lawyers (Plaintiffs) Bennett + Co (Defendant) File Number(s): 2011/137985