Hancock v Rinehart (Freehills subpoena) [2017] NSWSC 530

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Hancock v Rinehart (Freehills subpoena) [2017] NSWSC 530 Hearing dates: 30 March 2017 Date of orders: 04 May 2017 Decision date: 04 May 2017 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Brereton J Decision: See [65]. Catchwords: EVIDENCE – privilege – legal professional privilege – subpoenas – application to set aside subpoena alleging abuse of process and privilege – not a collateral attack on a previous order – held, not an abuse of process -- if documents privileged, no waiver in the circumstances – applicant fails to establish privilege against respondent in respect of contested documents – held, subpoena not set aside. Cases Cited: Attorney-General for the Northern Territory v Kearney (1985) 158 CLR 500 AWB Ltd v Cole (No 5) [2006] FCA 1234 BBGP Managing General Partner Ltd v Babcock & Brown Global Partners [2011] Ch 296; [2011] 2 All ER 297 British Coal Corp v Dennis Rye Ltd (No 2) [1988] 1 WLR 1113; [1988] 3 All ER 816 Commissioner of Australian Federal Police v Propend Finance Pty Ltd (1997) 188 CLR 501; [1997] HCA 3 Cook v Pasminco Pty Ltd (No 2) (2000) 107 FCR 44 CSR Ltd v Eddy (2008) 70 NSWLR 725; [2008] NSWCA 83 D A Christie Pty Ltd v Baker [1996] 2 VR 582 Expense Reduction Analysts Group Pty Ltd v Armstrong Strategic Management and Marketing Pty Limited (2013) 250 CLR 303; (2013) 303 ALR 199; (2013) 88 ALJR 76; [2013] HCA 46 Farrow Mortgage Services Pty Ltd (in liq) v Webb (1996) 39 NSWLR 601 Goldberg v Ng (1995) 185 CLR 83; 132 ALR 57 Goldman v Hesper [1988] 1 WLR 1238; [1988] 3 All ER 97 Gotha City v Sotheby's [1998] 1 WLR 114 Grant v Downs (1976) 135 CLR 674 Hancock v Rinehart (Privilege) [2016] NSWSC 12 Hancock v Rinehart [2015] NSWSC 1311 Hastie Group Limited v Moore [2016] NSWCA 305 Hellenic Mutual War Risks Association (Bermuda) Ltd v Harrison (The "Sagheera") [1997] 1 Lloyd's Rep 160 Holmes v Deputy Commissioner of Taxation (1987) 19 ATR 1278 Lazenby v Zammit [1987] Tas R 54 Mann v Carnell (1999) 201 CLR 1; 168 ALR 86; [1999] HCA 66 National Crime Authority v S (1991) 29 FCR 203; 100 ALR 151; [1991] FCA 234 Nominal Defendant v Manning [2000] NSWCA 80; (2000) 50 NSWLR 139 Osland v Secretary Department of Justice [2008] HCA 37; (2008) 234 CLR 275; (2008) 249 ALR 1; (2008) 82 ALJR 1288 Pascoe v Boensch [2007] FMCA 1214 Rinehart v Rinehart [2016] NSWCA 58 Schreuder v Murray (No 2) (2009) 260 ALR 139; 41 WAR 169; [2009] WASCA 145 Thomason v Campbelltown Municipal Council (1939) 39 SR(NSW) 347 TSB Bank plc v Robert Irving & Burns [2000] 2 All ER 826 Wentworth v De Montfort (1988) 15 NSWLR 348 Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: John Langley Hancock (first plaintiff) Bianca Hope Rinehart (second plaintiff) Gina Hope Rinehart (first defendant) Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd (fourth defendant) Representation: Counsel: C. Withers w P. Meagher (plaintiffs) B.R. McClintock SC w R. Mansted (first defendant) J. Giles SC w T. O'Brien (fourth defendant)