Broadway Plaza Investments Pty Ltd v Broadway Plaza Pty Ltd [2019] NSWSC 410

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Broadway Plaza Investments Pty Ltd v Broadway Plaza Pty Ltd [2019] NSWSC 410 Hearing dates: 5 April 2019 Date of orders: 15 April 2019 Decision date: 15 April 2019 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Ward CJ in Eq Decision: 1. Set aside the subpoena issued by Broadway Plaza Pty Ltd on 29 January 2019 to the proper officer, National Australia Bank Limited. 2. Order Broadway Plaza Pty Ltd to pay the applicants' costs of the respective applications to set aside the said subpoena. Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE — Subpoenas — Application to set aside — Abuse of process –– subpoena issued for the production of documents from the National Australia Bank –– whether a legitimate forensic purpose for production –– whether merely a fishing expedition –– whether the issuing of the subpoena subverts the operation of Practice Note SC Eq 11 Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 56 Practice Note SC Eq 11 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules (2005) (NSW), rr 5.3, 33.4, 33.5(2) Cases Cited: Associated Dominions Assurance Society Pty Ltd v John Fairfax & Sons Pty Limited (1955) 72 WN (NSW) 250 Attorney General for New South Wales v Chidgey [2008] NSWCCA 65 Commissioner for Railways v Small (1938) 38 SR (NSW) 564 Danihel v Manning [2012] NSWSC 556 ICAP Australia Pty Ltd v BGC Partners (Australia) Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 307 ICAP Pty Ltd v Moebes [2009] NSWSC 306 In the matter of Force Corp Pty Ltd (Recs and Mgrs Apptd) (in liq) [2018] NSWSC 896 In the matter of Mempoll Pty Limited, Anakin Pty Limited and Gold Kings (Australian) Pty Limited [2012] NSWSC 1057 Lindsay-Owen v HWL Ebsworth Lawyers [2017] NSWSC 1692 National Employers' Mutual General Association Ltd v Waind & Hill [1978] 1 NSWLR 372 New Price Retail Services Pty Ltd v Hanna; Australian Pharmaceutical Industries v Hanna [2012] NSWSC 422 One.Tel Ld (in Liq) - SingTel Optus Pty Ltd v Weston [2010] NSWSC 1491 Portal Software v Bodsworth (Portal Software) [2005] NSWSC 1115 R v Saleam [1999] NSWCCA 86 Rinehart v Rinehart [2018] NSWSC 1102 Rinehart v Rinehart [2015] NSWSC 205 Sayour v Elliott [2018] NSWSC 59 The Owners - Strata Plan No 76902 v Roads and Maritime Services [2017] NSWSC 528 Trade Practices Commissioner v Arnotts Ltd (1989) 21 FCR 306; [1989] FCA 340 Tyco Australia Pty Ltd v Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd (2005) 142 FCR 428; [2005] FCAFC 115 Universal Press Pty Limited v Provest Limited [1989] FCA 402 Yes Family Pty Ltd v Sphere Healthcare Pty Ltd [2016] NSWSC 393 Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Broadway Plaza Investments Pty Ltd (Plaintiff) Broadway Plaza Pty Ltd (Defendant) Deiri Nominees Pty Ltd (Fourth Cross Defendant on Fifth Cross-Claim) (Applicant on first motion) Combined Projects (Gibbons) Pty Ltd (Fifth Cross-Defendant on Fifth Cross-Claim) (Applicant on second motion) Combined Property Investments Pty Ltd (Sixth Cross-Defendant on Fifth Cross-Claim) (Applicant on second motion) Combined Projects (Redfern) Pty Ltd (Seventh Cross-Defendant on Fifth Cross-Claim) (Applicant on second motion) Combined Projects Holdings Pty Ltd (Eighth Cross-Defendant on Fifth Cross-Claim) (Applicant on second motion) Deicorp Pty Ltd (Tenth Cross-Defendant on Fifth Cross-Claim) (Applicant on second motion) Combined Projects (Arncliffe) Pty Ltd (Eleventh Cross-Defendant on Fifth Cross-Claim) (Applicant on second motion) Representation: Counsel: C Bova with B Michael (Plaintiff/First, Third and Fourth Cross-Defendants on Fifth Cross-Claim) JP Gatland (Defendant/Cross-Claimant on First, Second and Fifth Cross-Claims/Cross-Defendant on Third Cross-Claim) V Bedrossian (Fifth to Eighth and Tenth to Eleventh Cross-Defendants on Fifth Cross-Claim)