Wigmans v AMP Ltd [2019] NSWCA 243

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Wigmans v AMP Ltd [2019] NSWCA 243 Hearing dates: 26 August 2019 Date of orders: 08 October 2019 Decision date: 08 October 2019 Before: Bell P at [1]; Macfarlan JA at [101]; Meagher JA and Payne JA at [102]; White JA at [111] Decision: 1. Grant leave to appeal in respect of ground 1 of the draft notice of appeal.

2. Refuse leave to appeal in respect of grounds 2 and 3 of the draft notice of appeal.

3. Dismiss the appeal.

4. Order the appellant pay the costs of the application for leave to appeal and the appeal. Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE – representative proceedings – multiplicity of proceedings – competing proceedings brought in single forum by various plaintiffs against the same defendant – where the plaintiffs sought permanent stays of one another's proceedings – where stay granted against all but the last-commenced proceeding – whether bringing subsequent proceedings constitutes an abuse of process Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) ss 56, 58, 67, 157, 161, 162, 171, 173, 174, 183, Pt 10 Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) s 1337H Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) s 22, Pt IVA Jurisdiction of Courts (Cross-vesting) Act 1987 (Cth) s 5 Service and Execution of Process Act 1992 (Cth) s 20 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) ss 63, 101 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) r 28.5 Cases Cited: Australian Health & Nutrition Association Ltd v Hive Marketing Group Pty Ltd [2019] NSWCA 61; (2019) 367 ALR 146 Australian Securities Commission v Marlborough Gold Mines Ltd (1993) 177 CLR 485; [1993] HCA 15 Brewster v BMW Australia Ltd [2019] NSWCA 35; (2019) 366 ALR 171 Cantor v Audi Australia Pty Ltd (No 2) [2017] FCA 1042 Carnie v Esanda Finance Corporation Ltd (1995) 182 CLR 398; [1995] HCA 9 CSR Ltd v Cigna Insurance Australia Ltd (1997) 189 CLR 345; [1997] HCA 33 de Dampierre v de Dampierre [1988] AC 92 Donohue v Armco Inc [2002] 1 All ER 749; [2002] 1 Lloyd's Rep 425 Du Pont v Agnew [1987] 2 Lloyd's Rep 585 Henry v Henry (1996) 185 CLR 571; [1996] HCA 51 Impiombato v BHP Billiton Limited (No 2) [2018] FCA 2045; (2018) 364 ALR 162 In the matter of the Will of F B Gilbert (dec) (1946) 46 SR (NSW) 318; (1946) 63 WN (NSW) 176 Incitec Ltd v Alkimos Shipping Corp (2004) 138 FCR 496; [2004] FCA 698 Inglis v Moore (1976) 51 ALJR 207 Johnson Tiles Pty Ltd v Esso Australia Ltd [1999] FCA 56; [1999] ATPR 41-679 Johnston v Endeavour Energy [2015] NSWSC 1117 Lubbe v Cape plc [2000] 1 WLR 1545 McHenry v Lewis (1882) 22 ChD 397 McKay Super Solutions Pty Ltd (Trustee) v Bellamy's Australia Ltd [2017] FCA 947 Mobil Oil Australia Pty Ltd v Victoria (2002) 211 CLR 1; [2002] HCA 27 Moore v Inglis (1976) 50 ALJR 589; (1976) 9 ALR 509 Murakami v Wiryadi [2010] NSWCA 7; (2010) 268 ALR 377 Oliver v Commonwealth Bank of Australia (No 2) (2012) 205 FCR 540; [2012] FCA 755 Owners of the Las Mercedes v Owners of the Abidin Daver [1984] AC 398 Perera v Getswift Ltd (2018) 263 FCR 92; [2018] FCAFC 202 Peruvian Guano Co v Bockwoldt (1883) 23 ChD 225 Port of Melbourne Authority v Anshun (1981) 147 CLR 589; [1981] HCA 45 PPK Willoughby Pty Ltd v Baird [2019] NSWCA 48 Reinsurance Australia Corp Ltd v HIH Casualty and General Insurance Ltd (in liq) [2003] FCA 56; (2003) 254 ALR 29 Reynolds v Reynolds [1977] 2 NSWLR 295 Singer v Berghouse (1994) 181 CLR 201; [1994] HCA 40 Smith v Australian Executor Trustees Ltd; Creighton v Australian Executor Trustees Ltd [2016] NSWSC 17 Southernwood v Brambles Ltd [2019] FCA 1021 Sterling Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd v The Boots Company (Australia) Pty Limited (1992) 34 FCR 287; [1992] FCA 71 Studorp Ltd v Robinson [2012] NSWCA 382 The Tillie Lykes [1977] 1 Lloyd's Rep 124 TS Production LLC v Drew Pictures Pty Ltd (2008) 172 FCR 433; [2008] FCAFC 194 Union Steamship Co of New Zealand Ltd v The Caradale (1937) 56 CLR 277; [1937] HCA 1 Voth v Manildra Flour Mills Pty Ltd (1990) 171 CLR 538; [1990] HCA 55 Walton v Gardiner (1993) 177 CLR 378; [1993] HCA 77 Westpac Banking Corporation v Lenthall [2019] FCAFC 34; (2019) 366 ALR 136 Wileypark Pty Ltd v AMP Ltd [2018] FCAFC 143; (2018) 359 ALR 43 Texts Cited: A Briggs, Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments (Informa Law from Routledge, 6th ed, 2015) "Transnational Commercial Litigation and the current state of Australian law" in KE Lindgren (ed) International Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution (Ross Parsons Centre of Commercial, Corporate and Taxation Law Publication Series, 2010) 43 Lord Woolf, Access to Justice Final Report (1996) M Davies, AS Bell, PGL Brereton and M Douglas, Nygh's Conflict of Laws in Australia (LexisNexis Butterworths) (10th ed, 2019, forthcoming) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Marion Antoinette Wigmans (Applicant) AMP Limited (First Respondent) Komlotex Pty Ltd (Second Respondent) Fernbrook (Aust) Investments Pty Ltd (Third Respondent) Representation: Counsel: J T Gleeson SC, A M Hochcroth, P A Meagher (Applicant) E Collins SC (First Respondent) C A Moore SC, G Donnellan, A d'Arville (Second and Third Respondents)