In the matter of Australasian Hail Network Pty Limited (No 2) [2020] NSWSC 517

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: In the matter of Australasian Hail Network Pty Limited (No 2) [2020] NSWSC 517 Hearing dates: 4 May 2020 Date of orders: 08 May 2020 Decision date: 08 May 2020 Jurisdiction: Equity - Corporations List Before: Rees J Decision: Orders made for access to privileged documents and for discovery Catchwords: DISCOVERY – relevance to fact in issue – focus on pleadings – facts in affidavits may not be a fact in issue in the proceedings – discovery not ordered on matters going to credibility – [2]-[3], [58]

EVIDENCE — Privilege — joint privilege – ex-wife said to agree to waive privilege – husband did not agree – privilege not waived – [34]

EVIDENCE — Privilege — Client legal privilege — Whether issue waiver — earlier retainer of solicitor before drafting of documents in issue – plaintiff pleaded special disadvantage including lack of legal advice, ignorance of rights in relation to business and incapacity due to substance abuse – inconsistent and unfair to maintain privilege – privilege waived – [36]-[38], [43]

PROCEDURE – Notice to produce – rule 21.10(1)(a) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) – implicitly assumes relevance of document referred to in pleading or affidavit – where production opposed, Court must consider whether relevant to fact in issue – production of laptop, hard drive, mobile phones, cloned hard drive and email password refused – [57]-[60]

SUBPOENA – application for leave to issue subpoena in New Zealand – material may be obtained by other means with less expenses – unnecessary to trouble proposed recipient with subpoena – leave refused – [69]-[75] Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 56(1) section 55, Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), ss 55, 119(a), 122(2) Trans-Tasman Proceedings Act 2010 (Cth), s 31 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 21.10 Cases Cited: Archer Capital 4A Pty Ltd (as trustee for the Archer Capital Trust 4A) v Sage Group plc (No 2) (2013) 306 ALR 384; [2013] FCA 1098 AWB Ltd v Cole (No 5) (2006) 155 FCR 30; [2006] FCA 1234 Chen v City Convenience Leasing Pty Ltd [2005] NSWCA 297 Comeskey v New South Wales Bar Association [2015] NSWSC 12 Commissioner of Taxation v Rio Tinto Ltd (2006) 151 FCR 341; [2006] FCAFC 86 Cooper v Hobbs [2013] NSWCA 70 Council of the New South Wales Bar Association v Archer (2008) 72 NSWLR 236; [2008] NSWCA 164 Domain Paper (Australia) Pty Ltd v Galloway [2014] FCA 936 DSE (Holdings) Pty Ltd v Intertan Inc (2003) 127 FCR 499; [2003] FCA 384 Farrow Mortgage Services Pty Ltd (in liq) v Webb (1996) 132 FLR 466; (1996) 39 NSWLR 601 In the matter of Australasian Hail Network Pty Limited [2020] NSWSC 44 Labruyere v Parsons Brinckerhiff Australia Pty Limited (No 3) [2019] NSWSC 79 Mann v Carnell (1999) 201 CLR 1; [1999] HCA 66 Mulley v Manifold (1959) 103 CLR 341 Norris v Kandiah [2007] NSWSC 1296 Noun v Pavey [2014] NSWSC 429 Parkview Qld Pty Ltd v Commonwealth Bank of Australia [2012] NSWSC 1599 Rauland Australia Pty Limited v Law [2020] FCA 516 SA EMed Pty Ltd v Calvary Health Care Adelaide Ltd (No 2) [2011] FCA 835 Thorpe v Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police [1989] 1 WLR 665 Wayne Lawrence Pty Ltd v Hunt [1999] NSWSC 1044 Texts Cited: P Taylor, M Meek and the Hon. G Bellew, Ritchie's Uniform Civil Procedure (NSW) Supreme Court of New South Wales Practice Note SC Eq 11 Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Kane Boyd (First Plaintiff) Automotive Paintless Techniques Pty Limited (Second Plaintiff) Adam Woodlands (First Defendant) Stephanie Woodlands (Second Defendant) Southern Cross Hail Pty Limited (Third Defendant) Australasian Hail Network Pty Limited (Fourth Defendant) Australian Securities and Investments Commission (Fifth Defendant) Carwook Pty Limited (Sixth Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr S Docker / Mr A Gandar (First and Second Plaintiffs) Mr G Curtin SC / Mr J Duncan (First, Second, Third, Fourth and Sixth Defendants) No appearance (Fifth Defendant)