Bauer Consumer Media Limited v Evergreen Television Pty Ltd
[2017] FCA 507
At a glance
Source factsCourt
Federal Court of Australia
Decision date
2017-05-12
Before
Perry J
Source
Original judgment source is linked above.
Judgment (94 paragraphs)
- The application for an order pursuant to section 101(2) of the Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth) that the Registrar of Trade Marks remove the Trade Mark Application Number 1324177 from the Registrar of Trade Marks is dismissed.
- The first and second applicants are to pay the respondent's costs of the application as agreed or assessed. Note: Entry of orders is dealt with in Rule 39.32 of the Federal Court Rules 2011.
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT 1 INTRODUCTION [1] 2 LEGISLATIVE OVERVIEW [7] 2.1 Date of the Act [7] 2.2 Concept of a trade mark [8] 2.3 Application for a trade mark [11] 2.4 Opposition to registration [15] 2.5 Appeal from a decision of the Registrar on an opposed application to the Federal Court [23] 2.6 Application for removal for non-use [25] 3 WITNESSES [26] 3.1 General [26] 3.2 Evidence for Bauer [28] 3.2.1 Mr Keith Falconer (CEO, Bauer, Trader Media (Formerly Trader/ACP)) [28] 3.2.2 Mr Macek Rubetzki (Media Legal IP) [32] 3.3 Evidence for the respondent, Evergreen [34] 3.3.1 Mr Colin Parrôt (Evergreen, Power Pact and Parable Productions) [34] 3.3.2 Mr Warren Parrôt (former employee, Trader) [38] 3.3.3 Mr Peter Wright (formerly Executive Officer, Caravan Trade & Industries Association of Victoria) [40] 4 FINDINGS AS TO CREDIT [43] 4.1 The impact generally of the passage of time as to the quality of evidence [43] 4.2 Mr Falconer [47] 4.3 Mr Colin Parrôt [52] 4.4 Mr Warren Parrôt [54] 4.5 Conclusion on credit/reliability of witnesses [55] 5 DEFICIENCIES IN THE EVIDENCE AND THE DRAWING OF INFERENCES [56] 5.1 The rule in Jones v Dunkel [56] 5.2 Does Jones v Dunkel apply with respect to Bauer's failure to call Miffy Coady, Mike Sinclair and Grant and James Manson? [64] 5.3 Failure by Bauer to adduce documentary evidence in support of key aspects of its case [73] 6 FINDINGS OF FACT [77] 6.1 The importance of the contextual narrative to the parties' arguments [77] 6.2 Development of the idea by Colin Parrôt and initial support from the industry [79] 6.3 Initial approaches to ACP [88] 6.3.1 Trader's business strategy relating to sponsored television programs [88] 6.3.2 Presentation of the opening draft for a pilot program (July 2004) [92] 6.4 The presentation to ACP on 24 August 2004 [96] 6.5 Follow up after the presentation [112] 6.6 Next steps as at 20 September 2004 [117] 6.7 The alleged meeting in September 2004 between Mr Falconer and Mr Colin Parrôt [121] 6.8 Network Nine are not interested (mid to late January 2005) [122] 6.9 The meeting with the Ten Network on Monday 24 January 2005 [124] 6.10 The pub meeting following the meeting with the Ten Network [131] 6.11 Filming of the pilot promo for the television program on 25 January 2005 [136] 6.12 Email correspondence on 27 and 28 January 2005 [139] 6.13 Registration of the domain name on 4 February 2005 [151] 6.14 Commissioning of the logo (7-8 February 2005) [154] 6.15 Email from Miffy Coady on 8 February 2005 [158] 6.16 The promotional video produced in February 2005 [159] 6.17 Conclusion of the licence agreement with Network TEN on 25 February 2005 [164] 6.18 Letter advising ACP of the licencing agreement between Evergreen and Channel Ten (28 February 2005) [168] 6.19 Preparation for the first series [172] 6.19.1 Evolution of the concept and rush to produce the first series [172] 6.19.2 Funding for the first series [175] 6.19.3 Arrangements between Bauer and Trader [183] 6.20 The first series [187] 6.21 Preparation for the second series (second half of 2005) [192] 6.22 The failure to conclude a contract between Evergreen and Bauer comes to Mr Falconer's attention and authority to enter into agreements with Evergreen and Channel Ten (July 2005) [196] 6.23 Series 2 to 5 and the transfer to Network Nine [201] 6.24 The program ceases to be broadcast nationally in early 2009 [204] 6.25 Initial approaches to Network Seven by Colin Parrôt in early 2009 [206] 6.26 Early stages in developing "What's Up Down Under" [208] 6.27 Warren Parrôt's power point presentation (17 April 2009) [213] 6.28 Continuing issues with broadcasting the program with Nine and decision to dispense with Evergreen as the producer (March to May 2009) [218] 6.29 Registration of the domain name and trade mark for What's Up Down Under on 12 June 2009 [221] 6.30 Warren Parrôt's redundancy and announcement about the "uncertain future" of Discover Downunder (22-26 June 2009) [222] 6.31 Evergreen's continuing negotiations with Channel Seven to broadcast a program with the name Discover Downunder [223] 6.32 Announcement that Discover Downunder would return (5 October 2009) [225] 6.33 Application to register the Mark on 9 October 2009 [226] 6.34 Correspondence between the parties following the breakdown in their relationship in relation to the continued production of Discover Downunder with Trader [227] 6.35 Correspondence between the parties with respect to the broadcast by Channel Seven of "What's Up Down Under" [235] 6.36 Findings with respect to contested matters of fact relied upon in support of the parties' respective claims for ownership of the Mark [236] 6.36.1 Was there a meeting with Mr Falconer in September 2004 at which Warren Parrôt suggested the name Discover DownUnder? [236] 6.36.2 Who paid the airfares for the meeting with Channel Ten on 24 January 2005? [247] 6.36.3 When did Colin Parrôt become aware that the domain name had been registered on 4 February 2005? [252] 7 CONSIDERATION: THE APPEAL PROCEEDING [263] 7.1 Issues [263] 7.2 Summary of key factual findings [266] 7.3 Issue 1: Ownership of the Mark (s 58) [267] 7.3.1 Relevant principles [267] 7.3.2 Alleged first use by Bauer by the provision of the promotional video in the course of trade [275] 7.3.2.1 The changes in Bauer's case in the course of the litigation [275] 7.3.2.2 Evidence bearing on whether and when the promotional video clip was sent to CDM [280] 7.3.2.3 Findings: has Bauer established that the promotional video clip was sent to CDM before conclusion of the licencing agreement with Channel Ten? [293] 7.3.3 Failure by Bauer to prove first use [298] 7.4 Issue 2: Did Evergreen intend to use the Mark in good faith when it applied for registration of the Mark (s 59(a)) [302] 7.4.1 Bauer's submissions [302] 7.4.2 Is leave required to raise the registration application construction issue? [304] 7.4.3 Relevant principles [318] 7.4.4 The factual use issue: did Evergreen intend in good faith to use the Mark? [321] 7.4.4.1 Evidence bearing on the factual use issue [324] 7.4.4.2 Findings on the factual use issue [332] 7.5 Issue 3: Was the application for registration of the Mark made in bad faith? (s 62A) [340] 7.6 Issue 4: Alleged confusion by reason of another trade mark having acquired a reputation (s 60) [343] 7.7 Issue 5: Whether use of the Mark by Evergreen would be contrary to law (s 42(b)) [354] 8 CONSIDERATION: THE NON-USE PROCEEDING [357] 8.1 Relevant provisions: removal from the Register for non-use [357] 8.2 Issues [365] 8.3 A preliminary issue [370] 8.4 The first non-use period [372] 8.5 The second non-use period [377] 8.5.1 Circumstances in which non-use is rebutted by an obstacle for the purposes of s 100(3)(c) [377] 8.5.2 Was there an obstacle to use of the Mark by Evergreen under s 100(3)(c) so as to rebut non-use? [384] 8.5.3 Exercise of discretion [387] 9 CONCLUSION [394]