Gladstone Ports Corporation Limited v Murphy Operator Pty Ltd [2024] QCA 74

CATCHWORDS: PROCEDURE – CIVIL PROCEEDINGS IN STATE AND TERRITORY COURTS – JOINDER OF CAUSES OF ACTION AND OF PARTIES – MATTERS RELATING TO LIMITATION PERIOD – where the respondents sought leave to amend the further amended statement of claim – where a proposed second further amended statement of claim sought to include causes of actions for which time limitation periods had expired – whether, according to the proper construction of s 103Z and s 103ZA of the Civil Proceedings Act 2011 (Qld), the respondents ought to be granted leave to amend the further amended statement of claim to include new causes of action / PROCEDURE – CIVIL PROCEEDINGS IN STATE AND TERRITORY COURTS – CLASS ACTIONS OR GROUP PROCEEDINGS – whether it was unnecessary to comply with r 376(4) of the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 1999 (Qld) due to the suspension of limitation periods in s 103Z of the Civil Proceedings Act 2011 (Qld) – whether a representative party obtains the same limitations relief provided to group members / PROCEDURE – CIVIL PROCEEDINGS IN STATE AND TERRITORY COURTS – JOINDER OF CAUSES OF ACTION AND OF PARTIES – CAUSES OF ACTION – where the respondents sought leave to amend the further amended statement of claim – where the amendments sought include new causes of action in respect of which limitation periods current at the date the proceeding was started, had ended – whether the causes of action sought to be included in the further amended statement of claim arose out of the same facts or substantially the same facts as the causes of action pleaded in the existing pleading – whether it was appropriate to grant leave to amend the further amended statement of claim pursuant to r 376(4) of the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 1999 (Qld) / Civil Proceedings Act 2011 (Qld), s 16, s 103A, s 103B, s 103C, s 103D, s 103F, s 104G, s 103H, s 103I, s 103K, s 103M, s 103N, s 103O, s 103P, s 103S, s 103T, s 103X, s 103Y, s 103Z, s 103ZA, s 103ZB / Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth), s 33A, s 33C, s 33D, s 33H, s 33L, s 33N, s 33Q, s 33R, s 33S, s 33W, s 33X, s 33ZA, s 33ZB, s 33ZC, s 33ZE, s 33ZF / Limitation of Actions Act 1974 (Qld) / Limitation of Actions (Child Sexual Abuse) and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2016 (Qld) / Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 1999 (Qld), r 5, r 375, r 376 / Accident Towing & Advisory Committee v Combined Motor Industries Pty Ltd [1987] VR 529; [1987] VicRp 48, cited / Adam P Brown Male Fashions Pty Ltd v Philip Morris Inc (1981) 148 CLR 170; [1981] HCA 39, cited / Alcan (NT) Alumina Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Territory Revenue (2009) 239 CLR 27; [2009] HCA 41, applied / Allonnor Pty Ltd v Doran [1998] QCA 372, applied / Allphones Retail Pty Ltd v Weimann [2009] FCAFC 135, cited / Aon Risk Services Australia Ltd v Australian National University (2009) 239 CLR 175; [2009] HCA 27, applied / Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Giraffe World Australia Pty Ltd (1998) 84 FCR 512; [1998] FCA 819, cited / Australian Iron & Steel Ltd v Hoogland (1962) 108 CLR 471; [1962] HCA 13, cited / Baini v The Queen (2012) 246 CLR 469; [2012] HCA 59, applied / BHP Group Pty Ltd v Impiombato (2022) 96 ALJR 956; [2022] HCA 33, applied / BMW Australia Ltd v Brewster (2019) 269 CLR 574; [2019] HCA 45, applied / Borsato v Campbell [2006] QSC 191, applied / Branir Pty Ltd v Owston Nominees (No 2) Pty Ltd (2001) 117 FCR 424; [2001] FCA 1833, cited / Bray v F Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd (2003) 130 FCR 317; [2003] FCAFC 153, applied / Brisbane South Regional Health Authority v Taylor (1996) 186 CLR 541; [1996] HCA 25, cited / Bruce v Odhams Press Ltd [1936] 1 KB 697, cited / Cash Converters International Ltd v Gray (2014) 223 FCR 139; [2014] FCAFC 111, cited / Certain Lloyd’s Underwriters Subscribing to Contract / No IH00AAQS v Cross (2012) 248 CLR 379; [2012] HCA 56, cited / Chevron Australia Holdings Pty Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (2017) 251 FCR 40; [2017] FCAFC 62, applied / Clyne v Deputy Commissioner of Taxation (Cth) (1981) 150 CLR 1; [1981] HCA 40, cited / Cooke v Gill (1873) LR 8 CP 107; [1873] UKLawRpCP 3, cited / Dillon v RBS Group (Australia) Pty Ltd (2017) 252 FCR 150; [2017] FCA 896, applied / Donovan v Gwentoys Ltd [1990] 1 All ER 1018, cited / Draney v Barry [2002] 1 Qd R 145; [1999] QCA 491, applied / Dyczynski v Gibson (2020) 280 FCR 583; [2020] FCAFC 120, applied / ENT19 v Minister for Home Affairs (2023) 97 ALJR 509; [2023] HCA 18, applied / Ethicon Sarl v Gill (2018) 264 FCR 394; [2018] FCAFC 137, applied / Evans v Davantage Group Pty Ltd (No 2) [2020] FCA 473, cited / Federal Commissioner of Taxation v Australian Building Systems Pty Ltd (in liq) (2015) 257 CLR 544; [2015] HCA 48, cited / Fleming v The Queen (1998) 197 CLR 250; [1998] HCA 68, cited / Gibson v Malaysian Airline System Berhad (No 2) [2017] FCA 701, cited / Harrison v Melhem (2008) 72 NSWLR 380; [2008] NSWCA 67, cited / House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40, cited / ICI Australia Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation (Cth) (1972) 127 CLR 529; [1972] HCA 75, cited / Johnson Tiles Pty Ltd v Esso Australia Pty Ltd (2003) Aust Torts Reports 81-692; [2003] VSC 27, applied / King v GIO Australia Holdings Ltd (2000) 100 FCR 209; [2000] FCA 617, cited / Lennon v Gibson and Howes Ltd [1919] AC 709; [1919] UKPCHCA 2, cited / Matthews v SPI Electricity Pty Ltd (No 5) (2012) 35 VR 615; [2012] VSC 66, applied / McMullin v ICI Australia Operations Pty Ltd (1998) 84 FCR 1; [1998] FCA 658, cited / Menegazzo v Pricewaterhousecoopers (A Firm) [2016] QSC 94, applied / Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations v Gribbles Radiology Pty Ltd (2005) 222 CLR 194; [2005] HCA 9, cited / Mio Art Pty Ltd v Macequest Pty Ltd (2013) 95 ACSR 583; [2013] QSC 211, cited / Mobil Oil Australia Pty Ltd v Victoria (2002) 211 CLR 1; [2002] HCA 27, applied / Mokrzecki v Popham [2013] QSC 123, cited / Monto Coal 2 Pty Ltd v Sanrus Pty Ltd as Trustee of the QC Trust [2014] QCA 267, cited / Murdoch v Lake [2014] QCA 216, applied / Murphy v Farmer (1988) 165 CLR 19; [1998] HCA 31, cited / Parkin v Boral Ltd (2022) 291 FCR 116; [2022] FCAFC 47, applied / Pianta v BHP Australia Coal Ltd [1996] 1 Qd R 65; [1995] QCA 53, applied / Port of Melbourne Authority v Anshun Pty Ltd (1981) 147 CLR 589; [1981] HCA 45, cited / Rigato Farms Pty Ltd v Ridolfi [2001] 2 Qd R 455; [2000] QCA 292, cited / Rogers v Whitaker (1992) 175 CLR 479; [1992] HCA 58, cited / Silkfield Pty Ltd v Wong (1998) 90 FCR 152; [1998] FCA 1488, applied / Stewart v Uber Technologies Incorporated [2020] NSWCA 208, cited / Stimpson v O'Toole (2022) 12 QR 27; [2022] QCA 194, cited / Timbercorp Finance Pty Ltd (in liq) v Collins (2016) 259 CLR 212; [2016] HCA 44, applied / Thomas v State of Queensland [2001] QCA 336, applied / Uber Australia Pty Ltd v Andrianakis (2020) 61 VR 580; [2020] VSCA 186, applied / Webster v Murray Goulburn Co-Operative Co Ltd (No 2) [2017] FCA 1260, applied / Wolfe v State of Queensland [2009] 1 Qd R 97; [2008] QCA 113, applied / Wong v Silkfield Pty Ltd (1999) 199 CLR 255; [1999] HCA 48, applied

COUNSEL: R P Lancaster SC, with J Green, for the appellant / L W L Armstrong KC, with J P Tomlinson and M J May, for the respondents

SOLICITORS: King & Wood Mallesons for the appellant / Clyde & Co for the respondents