[2023] WASC 395
General information, not legal advice.
Supreme Court of WA
2023-10-13
Howard J
Original judgment source is linked above.
HOWARD J: I'm sure I'm going to regret this. Mr Hubbard, was the letter you sent towards the end of last week to the court indicating that the parties had consented to your supplying the - the documents at - you didn't identify them this way, but the documents at 8, 9, 10, 11 and 64?
HUBBARD, MR: Correct, yes.
HOWARD J: And would that then also - so you have discovered that document that's at Mr Hicks' January 2023 affidavit at 4.3.
HUBBARD, MR: We have, your Honour, informally.
HOWARD J: But you have not - - -
HUBBARD, MR: It hasn't been the subject of a supplementary affidavit of discovery.
HOWARD J: And - but no inspection has been given.
HUBBARD, MR: Correct.
HOWARD J: And - - -
SOLOMON, MR: Is that in the file you have given the court?
HUBBARD, MR: Yes, it is.
SOLOMON, MR: Okay.
HUBBARD, MR: Yes.
HOWARD J: And so that would be - in addition to those 8, 10, 11 and 64, that could go into a folder, assuming that the parties were content for that to go to the court.
HUBBARD, MR: Yes.
SOLOMON, MR: I am, your Honour. It's always the position that if the court wishes to inspect the documents - I don't see them, but I have absolutely no objection to your Honour having the file.
HOWARD J: Thank you. Thank you. I'm not sure about a wish, but it's really for the non-parties to confirm that they're content for me to take those.
PRATT, MR: Yes, we are, sir.
HOWARD J: Mr Hubbard, I won't ask you to do it immediately, but can I ask the City to supply a folder of those documents.
HUBBARD, MR: Yes. Your Honour, I can do that right now, if it would assist. I have the folder here. Now, it's not - I haven't put a cover page on it, but - - -
HOWARD J: That's okay. And does that have the other document from 4.3 of Mr Hicks' affidavit in it?
HUBBARD, MR: Yes. Yes, it does, your Honour. I have marked the - that document with a tab marked FRA for financial risk assessment.
HOWARD J: Okay. Okay. Well, what I will do is - against my better judgment, is I will take that folder. We will find the envelope of the redacted - or the unredacted documents.
HUBBARD, MR: I can probably assist your Honour there as well. I have actually included those documents in this volume as well, to save you the hassle.
HOWARD J: Thank you, Mr Hubbard. So I will take that as - I will just take it as an MFI, that bundle, and I will reserve the decision, hopefully not for very long, but I think it won't be - in all likelihood, it won't be this week, but I would be hopeful of it being sometime next week. The parties perhaps can let my chambers know if there's any times that are not available for them. I'm conscious that our school holidays start next week, which might be a thing for some people. Otherwise, I will adjourn the court.[4] (emphasis added)
[44] Prior to this hearing, I requested GSC and the Interested non‑Parties to provide minutes of the orders they were seeking. The Interested non‑Parties prepared a joint minute. That may provide the basis for conferral with GSC as to the form of the regime which should be imposed.
[45] I direct the parties to confer and if at all possible, agree on the form of the Orders to be made following these reasons, including as to costs. I will hear from them as to the form of the Orders and costs if they cannot be agreed.
I am, your Honour. It's always the position that if the court wishes to inspect the documents - I don't see them, but I have absolutely no objection to your Honour having the file.[13]
SOLOMON, MR: That's right. But that doesn't answer what the court then does as to how it deals with them having inspected them.
HOWARD J: But there was no submission made at any stage that there should be some elongated procedure as you canvass in the last ground of written submissions, was there?
SOLOMON, MR: I didn't - - -
HOWARD J: You never suggested that to the court.
SOLOMON, MR: I didn't know what you were going to do, with respect, your honour. From the way the debate went, I thought the case was going the other way. But counsel read things wrongly. I may have read the debate wrongly. And as I say, had it gone the other way, there is no procedural fairness, but - - -
HOWARD, J: But just losing the matter doesn't mean you've been denied procedural fairness, Mr Solomon.[14]
... there are very significant disadvantages in the procedure adopted by the magistrate, not only to the party who was deprived of access to relevant evidence and submissions but to the court ... If adopted, any redactions must be confined to the absolute minimum essential to ensure the protection of the communications claimed to be privileged. That did not occur in this case with the consequence that the appellant was denied procedural fairness.
... the appellant should not have been excluded from any hearings and the parties should have been given the opportunity to make closing submissions to reflect the evidence adduced at the hearing and on the subject of the non‑disclosure of the names of the third parties. These also constitute denials of procedural fairness.
I haven't seen the documents - the entire tender submissions, every punctuation mark in them has currently never been shown to us and masses of other material just completely redacted - I'm in no position ... to make submissions about the orders that should be made.[19]
Conferral would be a complete and utter waste of time. They've got a decision of the court in their favour... in published reasons... I'm in no position to confer because... I don't know what's the material is that's going to be the subject of the order.[20]
Annexure A to [2023] WASC 395
(ABN 64 295 981 165)
PURSUANT TO ORDER 43, RULE 16 AND BY CONSENT, it is ordered that:
(a) judicial officers and employees of the Court; and
(b) subject to each individual first signing an undertaking in the form of the attached undertaking (a copy of which will be retained only by the solicitors for the parties and the solicitors for Claude Outdoor Pty Ltd, Natsales Advertising Pty Ltd and Muscara Holdings Pty Ltd (Interested Non-Parties)), to:
(i) the external solicitors and counsel for the parties to the proceedings in CIV 1493 of 2022 or any appeal therefrom or fresh proceedings brought against the defendant;
(ii) the experts or external advisors engaged by the parties to the proceedings in CIV 1493 of 2022 or fresh proceedings against the defendant, for the purpose of providing evidence in the proceedings in CIV 1493 of 2022 or fresh proceedings brought against the defendant, or otherwise assisting the parties in the proceedings, or in fresh proceedings brought against the defendant who have been approved in writing by each Interested Non-Party or its solicitors;
(iii) such other individuals nominated by one or more of the parties and approved in writing by each Interested Non-Party or its solicitors.
......................................... ......................................
Solicitors for the Plaintiff Solicitors for the Defendant
......................................... ......................................
Solicitors for Muscara Holdings Pty Ltd Solicitors for Claude Outdoor Pty Ltd
I, [INSERT NAME], [INSERT ROLE], of [FIRM NAME] [INSERT ADDRESS], as a condition of obtaining access to confidential materials listed in Schedule 1 (Confidential Materials) and to the confidential information contained within those materials (Information), in connection with Supreme Court of Western Australia proceedings no. CIV 1493/2022 (the Proceedings), undertake to the Court and to [INSERT NON-PARTY] that unless [INSERT NON-PARTY] agrees or the Court otherwise orders:
a) an external lawyer engaged by the Plaintiff (including counsel) who has first signed and provided to solicitor for the Defendant and the solicitor for [INSERT NON-PARTY] an undertaking in the same form as this undertaking;
>
> b) an external advisor engaged by the Plaintiff who has obtained the written approval from [INSERT NON-PARTY] or the solicitors for [INSERT NON-PARTY] to access the Confidential Materials or Information and who has first signed and provided to solicitor for the Defendant and the solicitor for [INSERT NON-PARTY] an undertaking in the same form as this undertaking;
>
> c) another person who has obtained the written approval from [INSERT NON-PARTY] or the solicitors for [INSERT NON-PARTY] to access the Confidential Materials or Information and who has first signed and provided to solicitor for the Defendant and the solicitor for [INSERT NON -PARTY] an undertaking in the same form as this undertaking;
>
> d) to the Court or any of its employees; or
>
> e) as required by law.
a) labelling any part of any affidavit or annexure or exhibit which uses the Confidential Material or Information (or any part of either) clearly as containing material subject to this undertaking; and
>
> b) seeking non-publication or other appropriate orders such as closure of the Court to persons who have not signed this undertaking.
Signature __________________________________
Capacity __________________________________
Date of signature __________________________________
I certify that the preceding paragraph(s) comprise the reasons for decision of the Supreme Court of Western Australia.
[1] Global Smart Cities Pty Ltd v City of Wanneroo [2023] WASC 366.
[2] Defined at [10] of [2023] WASC 366.
[3] Defined at [5] of [2023] WASC 366.
[5] Plaintiff's submissions 29 September 2023 [3].
[6] Plaintiff's submissions 29 September 2023 [5].
[7] Plaintiff's submissions 29 September 2023 [5].
[8] Plaintiff's submissions 29 September 2023 [8.2].
[9] Plaintiff's submissions 29 September 2023 [10].
[10] Plaintiff's submissions 29 September 2023 [10].
[11] Plaintiff's submission 29 September 2023 [10].
[14] 9 October 2023 ts 60; see also 9 October 2023 ts 62 - 63.
[18] In golfing parlance this is called a 'Mulligan'. The Macquarie Dictionary (6th ed) defines a 'Mulligan' as: 'a shot replayed without penalty, permitted only in unofficial games.' Unsurprisingly, it does not have an equivalent in Court procedures.
(2008) 37 WAR 516