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[2021] WASC 210
Supreme Court of WA
2021-07-02
Miere J
Original judgment source is linked above.
In relation to the application to inspect documents filed on behalf of Bianca Hope Rinehart in her capacity as Trustee of the Hope Margaret Hancock Trust, the court's current understanding is as follows:
The parties agree the following affidavits were read during the course of the matter:
After reviewing the transcript of proceedings, the court understands the following affidavits were referred to during the proceedings:
With reference to Attachment 2 of the Affidavit of Timothy Randolph Price sworn 16 February 2021, the court has identified the following affidavits which contain documents referred to in Fieldhouse Judgments:
Access to information, records and things held by the court
I did not require the affidavits to be read out loud or the videos to be played in court. However, the affidavit and videos were received in evidence and should be treated as if the affidavit had been read and the videos had been played in open court. In those circumstances, it is not a necessary condition of leave being granted to inspect and copy the documents that the applicants state on oath the purpose or purposes for which they seek access. That is because the principle of open justice favours the grant of leave to inspect and copy the affidavit and annexures [36].
As a general rule, in furtherance of the principle of open justice, the court will grant non-parties access to material that has been admitted into evidence or referred to, or considered by, the judge in the course of a hearing to which the public are admitted [8].
I am quite clear, in the circumstances, that a third party should not merely show that access to documents would be in accordance with the open justice principle but also that such access would advance the open justice principle. If the position were otherwise, and an applicant could merely insist on production of documents on the basis that this would be in accordance with the open justice principle, there would be nothing to stop anybody making an application and doing so in overly wide terms. That clearly is not what the Supreme Court (whether in this case or in Kennedy or A v BBC) can have contemplated would justify an application under the inherent jurisdiction [78].
Gina submits no legitimate interest and good reason to refuse access
(a) As a shareholder in HMHTI, the trustee of the HMH Trust had no legal or equitable interest in the property of HMHTI, and by extension, HFMF. The HMH Trust interest in HFMF was merely as a shareholder of its controlling member.
(b) A shareholder's right to inspect the books and records of the company is limited, relevantly being governed by s 247A of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) which requires shareholders to demonstrate that access is sought in good faith and for a proper purpose.
(c) A shareholder is not entitled to access all books and records of the company (let alone a shareholder of a member of the company, such as the HMH trustee), so it cannot be the case that such a shareholder has a legitimate interest in such information.
(d) HPPL became the sole shareholder of HMHTI on 27 April 2012, at which time the interest of the HMH Trust in HFMF (via its shareholding in HMHTI) ceased. That was prior to the final hearing of the proceeding at which the documents and affidavits contained in the exhibit list were read or tendered.
... new trustees should investigate the conduct of the trust prior to their appointment and the trust documents, which they are entitled to do since they belong to them jointly with the continuing trustees.[19]
I do not accept that there is an improper purpose in the making of the WA Access Application, nor to I consider that it is an attempt to circumvent the operation of the regime in place in this Court in relation to document production. To the contrary, to my mind, it was open to Bianca through other avenues to obtain the documents sought by her (particularly where it seems to do so may be at less cost to the Trust than would otherwise be the case), then I have no difficulty with her attempting to do so (290).
... I am concerned that there is the spectre that documents sought in the present application may be relevant to (and available for use) in the Martin Arbitration to the detriment of the interests of the HMH Trust (insofar as the release that is sought by Bianca in her personal capacity in the Martin Arbitration would, as I understand it, be to strip the HMH Trust of value of its main asset, namely a shareholding in HPPL) [232].
I also accept that Bianca is concerned to ensure that she complies with her duties as trustee of the HMH Trust to obtain a complete understanding of the complex history of the Trust [231].
(a) is investigating the administration of the trust by Gina as the former trustee and those investigations include the administration of the HMH Trust from its creation in 1988; and
(b) apprehends and believes that the documents she has requested access to from the court file in these proceedings are likely to assist in those investigations and/or may include copies of trust records which have not yet been produced.
I certify that the preceding paragraph(s) comprise the reasons for decision of the Supreme Court of Western Australia.
[1] Hancock Family Memorial Foundation Ltd v Fieldhouse [No 5] [2013] WASC 121.
[2] Hancock v Rinehart [2015] NSWSC 646; (2015) 106 ACSR 207.
[3] Hancock v Rinehart (Trust Documents) [2018] NSWSC 1684.
[4] Hancock v Rinehart [2020] NSWSC 1853.
[5] Hancock v Rinehart [2020] NSWSC 1853.
[6] Rules of the Supreme Court 1971 (WA) O 67B r 15.
[7] Universal Music Australia Pty Ltd v Sharman Licence holdings Ltd, ex parte Merlin BV [2008] FCA 783; (2008) 222 FCR 580 [42].
[8] Broad Construction Services (WA) Pty Ltd v The Construction Forestry Mining & Energy Union of Workers [2007] WASC 133.
[9] Broad Construction Services (WA) Pty Ltd v The Construction Forestry Mining & Energy Union of Workers [2007] WASC 133.
[10] Broad Construction Services (WA) Pty Ltd v The Construction Forestry Mining & Energy Union of Workers [2007] WASC 133 [37].
[11] Hancock Family Memorial Foundation Ltd v Fieldhouse [No 4] [2012] WASC 176.
[12] Dring (on behalf of the Asbestos Victims Support Groups Forum UK) v Cape Intermediate Holdings Ltd (Media Lawyers Association Intervening) [2019] UKSC 38; [2020] AC 629 [42] - [43].
[13] Dring (on behalf of the Asbestos Victims Support Groups Forum UK) v Cape Intermediate Holdings Ltd [2020] EWHC 1873 (QB); [2021] 1 All ER (Comm) 848.
[14] Dian AO v Davis Frankel & Mead [2004] EWHC 2662 (Comm); [2005] 1 WLR 2951.
[15] Universal Music Australia Pty Ltd v Sharman Licence Holdings Ltd, ex parte Merlin BV [2008] FCA 783; (2008) 222 FCR 580.
[16] Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v ABB Transmission and Distribution Ltd [No 3] [2002] FCA 609; (2002) ATPR 41-873.
[17] Vikas Rambal (atf The Vikas Rambal Family Trust) v Pankaj Oswal (atf The Burrup Trust) [2014] WASC 86.
[18] The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators v B [2019] EWHC 460 (Comm); [2019] WLR (D) 146.
[19] Ford H, et al, The Law of Trusts: Ford & Lee (online edition, 2012) [9.2210].
[20] Hancock v Rinehart [2020] NSWSC 1853.
[21] Hancock v Rinehart [2020] NSWSC 1853.
(2008) 222 FCR 580