66Non-appearance or absence of some defendants

66 Non-appearance or absence of some defendants (1) When there are several defendants in any cause pending in the court, if any defendant is not served with process and does not voluntarily appear, the court may nevertheless entertain the cause and proceed to hear and determine it between the parties who are properly before the court. (2) The judgment referred to in subsection (1) in a cause does not prejudice a defendant in the cause who is not served with process and does not voluntarily submit to the jurisdiction of the court. (3) If, in a suit of which the court has jurisdiction, a defendant is not a resident of, or in, Australia and does not voluntarily appear in the suit, the court may nevertheless exercise its jurisdiction after notice to the defendant, and on the conditions, prescribed under the rules.