Bruce, Alex --- "The Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) and the Demise of Legal Professional Privilege" [2002] FedLawRw 13; (2002) 30(2) Federal Law Review 373
[*] Solicitor, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Senior Lecturer in Law, the Australian National University. The author would like to thank Mr James Stellios and Ms Peta Spender for their helpful comments on an earlier version of this paper, first presented at the Queensland Law Society/Queensland Bar Association Annual Symposium Brisbane, March 1–2 2002. The views expressed in this article are those of the author only.
[1] ACCC v The Daniels Corporation International Pty Ltd [2001] FCA 244; [2001] ATPR 41-808 ('Daniels').
[2] Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) ('TPA').
[3] The High Court in Esso Australia Resources Limited v FCT [1999] HCA 67; (1999) 201 CLR 49 ('Esso') considered that the expression 'legal professional privilege' might erroneously suggest that the privilege is that of the lawyer. Accordingly, the Court suggested that the expression 'client legal privilege' as employed in the Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) is more accurate—see 54 (Gleeson CJ, Gaudron and Gummow JJ) and 81 (Kirby J).
[4] Sir Zelman Cowan, 'The Private Man' in D McDonald, Highlights of The Boyer Lectures 1959–2000 (1st ed, 2001) 127.
[5] ACCC v IMB Group Pty Ltd (in liq) (1999) ATPR 41–688, 42,802.
[6] G T Pagone, 'Access to Information: Guerilla Warfare Under the Trade Practices Act (1982)' 5 University New South Wales Law Journal 192, 219.
[7] The importance of such a balance was determinative for Gleeson CJ in Caltex Refining Co Pty Ltd v State Pollution Control Commission (1991) 25 NSWLR 118, 127 ('Caltex').
[8] Pearse v Pearse [1846] EngR 1195; (1846) 63 ER 950, 957.
[9] Carter v Northmore Hale Davey & Leake (1995) 183 CLR 121, 147.
[10] Commissioner of Australian Federal Police v Propend Finance Pty Limited (1996–97) 188 CLR 501, 527 ('Propend').
[11] Corporate Affairs Commission (NSW) v Yuill [1991] HCA 28; (1991) 172 CLR 319 ('Yuill').
[12] Dorne Boniface, 'Legal Professional Privilege and Disclosure Powers of Investigative Agencies' (1992) 16 Criminal Law Journal 320.
[13] Baker v Campbell (1983) 153 CLR 53, 128–9.
[14] Carter v Northmore Hale Davy & Leake (1995) 183 CLR 121, 128.
[15] Oceanic Sunline Special Shipping Co Inc v Fay [1988] HCA 32; (1988) 165 CLR 197, 252–3 (Deane J).
[16] See for example, Ray Steinwall, 'Abrogation of Legal Professional Privilege in Trade Practices Matters' (2001) 16(10) Trade Practices Law Bulletin 105, 106–7.
[17] See Adrian Zuckerman, 'Legal Professional Privilege and the Ascertainment of Truth' (1990) 53 Modern Law Review 381; Propend (1997) 188 CLR 501, 581; Esso [1999] HCA 67; (1999) 201 CLR 49, 81.
[18] ACCC, 'Full Federal Court Upholds ACCC Claim: Trade Practices Act Overrides Legal Professional Privilege' (Media Release, No 53/01, 16 March 2001).
[19] Annabel Hepworth, 'Privilege Decision Faces Test', Australian Financial Review, 23 March 2001 34.
[20] Annabel Hepworth, 'Court Enhances ACCC's Corporate Policing Powers', Australian Financial Review, 17 March 2001.
[21] Ibid.
[22] ACCC, 'ACCC To Oppose Woolworth's High Court Application To Stop Production of Liquor Investigation Documents', (Media Release, No 256/01, 12 October 2001).
[23] ACCC, 'ACCC To Oppose Cole's High Court Application To Stop Production of Liquor Investigation Documents', (Media Release, No 263/01, 22 October 2001).
[24] See (2001) ATPR, 42,795 ( Wilcox J), 42,802 ( Moore J).
[25] Pyneboard Pty Ltd v Trade Practices Commission (1982–83) [1983] HCA 9; 152 CLR 328 ('Pyneboard').
[26] [2001] ATPR 41–808, 42,805.
[27] Pyneboard [1983] HCA 9; (1983) 152 CLR 328, 343.
[28] Grant v Downs [1976] HCA 63; (1976) 135 CLR 674, 682.
[29] Vikki Wayne, 'The Corporation and Legal Professional Privilege' (1997) 8 Australian Journal of Corporate Law 25; Sue McNicol, 'The High Court Rules—Corporations and the Privilege Against Self Incrimination' (1994) Law Institute Journal 1058.
[30] Grant v Downs [1976] HCA 63; (1976) 135 CLR 674, 685.
[31] Trade Practices Commission v Sterling [1979] FCA 33; [1979] ATPR 40-121; Propend (1996–97) 188 CLR 501.
[32] Waterford v The Commonwealth [1987] HCA 25; (1987) 163 CLR 54.
[33] Constantine v Trade Practices Commission [1994] ATPR 41-291.
[34] Mann v Carnell [1999] HCA 66; (1999) 201 CLR 1.
[35] Yuill [1991] HCA 28; (1991) 172 CLR 319.
[36] Carter v Managing Partner, Northmore, Hale Davey & Leake [1999] HCA 67; (1995) 183 CLR 121; (1999) 201 CLR 49.
[37] Bonifcae, above n 12, 323.
[38] Ibid.
[39] Ibid.
[40] Caltex [1993] HCA 74; (1993) 178 CLR 477.
[41] Yuill [1991] HCA 28; (1991) 172 CLR 319, 332 (Dawson J).
[42] [1987] HCA 12; (1987) 162 CLR 514, 523.
[43] Potter v Minahan [1908] HCA 63; (1908) 7 CLR 277, 304.
[44] [1994] HCA 15; (1994) 179 CLR 427, 437.
[45] [1990] HCA 24; (1990) 171 CLR 1, 18.
[46] Plenty v Dillon [1991] HCA 5; (1990) 171 CLR 635, 654 (Gaudron and McHugh JJ).
[47] Yuill v Corporate Affairs Commission (NSW) (1990) 20 NSWLR 386, 403 ( Kirby P).
[48] Coco v The Queen [1994] HCA 15; (1994) 179 CLR 427, 437–8.
[49] [1976] HCA 63; (1976) 135 CLR 674, 686.
[50] Pyneboard [1983] HCA 9; (1982) 152 CLR 328; Caltex [1993] HCA 74; (1993) 178 CLR 477.
[51] See generally Boniface, above n 12.
[52] Vikki Wayne, 'The Corporation and Legal Professional Privilege' (1997) 8 Australian Journal of Corporate Law 25, 31.
[53] Trade Practices Commission v Abbco Ice Works Pty Ltd [1994] FCA 1279; (1994) 52 FCR 96.
[54] See Andrews, Bondfield and M Dirkis, 'The Death of Privilege for the Privileged?' (1994) 4 Australian Journal of Corporate Law 1.
[55] Wayne, above n 52.
[56] Carter v Northmore Hale Davy & Leake (1995) 183 CLR 121, 132 ( Deane J).
[57] Ibid 145 ( Toohey J).
[58] Ibid 161 ( McHugh J).
[59] (1996) 188 CLR 501, 552 (McHugh J), 565 (Gummow J) and 582–3 (Kirby J).
[60] An exercise in 'fuzzy thinking'—see Carl Sagan, 'The Fine Art of Baloney Detection—The Demon Haunted World' (1995) 210–16.
[61] Above n 52, 25.
[62] As Brennan J stated in Mabo v Queensland [No 2] (1992) 175 CLR 1, 42 '[I]nternational law is a legitimate and important influence on the development of the common law, especially when international law declares the existence of human rights'. See also Kartinyeri v Commonwealth [1998] HCA 22; (1998) 195 CLR 337, 418.
[63] See R v Derby Magistrates' Court Ex parte B [1995] UKHL 18; [1996] AC 487. See also Article 8 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
[64] (1992) 35 FCR 447, 45.
[65] Esso [1999] HCA 67; (1999) 201 CLR 49, 91.
[66] Suzanne McNicol, 'Professional Privilege Spreads its Wings' (1996) 70(11) Law Institute Journal 32; Alistair Abadee, 'The Forward March of Legal Professional Privilege' [2000] Bar News (Spring) 9.
[67] Pyneboard [1983] HCA 9; (1983) 152 CLR 328, 341.
[68] [1994] HCA 15; (1994) 179 CLR 427, 438.
[69] Pyneboard [1983] HCA 9; (1983) 152 CLR 328, 341.
[70] [2001] FCA 244; (2001) ATPR 41-808, 42,796.
[71] Propend (1997) 188 CLR 501.
[72] Carter v Northmore Hale Davey & Leake (1995) 183 CLR 121, 134 ( Deane J ).
[73] Where discovery is given pursuant to O 15 of the Federal Court Rules.
[74] Brambles Holdings Ltd v Trade Practices Commission (1980) ATPR 40-179.
[75] Alex Bruce, 'Caltex and Abbco Ice Works—The End of the Road for Corporations?' (1995) 23 Australian Business Law Review 7.
[76] Beazley v Steinhardt [1999] FCA 1255 (14 September 1999).
[77] Daniels [2001] FCA 244; (2001) ATPR 41-808, 42,804.
[78] Propend (1997) 188 CLR 501, 556 (McHugh J).
[79] O'Rourke v Darbyshire [1920] AC 581, 604.
[80] Huddart Parker & Co Proprietary Ltd v Moorehead [1909] HCA 36; (1909) 8 CLR 330, 407.
[81] Caltex (1992–93) [1993] HCA 74; 178 CLR 477, 554.
[82] [1999] HCA 67; (1999) 201 CLR 49, 72-3 (Gleeson CJ, Gummon and Gaudron JJ),105 ( Callinan J).
[83] Ibid 91.
[84] Ibid.
[85] Caltex Refining Co Pty Ltd v State Pollution Control Commission (1991) 25 NSWLR 118, 127.
[86] Caltex (1992–93) [1993] HCA 74; 178 CLR 477, 500.
[87] Baker v Campbell [1983] HCA 39; (1983) 153 CLR 52, 120.
[88] Esso [1999] HCA 67; (1999) 201 CLR 49, 89.
[89] Yuill v Corporate Affairs Commission of New South Wales (1990) 20 NSWLR 386, 398 (Kirby P).
[90] Baker v Campbell [1983] HCA 39; (1983) 153 CLR 52, 95, 96, 97.
[91] Minter v Priest [1930] AC 558.
[92] In s 155(7) of the TPA.
[93] Mills v Meeking [1990] HCA 6; (1990) 169 CLR 214, 234.
[94] Salomon v Salomon [1896] UKHL 1; [1897] AC 22, 38 (Lord Watson).
[95] Yuill [1991] HCA 28; (1991) 172 CLR 319, 331 (Dawson J), 339 (Gaudron J).
[96] Black-Clawson International Ltd v Papierwerke Waldhof-Aschaffenberg AG [1975] UKHL 2; [1975] AC 591, 613.
[97] Yuill [1991] HCA 28; (1991) 172 CLR 319, 331 (Dawson J).
[98] Craig Carracher, 'Legal Professional Privilege, Statutory Interpretation and Yuill' (1991) 12 Statute Law Review 228, 232.
[99] Joyce v Grimshaw [2001] FCA 52, para 66.
[100] Boniface, above n 12, 328.
[101] Propend (1996–97) 188 CLR 501, 582 (Kirby J).
[102] Yuill v Corporate Affairs Commission of New South Wales (1990) 20 NSWLR 386.
[103] Ibid 405.
[104] Oceanic Sunline Special Shipping Co Inc v Fay [1988] HCA 32; (1988) 165 CLR 197, 252–3 (Deane J).
[105] Esso Australia Resources Limited v FCT [1999] HCA 67; (1999) 201 CLR 49, 93.
[106] Emanuele v Australian Securities Commission (1997) 71 ALJR 171, 731.
[107] Propend (1996–97) 188 CLR 501, 581.
[108] See generally, Benjamin Saul, 'Is Removing Legal Professional Privilege a Policy Imperative?' (2001) (October) Law Society Journal 67.
[109] Baker v Campbell [1983] HCA 47; (1989) 153 CLR 1, 96–7, 104–5.
[110] Pyneboard (1983) 152 CLR 382, 341; Yuill [1991] HCA 28; (1991) 172 CLR 319, 348.
[111] Yuill [1991] HCA 28; (1991) 172 CLR 319, 346.
[112] Pyneboard (1983) 152 CLR 382.
[113] Transcript of Proceedings, Daniels Corporation International Pty Ltd v ACCC (High Court of Australia, Gummow J, 15 February 2001).
[114] Yuill [1991] HCA 28; (1991) 172 CLR 319, 338–9.
[115] Ibid 351.
[116] Caltex (1992–93) [1993] HCA 74; 178 CLR 477, 556.
[117] World Series Cricket Pty Ltd v Parish (1977) ATPR 40-040, 17,426; ACCC v The IMB Group Pty Ltd (in liq) [1999] FCA 313; (1999) ATPR 41-688, 42,802–3.
[118] Esso [1999] HCA 67; (1999) 201 CLR 49, 89.
[119] Ibid 92.
[120] [1998] HCA 22; (1998) 195 CLR 337, 417–8 (Kirby J).
[121] This is a view shared by Ian Tonking, '2001—The Year in Review', (2002) Australian Trade Practices News, Report 516, 6 February 2002, 4.