Griffin Energy Group Pty Ltd (subject to a Deed of Company Arrangement) v Laughland [2016] NSWSC 1057

Griffin Energy Group Pty Ltd (subject to a Deed of Company Arrangement) v Laughland [2016] NSWSC 1057

It is not appropriate to order separate questions in this case due to the likelihood of overlap between liability and damages (including mitigation and causation), the speculative nature of potential cost savings, and the possibility of added complexity and delay. A stay of proceedings, to be revisited after interlocutory steps are completed and following determination of the WA Proceedings at first instance or resolution, is more appropriate.

Parties
First Plaintiff: Griffin Energy Group Pty Ltd (subject to a Deed of Company Arrangement) ACN 008 681 696; Second Plaintiff: Carpenter Mine Management Holdings Pty Ltd (subject to a Deed of Company Arrangement) ACN 106 053 703; Third Plaintiff: Brian McMaster; Fourth Plaintiff: Scott Kershaw; First Defendant: Iain Douglas Wilson Laughland; Second Defendant: Alexander John Munton; Third Defendant: David John Abernathy; Fourth Defendant: Justin Simon Adam; Fifth Defendant: Bruce Leslie Adkins; Sixth Defendant: Timothy Allen; Seventh Defendant: Simon John Ashworth; Eighth Defendant: Joseph Dominic Barbaro; Ninth Defendant: Timothy David Barton; Tenth Defendant: David Tudor Beckett; Eleventh Defendant: Peter Charles Calov; Twelfth Defendant: Julie Patricia Cameron; Thirteenth Defendant: Michelle Margaret Carr; Fourteenth Defendant: Philip Anthony Catania; Fifteenth Defendant: Michael Chaaya; Sixteenth Defendant: Gary Gideon Chiert; Seventeenth Defendant: Alan Henry Churley; Eighteenth Defendant: Daryl Stephen Clifford; Nineteenth Defendant: Christine Lynette Covington; Twentieth Defendant: Simon Andrew Crawford; Twenty First Defendant: Rohen Cullen; Twenty Second Defendant: Ian Leslie Dallen; Twenty Third Defendant: Rodney Michael Dann; Twenty Fourth Defendant: Trevor Egon Danos; Twenty Fifth Defendant: Jeremy Charles Davis; Twenty Sixth Defendant: Stephanie Jane Daveson; Twenty Seventh Defendant: Benjamin Donald Davidson; Twenty Eighth Defendant: John George De Flamingh; Twenty Ninth Defendant: John Wallace Hope Denton; Thirtieth Defendant: Robert Laurence Drake; Thirty First Defendant: Nicholas David Ellery; Thirty Second Defendant: Dominic Gerard Emmett; Thirty Third Defendant: Andrew James Flannery; Thirty Fourth Defendant: Spencer Edward Flay; Thirty Fifth Defendant: Richard John Flitcroft; Thirty Six Defendant: Justin Fox; Thirty Seventh Defendant: Robert Geoffrey Franklyn; Thirty Eighth Defendant: Andrew William Galvin; Thirty Ninth Defendant: Randall John Gerkens; Forty First Defendant: Hilary Goodier; Forty Second Defendant: Valdimir Paul Gostencnik; Forty Third Defendant: Odette Margaret Gourley; Forty Fourth Defendant: Stewart James Grieve; Forty Fifth Defendant: David Hallam; Forty Sixth Defendant: Teresa Handicott; Forty Seventh Defendant: Adam Neil Charles Handley; Forty Eighth Defendant: Michelle Esther Harpur; Forty Ninth Defendant: Michael John Harrison; Fiftieth Defendant: Gregory James Hassall; Fifty First Defendant: Rommel Harding-Farrenberg; Fifty Second Defendant: Dixon Frederick Hearder; Fifty Third Defendant: Jeremy Michael Horwood; Fifty Fourth Defendant: Bradley Mark Husband; Fifty Fifth Defendant: Peter Damian Joseph Ickeringill; Fifty Sixth Defendant: John Jardim; Fifty Seventh Defendant: Peter Sandar Jarosek; Fifty Eighth Defendant: Jeremy Christopher Johnson; Fifty Ninth Defendant: Frederick Braddon Jolley; Sixtieth Defendant: Thomas Edward Jones; Sixty First Defendant: William Keane; Sixty Second Defendant: John Patrick Kelly; Sixty Third Defendant: Beverly Dawn Kennedy; Sixty Fourth Defendant: Michael Kimmins; Sixty Sixth Defendant: Matthew Knox; Sixty Seventh Defendant: Eugenia Kolivos; Sixty Eighth Defendant: Byron Koster; Sixty Ninth Defendant: Andrew Herbert Korbel; Seventy First Defendant: Anthony Waddell Latimer; Seventy Second Defendant: Naomi Elizabeth Lawrie; Seventy Third Defendant: Francis Reginald Lawson; Seventy Fourth Defendant: Richard Alexander Leder; Seventy Fifth Defendant: Jonathan Nigel Leek; Seventy Sixth Defendant: Richard Geoffrey Lewis; Seventy Seventh Defendant: Stanley Robert Lewis; Seventy Eighth Defendant: Andrew John Lumsden; Seventy Ninth Defendant: Michael MacGinley; Eightieth Defendant: Christine Maher; Eighty First Defendant: Hueih-Hsien Mak; Eighty Second Defendant: Daniel John Marquet; Eighty Third Defendant: Jeremy Patrick McCarthy; Eighty Fourth Defendant: Paul Richard McCann; Eighty Fifth Defendant: Mark James McCowan; Eighty Sixth Defendant: Luke James McDonald; Eighty Seventh Defendant: Shaun Gerard McGushin; Eighty Eighth Defendant: Andrew Philip Messenger; Eighty Ninth Defendant: Craig Hastings Milner; Ninetieth Defendant: Simon Jeffrey Morris; Ninety First Defendant: James Leslie North; Ninety Second Defendant: Patrick Francis O'Grady; Ninety Third Defendant: Megan Mary O'Rourke; Ninety Fourth Defendant: Christian John Owen; Ninety Fifth Defendant: Christopher John Pagent; Ninety Sixth Defendant: Russell Allen Philip; Ninety Seventh Defendant: Andrew John Pitney; Ninety Eighth Defendant: Nathaniel Popelianski; Ninety Ninth Defendant: David Warren Pratley; One Hundredth Defendant: Stephen Bruce Price; One Hundred and First Defendant: Henry Prokuda; One Hundred and Second Defendant: Robert John Regan; One Hundred and Third Defendant: Robert Alexander Ritchie; One Hundred and Fourth Defendant: Heidi Roberts; One Hundred and Fifth Defendant: Brad Scott Robinson; One Hundred and Sixth Defendant: Rosemary Marcella Roche; One Hundred and Seventh Defendant: James Rozsa; One Hundred and Eighth Defendant: Christopher Alan de Courey Ryder; One Hundred and Ninth Defendant: Heinreich Peter John Schenk; One Hundred and Tenth Defendant: Edmondo Carmelo Scuderi; One Hundred and Thirteenth Defendant: David Sinclair Smith; One Hundred and Fourteenth Defendant: Vanessa Louise Smith; One Hundred and Fifteenth Defendant: Stephen Marcus Stern; One Hundred and Sixteenth Defendant: John Ilia Stragalinos; One Hundred and Seventeenth Defendant: Kirsty Honor Louise Sutherland; One Hundred and Eighteenth Defendant: Matthew Guy Swinn; One Hundred and Nineteenth Defendant: Michael Graeme Syme; One Hundred and Twentieth Defendant: Reynah Man Hoi Tang; One Hundred and Twenty First Defendant: John Tuck; One Hundred and Twenty Second Defendant: Mark Simon Van Brakel; One Hundred and Twenty Third Defendant: John McIntosh Walter; One Hundred and Twenty Fourth Defendant: David Graeme Warren; One Hundred and Twenty Fifth Defendant: Roy Weitzman; One Hundred and Twenty Sixth Defendant: Janet Mary Vivienne Whiting; One Hundred and Twenty Seventh Defendant: Brian James Whittaker; One Hundred and Twenty Eighth Defendant: Mark Anthony Wilks; One Hundred and Twenty Ninth Defendant: Philip Ronald Wilson; One Hundred and Thirtieth Defendant: Shawn Michael Wytenburg
Jurisdiction
Australia
Judgment Date
04 August 2016
Procedural Posture
Civil / Interlocutory Application (stay and Separate Questions)
Outcome
Proceedings stayed pending the outcome at first instance or other resolution of the related Supreme Court of Western Australia Proceeding CIV 1298 of 2015, following completion of interlocutory steps directed for preparation of the case. Parties to bring in short minutes of order to give effect to the judgment.
Legal Topics
Stay of Proceedings, Separate Determination of Questions, Case Management, Negligence, Misleading and Deceptive Conduct
Civil Procedure Stay of Proceedings Separate Determination of Questions Case Management Negligence Misleading and Deceptive Conduct

Case Brief

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Parties

Griffin Energy Group Pty Ltd (subject to a Deed of Company Arrangement) ACN 008 681 696

First Plaintiff

Carpenter Mine Management Holdings Pty Ltd (subject to a Deed of Company Arrangement) ACN 106 053 703

Second Plaintiff

Brian McMaster

Third Plaintiff

Scott Kershaw

Fourth Plaintiff

Iain Douglas Wilson Laughland

First Defendant

Alexander John Munton

Second Defendant

David John Abernathy

Third Defendant

Justin Simon Adam

Fourth Defendant

Bruce Leslie Adkins

Fifth Defendant

Timothy Allen

Sixth Defendant

Simon John Ashworth

Seventh Defendant

Joseph Dominic Barbaro

Eighth Defendant

Timothy David Barton

Ninth Defendant

David Tudor Beckett

Tenth Defendant

Peter Charles Calov

Eleventh Defendant

Julie Patricia Cameron

Twelfth Defendant

Michelle Margaret Carr

Thirteenth Defendant

Philip Anthony Catania

Fourteenth Defendant

Michael Chaaya

Fifteenth Defendant

Gary Gideon Chiert

Sixteenth Defendant

Alan Henry Churley

Seventeenth Defendant

Daryl Stephen Clifford

Eighteenth Defendant

Christine Lynette Covington

Nineteenth Defendant

Simon Andrew Crawford

Twentieth Defendant

Rohen Cullen

Twenty First Defendant

Ian Leslie Dallen

Twenty Second Defendant

Rodney Michael Dann

Twenty Third Defendant

Trevor Egon Danos

Twenty Fourth Defendant

Jeremy Charles Davis

Twenty Fifth Defendant

Stephanie Jane Daveson

Twenty Sixth Defendant

Benjamin Donald Davidson

Twenty Seventh Defendant

John George De Flamingh

Twenty Eighth Defendant

John Wallace Hope Denton

Twenty Ninth Defendant

Robert Laurence Drake

Thirtieth Defendant

Nicholas David Ellery

Thirty First Defendant

Dominic Gerard Emmett

Thirty Second Defendant

Andrew James Flannery

Thirty Third Defendant

Spencer Edward Flay

Thirty Fourth Defendant

Richard John Flitcroft

Thirty Fifth Defendant

Justin Fox

Thirty Six Defendant

Robert Geoffrey Franklyn

Thirty Seventh Defendant

Andrew William Galvin

Thirty Eighth Defendant

Randall John Gerkens

Thirty Ninth Defendant

Hilary Goodier

Forty First Defendant

Valdimir Paul Gostencnik

Forty Second Defendant

Odette Margaret Gourley

Forty Third Defendant

Stewart James Grieve

Forty Fourth Defendant

David Hallam

Forty Fifth Defendant

Teresa Handicott

Forty Sixth Defendant

Adam Neil Charles Handley

Forty Seventh Defendant

Michelle Esther Harpur

Forty Eighth Defendant

Michael John Harrison

Forty Ninth Defendant

Gregory James Hassall

Fiftieth Defendant

Rommel Harding-Farrenberg

Fifty First Defendant

Dixon Frederick Hearder

Fifty Second Defendant

Jeremy Michael Horwood

Fifty Third Defendant

Bradley Mark Husband

Fifty Fourth Defendant

Peter Damian Joseph Ickeringill

Fifty Fifth Defendant

John Jardim

Fifty Sixth Defendant

Peter Sandar Jarosek

Fifty Seventh Defendant

Jeremy Christopher Johnson

Fifty Eighth Defendant

Frederick Braddon Jolley

Fifty Ninth Defendant

Thomas Edward Jones

Sixtieth Defendant

William Keane

Sixty First Defendant

John Patrick Kelly

Sixty Second Defendant

Beverly Dawn Kennedy

Sixty Third Defendant

Michael Kimmins

Sixty Fourth Defendant

Matthew Knox

Sixty Sixth Defendant

Eugenia Kolivos

Sixty Seventh Defendant

Byron Koster

Sixty Eighth Defendant

Andrew Herbert Korbel

Sixty Ninth Defendant

Anthony Waddell Latimer

Seventy First Defendant

Naomi Elizabeth Lawrie

Seventy Second Defendant

Francis Reginald Lawson

Seventy Third Defendant

Richard Alexander Leder

Seventy Fourth Defendant

Jonathan Nigel Leek

Seventy Fifth Defendant

Richard Geoffrey Lewis

Seventy Sixth Defendant

Stanley Robert Lewis

Seventy Seventh Defendant

Andrew John Lumsden

Seventy Eighth Defendant

Michael MacGinley

Seventy Ninth Defendant

Christine Maher

Eightieth Defendant

Hueih-Hsien Mak

Eighty First Defendant

Daniel John Marquet

Eighty Second Defendant

Jeremy Patrick McCarthy

Eighty Third Defendant

Paul Richard McCann

Eighty Fourth Defendant

Mark James McCowan

Eighty Fifth Defendant

Luke James McDonald

Eighty Sixth Defendant

Shaun Gerard McGushin

Eighty Seventh Defendant

Andrew Philip Messenger

Eighty Eighth Defendant

Craig Hastings Milner

Eighty Ninth Defendant

Simon Jeffrey Morris

Ninetieth Defendant

James Leslie North

Ninety First Defendant

Patrick Francis O'Grady

Ninety Second Defendant

Megan Mary O'Rourke

Ninety Third Defendant

Christian John Owen

Ninety Fourth Defendant

Christopher John Pagent

Ninety Fifth Defendant

Russell Allen Philip

Ninety Sixth Defendant

Andrew John Pitney

Ninety Seventh Defendant

Nathaniel Popelianski

Ninety Eighth Defendant

David Warren Pratley

Ninety Ninth Defendant

Stephen Bruce Price

One Hundredth Defendant

Henry Prokuda

One Hundred and First Defendant

Robert John Regan

One Hundred and Second Defendant

Robert Alexander Ritchie

One Hundred and Third Defendant

Heidi Roberts

One Hundred and Fourth Defendant

Brad Scott Robinson

One Hundred and Fifth Defendant

Rosemary Marcella Roche

One Hundred and Sixth Defendant

James Rozsa

One Hundred and Seventh Defendant

Christopher Alan de Courey Ryder

One Hundred and Eighth Defendant

Heinreich Peter John Schenk

One Hundred and Ninth Defendant

Edmondo Carmelo Scuderi

One Hundred and Tenth Defendant

David Sinclair Smith

One Hundred and Thirteenth Defendant

Vanessa Louise Smith

One Hundred and Fourteenth Defendant

Stephen Marcus Stern

One Hundred and Fifteenth Defendant

John Ilia Stragalinos

One Hundred and Sixteenth Defendant

Kirsty Honor Louise Sutherland

One Hundred and Seventeenth Defendant

Matthew Guy Swinn

One Hundred and Eighteenth Defendant

Michael Graeme Syme

One Hundred and Nineteenth Defendant

Reynah Man Hoi Tang

One Hundred and Twentieth Defendant

John Tuck

One Hundred and Twenty First Defendant

Mark Simon Van Brakel

One Hundred and Twenty Second Defendant

John McIntosh Walter

One Hundred and Twenty Third Defendant

David Graeme Warren

One Hundred and Twenty Fourth Defendant

Roy Weitzman

One Hundred and Twenty Fifth Defendant

Janet Mary Vivienne Whiting

One Hundred and Twenty Sixth Defendant

Brian James Whittaker

One Hundred and Twenty Seventh Defendant

Mark Anthony Wilks

One Hundred and Twenty Eighth Defendant

Philip Ronald Wilson

One Hundred and Twenty Ninth Defendant

Shawn Michael Wytenburg

One Hundred and Thirtieth Defendant

Procedural Posture

Civil / Interlocutory Application (stay and Separate Questions)

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether proceedings should be temporarily stayed pending outcome of related proceedings in Western Australia
  2. 2 Whether determination of separate questions should be ordered in advance of other issues

Ratio Decidendi

It is not appropriate to order separate questions in this case due to the likelihood of overlap between liability and damages (including mitigation and causation), the speculative nature of potential cost savings, and the possibility of added complexity and delay. A stay of proceedings, to be revisited after interlocutory steps are completed and following determination of the WA Proceedings at first instance or resolution, is more appropriate.

Court Disposition

Proceedings stayed pending the outcome at first instance or other resolution of the related Supreme Court of Western Australia Proceeding CIV 1298 of 2015, following completion of interlocutory steps directed for preparation of the case. Parties to bring in short minutes of order to give effect to the judgment.

Orders

  • Proceedings stayed pending outcome at first instance or other resolution of Supreme Court of Western Australia Proceeding CIV 1298 of 2015, after interlocutory steps for preparation are completed.
  • Parties to bring in short minutes of order in accordance with judgment.