Arbitral Digest

Matter

HIH Casualty & General Insurance Limited v R J Wallace and Syndicate No 683 at Lloyd's of London (Supreme Court of New South Wales SC 50073/06)

Case no.
SC 50073/06
Seat
Australia
  1. 3 November 2006Australia

    3 November 2006Australia

    Judgment of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in SC 50073/06 dated 3 November 2006

    Supreme Court of New South Wales

    Case no.
    SC 50073/06
    Decision summary
    The Court dismissed Syndicate 683's notice of motion seeking a stay of HIH's proceedings under the International Arbitration Act 1974 (Cth), the Commercial Arbitration Act 1984 (NSW), or the Court's inherent jurisdiction. It held that section 19 of the Insurance Act 1902 (NSW) rendered the arbitration clauses in the reinsurance contracts non-binding on HIH, that section 19 was not displaced by section 109 of the Constitution, and that the stay applications therefore failed.

    Supporting details

    52 authorities · 11 participants
    HIH Casualty & General Insurance Limited (in liquidation)
    Representative
    F Gleeson SC (For: HIH Casualty & General Insurance Limited (in liquidation))
    Representative
    Dr A Bell SC (For: HIH Casualty & General Insurance Limited (in liquidation))
    Representative
    S Nixon (For: HIH Casualty & General Insurance Limited (in liquidation))
    Representative
    Blake Dawson Waldron (For: HIH Casualty & General Insurance Limited (in liquidation))
    R J Wallace sued on his own behalf and on behalf of all other members of Syndicate No 683 at Lloyd's of London for the 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 underwriting account
    Representative
    J Sackar QC (For: R J Wallace sued on his own behalf and on behalf of all other members of Syndicate No 683 at Lloyd's of London for the 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 underwriting account)
    Representative
    K Barrett (For: R J Wallace sued on his own behalf and on behalf of all other members of Syndicate No 683 at Lloyd's of London for the 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 underwriting account)
    Representative
    MA Izzo (For: R J Wallace sued on his own behalf and on behalf of all other members of Syndicate No 683 at Lloyd's of London for the 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 underwriting account)
    Representative
    Ebsworth & Ebsworth (For: R J Wallace sued on his own behalf and on behalf of all other members of Syndicate No 683 at Lloyd's of London for the 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 underwriting account)
    Supreme Court of New South Wales

    Authorities cited

    52
    • Arbitration Act 1975 (UK)
      statute
    • Commercial Arbitration Act 1984 (NSW)
      statute
    • Commercial Transactions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1974 (NSW)
      statute
    • Companies Act 1961 (NSW)
      statute
    • Companies Act 1961 (Vic)
      statute
    • Contracts Review Act 1980 (NSW)
      statute
    • Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW)
      statute
    • Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)
      statute
    • Fair Trading Act 1987 (NSW)
      statute
    • Industrial Relations Act 1996 (NSW)
      statute
    • Insurance Act 1902 (NSW)
      statute
    • Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth)
      statute
    • Insurance Regulation 2004 (NSW)
      statute
    • International Arbitration Act 1974 (Cth)
      statute
    • Minors (Property and Contracts) Act 1970 (NSW)
      statute
    • Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth)
      statute
    • Charter Reinsurance Co Ltd v Fagan ([1997] AC 313)
      case-law
    • Akai Pty Limited v People's Insurance Company Ltd (188 CLR 418)
      case-law
    • 325 George Street Pty Ltd (in liquidation) v Norwich Union Fire Insurance Society Ltd (1980) (1 ANZ Ins Cas 60-404)
      case-law
    • Agnew v Lansforsakringsbolagens ([2000] Lloyd's Rep IR 317)
      case-law
    • AssetInsure Pty Ltd v New Cap Reinsurance Corporation Limited (in liq) (2006) (226 ALR 1)
      case-law
    • Australian Broadcasting Commission v Australasian Performing Right Association Limited (1973) (129 CLR 99)
      case-law
    • Australian Casualty Co Ltd v Federico (1986) (160 CLR 513)
      case-law
    • McCann v Switzerland Insurance Australia Ltd (2000) (203 CLR 579)
      case-law
    • MGICA Ltd v United City Merchants (Australia) Limited (1986) (4 ANZ Ins Cas 60-729)
      case-law
    • Darlington Futures Limited v Delco Australia Pty Limited (1986) (161 CLR 500)
      case-law
    • Toll (FGCT) Pty Ltd v Alphapharm Pty Ltd (2004) (219 CLR 165)
      case-law
    • Prenn v Simmonds (1971) ([1971] 1 WLR 1381)
      case-law
    • Legal & General Insurance Australia Ltd v Eather (1986) (6 NSWLR 390)
      case-law
    • Hide & Skin Trading Pty Limited v Oceanic Meat Traders Limited (1990) (20 NSWLR 310)
      case-law
    • Alex Kay Pty Limited v General Motors Acceptance Corporation and Hartford Fire Insurance Company (1963) ([1963] VR 458)
      case-law
    • Francis Travel Marketing Pty Ltd v Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd (1996) (39 NSWLR 160)
      case-law
    • IBM Australia Ltd v National Distribution Services Ltd (1991) (22 NSWLR 466)
      case-law
    • Ethiopian Oilseeds v Rio del Mar (1990) (1 Lloyd's Rep 86)
      case-law
    • Walter Rau Neusser Oel und Fett AG v Cross Pacific Trading Ltd (2005) ([2005] FCA 1102)
      case-law
    • Woolworths Limited v DS McMillan (1988) (Unreported, Supreme Court of New South Wales, Rogers J, 29 February 1988)
      case-law
    • Pan Australia Shipping Pty Ltd v The Ship ‘Comandate’ (No 2) Comandate Marine Corp ([2006] FCA 1112)
      case-law
    • Zambia Steel Building Supplies Ltd v James Clark & Eaton Ltd (1986) ([1986] 2 Lloyd's Rep 225)
      case-law
    • Commercial Union Assurance Co Plc v NRG Victory Reinsurance Limited (1998) ([1998] 1 Lloyd's Rep 80)
      case-law
    • E I Du Pont de Nemours & Co v I C Agnew (1987) ([1987] 2 Lloyd's Rep 585)
      case-law
    • Kahn Lucas Lancaster Inc v Lark International Ltd (1999) (186 F 3d 210)
      case-law
    • Chloe Z Fishing Co Inc (US) v Odyssey Re (London) Ltd formerly known as Sphere Drake Insurance Plc (UK) (109 Fed Supp 2nd Series (SD) Cal 2000, 1236)
      case-law
    • Vimar Seguros y Reaseguros SA v M/V Sky Reefer (515 US 528)
      case-law
    • Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Limited v Wardley (1980) (142 CLR 237)
      case-law
    • Attorney-General (NSW) v Brewery Employees Union of New South Wales & Anor (1908) (6 CLR 469)
      case-law
    • Clyde Engineering v Cowburn (1926) (37 CLR 466)
      case-law
    • Forsikringaktieselskapet National of Copenhagen v Attorney General (1925) ([1925] AC 639)
      case-law
    • Forsikringaktieselskapet Vesta v J N E Butcher (1989) ([1989] AC 852)
      case-law
    • Heath Lambert Limited v Sociedad de Corretaje de Seguros (2004) ([2004] 1 Lloyd's Rep 495)
      case-law
    • King v Brandywine Reinsurance Co (UK) Ltd (2004) ([2004] 2 Lloyd's Rep 670)
      case-law
    • Commercial Radio Coffs Harbour v Fuller (1986) (161 CLR 47)
      case-law
    • Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust v South Sydney City Council (2002) (186 ALR 289)
      case-law

Matter record

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HIH Casualty & General Insurance Limited v R J Wallace and Syndicate No 683 at Lloyd's of London (Supreme Court of New South Wales SC 50073/06) · Matter