Alliance Craton Explorer Pty Ltd v Quasar Resources Pty Ltd

Alliance Craton Explorer Pty Ltd (the applicant) sought leave to appeal against an order of a judge of the Supreme Court of South Australia. The order permitted the plaintiff to inspect certain documents that had been disclosed by the defendants, including Alliance Craton Explorer Pty Ltd. The defendants had sought to resist production of these documents on the grounds of legal professional privilege.

The central legal issue before the Full Court was whether leave to appeal should be granted. This required the court to consider whether the appeal raised matters of practical significance and whether there was a dispute as to the relevant legal principle concerning the assertion of legal professional privilege in the context of discovery.

The Full Court determined that the appeal did raise matters of practical significance and that there was a dispute regarding the application of the principles of legal professional privilege. Consequently, leave to appeal was granted.