Amcor Ltd v Barnes [No 2]

[2019] VSC 849

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA Not Restricted

AT MELBOURNE

COMMON LAW DIVISION

S CI 2007 08181

AMCOR LIMITED (ACN 000 017 372) & ORS (ACCORDING TO THE SCHEDULE ATTACHED)	Plaintiffs
v
TREVOR MARK BARNES & ORS (ACCORDING TO THE SCHEDULE ATTACHED)	Defendants

(BY ORIGINAL PROCEEDING)

AUSTRALIAN CORRUGATED BOX CO PTY LTD (FORMERLY ACHILLA PTY LTD) (ACN 104 489 581) & ANOR (ACCORDING TO THE SCHEDULE ATTACHED)	Plaintiffs by Counterclaim
v
ACN002693843 BOX PTY LTD (ACN 002 693 843) & ANOR (ACCORDING TO THE SCHEDULE ATTACHED)	Defendants by Counterclaim

(BY COUNTERCLAIM)

ORORA LIMITED (FORMERLY AMCOR PACKAGING (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD) (ACN 004 275 165)	Cross-Claimant
v
AUSTRALIAN CORRUGATED BOX CO PTY LTD (FORMERLY ACHILLA PTY LTD) (ACN 104 489 581) & ORS (ACCORDING TO THE SCHEDULE ATTACHED)	Defendants to Cross-Claim

(BY CROSS-CLAIM)

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JUDGE:	SLOSS J
WHERE HELD:	Melbourne
DATE OF HEARING:	25 November 2019 (further submissions filed by the Holihan parties and by the Amcor parties on 3 and 9 December 2019 respectively; Agreed Procedural Chronology provided jointly by the parties on 9 December 2019)
DATE OF JUDGMENT:	20 December 2019
CASE MAY BE CITED AS:	Amcor Ltd & Ors v Barnes & Ors [No 2]
MEDIUM NEUTRAL CITATION:	[2019] VSC 849

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Damages – Quantification of damages payable to plaintiff by counterclaim following completion of special referee process and joint experts’ reports – Whether joint experts’ reports to be adopted – Quantification of damages including any amount by way of interest – Where defendant by counterclaim proposed new methodology based on face value of invoices – Where new methodology was not one considered at trial or by joint experts – Where defendant by counterclaim acknowledged that if new methodology was rejected the joint experts’ quantification should be adopted

Practice and Procedure – Interest – Date from which interest should be calculated on counterclaim – Whether plaintiff by counterclaim entitled to interest from date of commencement of proceeding or from date when counterclaim issued or only from a later date – Whether ‘good cause’ to the contrary had been shown – s 60(1) of the Supreme Court Act 1986.

Practice and Procedure – Interest – Rate at which interest is to be awarded on the judgment sum – Rate is within the Court’s discretion subject to s 60(1) of the Supreme Court Act 1986 – Whether the penalty interest rate or some lesser rate is to be applied

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APPEARANCES:	Counsel	Solicitors
For the Plaintiffs by Counterclaim/Defendants to Cross-Claim	Mr S J Maiden QC and Ms E L Murphy	Mills Oakley
For the Defendants by Counterclaim/Cross-Claimant	Mr C Tran	Gilbert + Tobin

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Background......................................................................................................................................... 1

Reasons for decision delivered on 28 November 2016............................................................ 1

Ruling No 1.................................................................................................................................... 3

Ruling No 2.................................................................................................................................... 4

Dispute regarding the ‘Amcor Displays jobs’................................................................. 4

The Mines Report was delivered on 12 November 2008............................................... 5

Orders made on 7 December 2018.................................................................................... 5

Ruling No 3.................................................................................................................................... 6

Hearing as to final orders (save as to costs).................................................................................. 9

Summary of the Holihan parties’ position................................................................................... 9

Summary…