Chen v Monash University (No 2)

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Chen v Monash University (No 2) [2015] FCA 552

Citation:	Chen v Monash University (No 2) [2015] FCA 552
Parties:	QIZHI CHEN v MONASH UNIVERSITY, CHRIS DAVIES and GEORGE SIMON
File number:	VID 857 of 2013
Judge:	TRACEY J
Date of judgment:	5 June 2015
Catchwords:	COSTS – application for order for costs on an indemnity basis and in a lump sum under rr 25.14 and 40.02(b) of the Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) – whether applicant unreasonably rejected offer of compromise
Legislation:	Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) rr 1.51, 25.14, 40.02(b), sch 1
Cases cited:	Alpine Hardwoods (Aust) Pty Ltd v Hardys Pty Ltd (No 2) (2002) 190 ALR 121 – cited Beach Petroleum NL v Johnson (1995) 57 FCR 119 – cited Black & Decker Inc v GMCA Pty Ltd (No 4) [2008] FCA 1737 – cited Byrnes v Brisconnections Management Company Limited (No 2) [2009] FCA 1432 – cited Chen v Monash University [2015] FCA 130 – cited Richardson v Oracle Corporation Australia Pty Limited (No 2) [2013] FCA 359 – cited Seven Network Limited v News Limited [2007] FCA 205 – cited Sparnon v Apand Pty Ltd [1998] FCA 164 Telstra Corporation Limited v Phone Directories Company Pty Ltd [2011] FCA 1463 Ualesi (t/as Australian Empire Imports) v Expeditors International Pty Ltd [2006] FCA 26 – cited
Date of hearing:	Heard on the papers
Place:	Melbourne
Division:	GENERAL DIVISION
Category:	Catchwords
Number of paragraphs:	44
Counsel for the Applicant:	The Applicant appeared in person
Counsel for the Respondents:	Mr JL Bourke QC and Ms RM Nelson
Solicitor for the Respondents:	Lander & Rogers

IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA
VICTORIA DISTRICT REGISTRY
GENERAL DIVISION	VID 857 of 2013

BETWEEN:

QIZHI CHEN
Applicant

AND:

MONASH UNIVERSITY
First Respondent

CHRIS DAVIES
Second Respondent

GEORGE SIMON
Third Respondent

JUDGE:	TRACEY J
DATE OF ORDER:	5 JUNE 2015
WHERE MADE:	MELBOURNE

THE COURT ORDERS THAT:

1.The applicant pay the respondents’ costs of the proceeding, incurred on and after 28 May 2013, on an indemnity basis.

2.The applicant pay the respondents a lump sum of $900,000 in full satisfaction of the costs order made herein on 27 February 2015.

3.The applicant’s interlocutory application dated 29 May 2015 not be accepted for filing.

Note:    Entry of orders is dealt with in Rule 39.32 of the Federal Court Rules 2011.

IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA
VICTORIA DISTRICT REGISTRY
GENERAL DIVISION	VID 857 of 2013

BETWEEN:

QIZHI CHEN
Applicant

AND:

MONASH UNIVERSITY
First Respondent

CHRIS DAVIES
Second Respondent

GEORGE SIMON
Third Respondent

JUDGE:	TRACEY J
DATE:	5 JUNE 2015
PLACE:	MELBOURNE

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT

1. Earlier this year I dismissed an application by Dr Qizhi Chen in a proceeding in which she sought various forms of relief for what she alleged was harassment and unlawful discriminatory conduct on the part of academic and administrative colleagues at Monash University:  see Chen v Monash University [2015] FCA 130. I ordered that Dr Chen pay the respondents’ costs of the application.