Santos Limited v Fluor Australia Pty Ltd

Santos Limited sought directions from the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) in relation to an interlocutory application under the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 1999 (Qld). The application concerned issues that had arisen during an inquiry into legal professional privilege. Fluor Australia Pty Ltd and its associated parties were the respondents in the matter. The primary legal issue for the Tribunal was to determine the appropriate procedural steps to be taken in relation to the interlocutory application and to set a timeline for the filing and serving of affidavits and written submissions by both parties. Additionally, the Tribunal had to decide on the scheduling of the hearing for the applications.

The Tribunal considered the relevant procedural rules and the nature of the dispute between the parties. It noted that the parties had already filed initial applications and that the matter required prompt resolution to avoid further delays. The Tribunal ordered that Santos Limited must file and serve a specific application by 30 July 2021, along with any supporting affidavits and written submissions. The Fluor parties were required to respond by filing their own affidavits and submissions by specified dates. The Tribunal set a two-day hearing for the applications, starting on 2 September 2021, and directed that the costs of the initial applications up to the date of the order would be borne by the respective parties.

In summary, the Tribunal issued detailed directions for the procedural steps to be followed in the interlocutory application, ensuring that both parties complied with specific timelines for filing and serving documents. The hearing was scheduled for two days in early September 2021, and the costs of the initial applications were to be borne by the respective parties.