Case: Ocean Marine Mutual Insurance Association (Europe) OV v Jetopay Pty Ltd [2000] FCA 1463 ; (2000) 120 FCR 146
Outcome: cited
Network Limited v News Limited (No 14) [2006] FCA 500 (5 May 2006) [ Home ] [ Databases ] [ WorldLII ] [ Search ] [ Feedback ] Federal Court of Australia You are here: &nbsp; AustLII &gt;&gt; Databases &gt;&gt; Federal Court of Australia &gt;&gt; 2006 &gt;&gt; [2006] FCA 500 [ Database Search ] [ Name Search ] [ Recent Decisions ] [ Noteup ] [ Download ] [ Help ] Seven Network Limited v News Limited (No 14) [2006] FCA 500 (5 May 2006) Last Updated: 5 May 2006 FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA Seven Network Limited v News Limited (No 14) [2006] FCA 500 EXPERT EVIDENCE whether report on the value of a lost economic opportunity satisfies the requirements of s 79 of the Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) admissibility of report Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) ss 79 , 135 HG v The Queen [1999] HCA 2 ; (1999) 197 CLR 414 cited Ocean Marine Mutual Insurance Association (Europe) OV v Jetopay Pty Ltd [2000] FCA 1463 ; (2000) 120 FCR 146 cited SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED and ANOR v NEWS LIMITED and ORS NSD 1223 of 2002 SACKVILLE J SYDNEY 5 MAY 2006 IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA NEW SOUTH WALES DISTRICT REGISTRY NSD 1223 of 2002 BETWEEN: SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED (ACN 052 816 789) FIRST APPLICANT C7 PTY LIMITED (ACN 082 901 442) SECOND APPLICANT AND: NEWS LIMITED (ACN 007 871 178) FIRST RESPONDENT SKY CABLE PTY LIMITED (ACN 069 799 640) SECOND RESPONDENT TELSTRA MEDIA PTY LIMITED (ACN 069 279 027) THIRD RESPONDENT FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LIMITED (ACN 068 671 938) FOURTH RESPONDENT TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED (ACN 051 775 556) FIFTH RESPONDENT TELSTRA MULTIMEDIA PTY LIMITED (ACN 069 279 072) SIXTH RESPONDENT PUBLISHING AND BROADCASTING LIMITED (ACN 009 071 167) SEVENTH RESPONDENT NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED (ACN 008 685 407) EIGHTH RESPONDENT PREMIER MEDIA GROUP PTY LIMITED (ACN 065 445 418) NINTH RESPONDENT AUSTRALIAN RUGBY FOOTBALL LEAGUE LIMITED (ACN 003 107 293) TWELFTH RESPONDENT NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE INVESTMENTS PTY LIMITED (ACN 081 778 538) THIRTEENTH RESPONDENT NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE LIMITED (ACN 082 088 962) FOURTEENTH RESPONDENT FOXTEL CABLE TELEVISION PTY LIMITED (ACN 069 008 797) FIFTEENTH RESPONDENT OPTUS VISION PTY LIMITED (ACN 066 518 821) SIXTEENTH RESPONDENT AUSTAR UNITED COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED (ACN 087 695 707) SEVENTEENTH RESPONDENT AUSTAR ENTERTAINMENT PTY LIMITED (ACN 068 104 530) EIGHTEENTH RESPONDENT IAN HUNTLY PHILIP NINETEENTH RESPONDENT NEWS PAY TV PTY LIMITED (ACN 085 095 487) TWENTIETH RESPONDENT PBL PAY TV PTY LIMITED (ACN 084 940 367) TWENTY-FIRST RESPONDENT SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LIMITED (ACN 052 833 208) TWENTY-SECOND RESPONDENT JUDGE: SACKVILLE J DATE OF ORDER: 5 MAY 2006 WHERE MADE: SYDNEY THE COURT ORDERS: 1. The tender of Mr Salter's report be rejected. Note: Settlement and entry of orders is dealt with in Order 36 of the Federal Court Rules . IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA NEW SOUTH WALES DISTRICT REGISTRY NSD 1223 of 2002 BETWEEN: SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED (ACN 052 816 789) FIRST APPLICANT C7 PTY LIMITED (ACN 082 901 442) SECOND APPLICANT AND: NEWS LIMITED (ACN 007 871 178) FIRST RESPONDENT SKY CABLE PTY LIMITED (ACN 069 799 640) SECOND RESPONDENT TELSTRA MEDIA PTY LIMITED (ACN 069 279 027) THIRD RESPONDENT FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LIMITED (ACN 068 671 938) FOURTH RESPONDENT TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED (ACN 051 775 556) FIFTH RESPONDENT TELSTRA MULTIMEDIA PTY LIMITED (ACN 069 279 072) SIXTH RESPONDENT PUBLISHING AND BROADCASTING LIMITED (ACN 009 071 167) SEVENTH RESPONDENT NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED (ACN 008 685 407) EIGHTH RESPONDENT PREMIER MEDIA GROUP PTY LIMITED (ACN 065 445 418) NINTH RESPONDENT AUSTRALIAN RUGBY FOOTBALL LEAGUE LIMITED (ACN 003 107 293) TWELFTH RESPONDENT NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE INVESTMENTS PTY LIMITED (ACN 081 778 538) THIRTEENTH RESPONDENT NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE LIMITED (ACN 082 088 962) FOURTEENTH RESPONDENT FOXTEL CABLE TELEVISION PTY LIMITED (ACN 069 008 797) FIFTEENTH RESPONDENT OPTUS VISION PTY LIMITED (ACN 066 518 821) SIXTEENTH RESPONDENT AUSTAR UNITED COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED (ACN 087 695 707) SEVENTEENTH RESPONDENT AUSTAR ENTERTAINMENT PTY LIMITED (ACN 068 104 530) EIGHTEENTH RESPONDENT IAN HUNTLY PHILIP NINETEENTH RESPONDENT NEWS PAY TV PTY LIMITED (ACN 085 095 487) TWENTIETH RESPONDENT PBL PAY TV PTY LIMITED (ACN 084 940 367) TWENTY-FIRST RESPONDENT SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LIMITED (ACN 052 833 208) TWENTY-SECOND RESPONDENT JUDGE: SACKVILLE J DATE: 5 MAY 2006 PLACE: SYDNEY RULING ON EVIDENCE THE EXPERT REPORT 1 Objection has been taken to the tender of a report prepared by Mr Roy A Salter. Mr Salter is a Principal of the Salter Group and is based in the Group's Los Angeles office, where he directs the firm's overall practice and project management efforts. The Salter Group is said to be: 'an independent financial and strategic advisory firm dedicated to the entertainment and media industry offering economic analysis, investment banking support, corporate development and other advisory services'. 27 Similarly, in Ocean Marine Mutual Insurance Association (Europe) OV v Jetopay Pty Ltd [2000] FCA 1463 ; (2000) 120 FCR 146, the Full Court observed (at [23]) that the: 'further requirement [in s 79] that an opinion be based on specialised knowledge would normally be satisfied by the person who expresses the opinion demonstrating the reasoning process by which the opinion was reached. Thus, a report in which an opinion is recorded should expose the reasoning of its author in a way that would demonstrate that the opinion is based on particular specialised knowledge.' (Emphasis in original.) 28 In my opinion, the report in its present form does not meet the requirements of s 79 of the Evidence Act . In particular, it is impossible to ascertain whether the opinions expressed by Mr Salter quantifying losses sustained by Seven because of its inability to pursue an IMC strategy reflect his specialised knowledge, based on his training, study or experience. The report must therefore be rejected. 29 Because Mr Sheahan SC foreshadowed the possibility that Seven would seek to adduce further evidence from Mr Salter to cure the evidentiary defects in his report, I think it is appropriate to make some additional comments.