Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (NSW) v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited (Liability Judgment)

• Jurisdiction: Australia Federal only
• Court: Federal Court
• Judgment Date: 08 March 2023
• Neutral Citation: [2023] FCA 190
• Date: 08 March 2023

Federal Court of Australia

Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (NSW) v Allianz Australia Insurance Limited (Liability Judgment) [2023] FCA 190

File number:	NSD 1144 of 2019
Judgment of:	LEE J
Date of judgment:	8 March 2023
Catchwords:	INSURANCE – where claims brought against the Uniting Church arising from alleged sexual abuse in school run by the Church – whether applicant gave notice of facts to insurer that might give rise to claims against insurer – whether insurer precluded from denying indemnity by operation of s 40(3) of the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth) (Act) – consideration of the relevant principles – where multiple “bulk notifications” given by insured – whether notifications given by insured as soon as reasonably practicable – consideration of whether s 54 cures omission to give notice under s 40(3) of the Act – where appropriate to make orders in respect of third-party claimants – form of relief INSURANCE – whether solicitors retained by insurer to act for insured had authority to receive notice of facts that might give rise to claim on behalf of insured – whether solicitors retained by insurer for insured received notice of facts that might give rise to claim against insured to insurer – consideration of principles of agency – scope of retainer –where solicitor engaged as panel solicitor – consideration of Avant Insurance Ltd v Darshn [2022] FCAFC 48 INSURANCE – whether insurer bound by representations of indemnity due to waiver, election or estoppel – whether insurer failed to act with utmost good faith – whether insurer denying efficacy of notifications constitutes breach of utmost good faith pursuant to s 13 of the Act – whether reliance by insurer on exclusion clause constitutes breach of duty of utmost good faith pursuant to s 14 of the Act – consideration of the relevant principles – consideration of Allianz Insurance Limited v Delor Vue Apartments CTS 39788 [2022] HCA 38; (2022) 97 ALJR 1 CONTRACTS – construction of policies of insurance – consideration of relevant principles – exclusion clauses – where policies of insurance purport to exclude liability for claims that arise from matters that were known or of which the insured was aware prior to the period of cover – whether exclusion clauses under polices void or unenforceable as an attempt to contract out of non-disclosure code under Div 3 Pt IV of the Act – alternative question of knowledge of insured – unincorporated associations – consideration of relevant principles – observations on principles concerning attribution of knowledge PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – non-publication and suppression orders – where orders made under Part VAA of the Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) (FCA Act) – observations on whether orders necessary in the administration of justice – Hogan v Australian Crime Commission [2010] HCA 21; (2010) 240 CLR 651 – orders made to prevent prejudice to the proper administration of justice EVIDENCE – where respondent insurer did not call evidence from representatives of their agent – whether Jones v Dunkel inference should be drawn
Legislation:	Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) s 13(2)(d) Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) ss 144, 191 Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) ss 21, 37P(2) 37AI(1), 37AI(2), 37AJ, 37AF, 37AG(1) Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth) ss 13(1), 14, 21, 28, 33, 40, 40(1), 40(3), 52, 54 Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) r 30.01 Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) Civil Liability Amendment (Child Abuse) Act 2021 (NSW) Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1946 (NSW) Uniting Church in Australia Act 1977 (NSW) ss 6, 9, 10, 12(1), 13, 13(3), Sch 2
Cases cited:	Advance (NSW) Insurance Agencies Pty Ltd v Matthews (1989) 166 CLR 606 Agricultural & Rural Finance Pty Ltd v Gardiner (2008) 238 CLR 570 Ainsworth v Criminal Justice Commission (1992) 175 CLR 564 Akai Pty Ltd v People's Insurance Co Ltd (1996) 188 CLR 418 All Class Insurance Brokers Pty Ltd (in liquidation) v Chubb Insurance Australia Limited (No 2) [2021] FCA 782; (2021) 154 ACSR 78 Allianz Insurance Limited v Delor Vue Apartments CTS 39788 [2022] HCA 38; (2022) 97 ALJR 1 Antico v CE Heath Casualty & General Insurance Ltd (1996) 38 NSWLR 681 Antico v Heath Fielding Australia Pty Ltd (1997) 188 CLR 652 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Olex Australia Pty Ltd [2017] FCA 222 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Hellicar [2012] HCA 17; (2012) 247 CLR 345 Avant Insurance Ltd v Burnie [2021] NSWCA 272 Avant Insurance Ltd v Darshn [2022] FCAFC 48 Beach Petroleum NL v Johnson [1993] FCA 392; 43 FCR 1 Bell Group Ltd (in liq) v Westpac Banking Corp (No 9) [2008] WASC 239; (2008) 39 WAR 1 Bilta (UK) Ltd (in liquidation) v Nazir (No 2) [2015] UKSC 23 Blatch v Archer (1774) 1 Cowper 63; (1774) 98 ER 969 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 CCL Secure Pty Ltd v Berry [2019] FCAFC 81 Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Kojic [2016] FCAFC 186; 249 FCR 421 Country Care Group Pty Ltd v Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) (No 2) [2020] FCAFC 44; (2020) 275 FCR 377 CSG Limited v Fuji Xerox Australia Pty Ltd [2011] NSWCA 335 Currie v Dempsey (1967) 69 SR (NSW) 116 Darshn v Avant Insurance Ltd [2021] FCA 706; (2021) 154 ACSR 1 Delor Vue Apartments CTS 3 9788 v Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd (No 2) (2020) 379 ALR 117 DIF III – Global Co-Investment Fund LP v DIF Capital Partners Ltd [2020] NSWCA 124 Director of Public Prosecutions Reference No 1 of 1996 [1998] 3 VR 352; (1997) 96 A Crim R 513 Dixon v Winch (1900) 1 Ch 736 Esined No 9 Pty Ltd v Moylan Retirement Solutions Pty Ltd (No 2) [2020] NSWSC 359; (2020) 353 FLR 1 Euro Pools Plc v Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Plc [2019] EWCA Civ 808; (2019) Lloyd’s Rep IR 595 FAI Insurance Limited v Australian Hospital Care Pty Ltd [2001] HCA 38; (2001) 204 CLR 641 Genworth Financial Mortgage Insurance Pty Ltd v KCRAM Pty Ltd (in liq) (No 2) [2011] FCA 1124; (2011) 205 FCR 295 Girlock (Sales) Pty Ltd v Hurrell (1982) 149 CLR 155 Gosford City Council v GIO General Ltd [2003] NSWCA 34; (2003) 56 NSWLR 542 HLB Kidsons (a firm) v Lloyd’s Underwriters [2008] EWCA Civ 1206 HLB Kidsons (a firm) v Lloyd’s Underwriters [2008] EWHC 1951 (Comm) Hobart International Airport Pty Ltd v Clarence City Council [2022] HCA 5; (2022) 96 ALJR 234 Hogan v Australian Crime Commission [2010] HCA 21; (2010) 240 CLR 651 Howell v Macquarie University [2008] NSWCA 26 Icon Co (NSW) Pty Ltd v Liberty Mutual Insurance Company Australian Branch trading as Liberty Specialty Markets [2020] FCA 1493 J Rothschild Assurance plc v Collyear [1998] EWHC 1205 (Comm) Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 K & S Lake City Freighters Pty Ltd v Gordon & Gotch...