On 9 March 2021, the Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (ACICA) released the inaugural Australian Arbitration Report. The Report analysed data obtained by ACICA and FTI Consulting in the inaugural Australian Arbitration Survey. The Survey collected data on arbitrations commenced, conducted and concluded in the period between 2017 and 2019 with an Australian ‘connection’ … Read more

By Brenda Horrigan, Chad Catterwell and Guillermo Garcia-Perrote. International arbitration is gaining ground across the South Pacific region. There are a wide range of benefits brought about by implementing an effective framework for international arbitration across the region, most prominently increased foreign investment opportunities and the economic advantages that brings. Presently, eight countries from the … Read more

In a unanimous decision (accessible here), the Full Federal Court of Australia has allowed (on a limited basis as explained below) an appeal by the Kingdom of Spain of the Federal Court decision in Eiser Infrastructure Limited v Kingdom of Spain [2020] FCA 157 (Eiser). The decision at first instance had allowed the recognition and … Read more

In Full Joy Foods Pty Ltd v Australian Dairy Park Pty Ltd [2020] VSC 672, the Victorian Supreme Court confirmed the well-established position in Australia that a party’s entitlement to a ‘fair opportunity to present its case’ does not require an arbitrator to ensure the party takes best advantage of those opportunities presented to it … Read more

International arbitration continues to play an increasingly important role in Australia. In this note we canvass some of the key developments in the international arbitration space in 2020, including: Recent judicial support for international arbitration and the enforcement of arbitral awards, reaffirming Australian courts’ pro-arbitration stance. Australia’s ratification of the Mauritius Convention, the recently announced … Read more

The Australian Federal Government has announced it is reviewing the bilateral investment treaties (BITs) to which Australia is a party. BITs are typically entered into to promote and protect investments made between the BIT partner States. To that end, Australia is party to 15 BITs with each of Argentina, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, Hungary, Laos, … Read more

The Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (“IA-CEPA”) will enter into force on 5 July 2020. We have previously discussed the IA-CEPA’s provisions in detail (see here) and the progress of its implementation (see here). Since our last post, the IA-CEPA has been ratified by the Indonesia and Australian parliaments and steps have been taken to … Read more

A recent judgment of the Supreme Court of Western Australia, Dalian Huarui Heavy Industry International Company Ltd v Clyde & Co Australia [2020] WASC 132 (available here), demonstrates that the use of interim measures to provide security for an amount in dispute can be a very powerful remedy when structured through the creation of a … Read more