Commonwealth Consolidated Acts Commonwealth Consolidated Acts(1) This section applies in relation to a civil proceeding before the Court.
(2) The Court or a Judge may give directions about the practice and procedure to be followed in relation to the proceeding, or any part of the proceeding.
(3) Without limiting the generality of subsection (2), a direction may:
(a) require things to be done; or
(b) set time limits for the doing of anything, or the completion of any part of the proceeding; or
(c) limit the number of witnesses who may be called to give evidence, or the number of documents that may be tendered in evidence; or
(d) provide for submissions to be made in writing; or
(e) limit the length of submissions (whether written or oral); or
(f) waive or vary any provision of the Rules of Court in their application to the proceeding; or
(g) revoke or vary an earlier direction.
(4) In considering whether to give directions under subsection (2), the Court may also consider whether to make an order under subsection 53A(1).
(5) If a party fails to comply with a direction given by the Court or a Judge under subsection (2), the Court or Judge may make such order or direction as the Court or Judge thinks appropriate.
(6) In particular, the Court or Judge may do any of the following:
(a) dismiss the proceeding in whole or in part;
(b) strike out, amend or limit any part of a party's claim or defence;
(c) disallow or reject any evidence;
(d) award costs against a party;
(e) order that costs awarded against a party are to be assessed on an indemnity basis or otherwise.
(7) Subsections (5) and (6) do not affect any power that the Court or a Judge has apart from those subsections to deal with a party's failure to comply with a direction.