Walker v Members Equity Bank Ltd [2022] FCAFC 184

Federal Court of Australia Walker v Members Equity Bank Ltd [2022] FCAFC 184 Appeal from: Walker v Members Equity Bank Ltd [2021] FCA 1554

File number: VID 42 of 2022

Judgment of: WIGNEY, LEE AND ABRAHAM JJ

Date of judgment: 28 November 2022

Catchwords: STATUTORY INTERPRETATION – proper construction of s 12GB(6) of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth) – s 12GB(6) provides prosecution of relevant offences "may be commenced within 3 years after the commission of the offence" – whether s 12GB(6) imposes "hard" three-year limitation period or is intended to be "facultative or permissive" – consideration of text, context and legislative history of s 12GB(6) – textual significance of "may" in s 12GB(6) – legislative basis for s 12GB(6) in s 79(6) of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) – consideration of relevant authorities, including Attorney-General (Cth) v Oates (1999) 198 CLR 162 – preferable construction supports "hard" three-year limitation period in s 12GB(6) – no error by primary judge established – appeal dismissed

Legislation: Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 1989 (Cth) ss 1(1)(a), 1(1)(b), 12DB(1)(g), 12GB(1), 12GB(1)(c), 12GB(1)(d), 12GB(6), 12GBB(1), 12GBB(2), 12GBC(2) Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) sch 2 (The Australian Consumer Law) ss 151, 212 Crimes Legislation Amendment Act 1992 (Cth) Companies (Western Australia) Code Financial Sector Reform (Consequential Amendments) Act 1998 (Cth) Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) ss 53, 79 (repealed) Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) r 30.01 Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) ss 4H, 15B, 15B(1)(b), 15B(1A)(a), 15B(1B), 15B(2), 21, 21(1)(c) Corporations Act 1989 (Cth) sch (The Corporations Law) ss 82, 1316 Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) ss 15AA, 33(2A) Customs Act 1901 (Cth) s 249 National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 (Cth) sch 1 (National Credit Code) ss 64, 65 Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) s 79 Trade Practices Revision Bill 1986 (Cth), Explanatory Memorandum Justices Act 1902 (WA) s 20 Justices Act 1902 (NSW) s 56 Police Act 1990 (NSW) ss 200(1), 200(3), 200(4)