Re Mondin, B.J. v. Ex parte Bradshaw, D.A. [1985] FCA 228
Federal Court of Australia
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CATCHWORDS
Bankruptcy - whether an entitlement to a tax refund
constitutes property in the hands of a debtor at the time of
execution of a deed of arrangement under Part X of the
Bankruptcy Act 1966.
Choses in Action: whether an entitlement toa tax refunz
Pon
under s.221YE of the Income Tax Assessment Act 193
constitutes a chose in action which may be assigned prior to
the issue of a tax assessment.
Bankruptcy Act 1966 ss.134(4), 237(2), 187.
Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 ss.221YE(1), 221YB(1), 221H(2).
Re: BASIL JOHN MONDIN (A BANKRUPT) EX PARTE: DAVID ANTHONY
BRADSHAW (AS TRUSTEE OF THE PROPERTY OF BASTL JOHN MONDIN, +
DEBTOR} a
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No. 143 of 1981 ley FlECFIVED
i 11 JUN 1985
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AUSIRRLIA
Smithers J.
PUMCIPAL
7 June 1985
Melbourne.
IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA
BANKRUPICY DISTRICT OF THE NO. 143 OF 1982
STATE OF VICTORIA
wee ee ww
GENERAL DIVISION
APPLICATION FOR ORDERS
AND DECLARATIONS
RE: BASIL JOHN MONDIN
(A Bankrupt)
Ex parte: DAVID ANTHONY PRADSHAW
(AS TRUSTEE OF THE
PROPERTY OF BASIL JOHN
MONDIN, A DERTOR)
(APPLICANT)
dudge Maling Order: Smithers d.
Date of Order: 7 June 1985
Where Made: Melbourne.
ORDER
THE ORDER OF THE COURT WILL BE THAT:
The applicant hold the sum of $866.24 as part of the
divisible property of the debtor referred to ain the
schedule to the deed of arrangement.
IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA
BANKRUPTCY DISTRICT OF THE NO. 143 OF 1981
STATE OF VICTORIA
wee ee
GENERAL DIVISTON
APPLICATION FOR ORDERS
AND DECLARATIONS
RE: BASIL JOHN MONDIN
(A Bankrupt)
Ex parte: DAVID ANTHONY BRADSHAW
(AS TRUSTEE OF THE
PROPERTY OF BASIL JOHN
MONDIN, A DERTOR)
(APPLICANT)
CORAM: Smithers J.
DATE: 7 June 1985
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT
Pursuant to s.134(4) of the Bankruptcy Act 1966 'the
Act) as that section applies in relation to the administration
of the estate of Basil John Mondin (the debtor), who, entered
into adeed of arrangement on 24 August 1981 pursuant to
8.237(2) of the Act, the Registered Trustee of that deed
applies for directions aS to the disposition of the sum of
$866.24. That sum is the amount of a refund of provisional
tax paid by the debtor in respect of income tax relating to
the income year ending on 30 June 1979.
On 6 August 1981 the debtor signed an authority pursuant
to s.188 of the Act, authorising the registered trustee to
call a meeting of creditors and take over control of his
property. The meeting of creditors was subsequently held on
24 August 1981. A special resolution was passed at the
meeting which required the debtor to execute a deed of
arrangement in the form of the draft presented to the meeting.
The debtor executed the deed of arrangement on the same day.
The deed provided, amongst other things, that the debtor
convey and assign to the registered trustee all his "estate".
The word "estate" is defined in clause 1 of the Deed to mean:
"... all the property of the debtor specified in
the Schedule hereto but does not include after
acquiring (sic) property". '
The schedule, in turn, defines the "divisible property"
of the debtor, and it provides specifically that the
expression "divisible property" is to have the same meaning as
the meaning ascribed to it 1n 5.187 of the Act, as if the deed
of arrangement were a deed of assignment.
"Divisible property" is defined 1n s.187 specifically in
relation to a deed of assignment, as follows:-
",.. means the property, other than property that
was acquired by, or devolved on, the debtor on or
after the day on which he executed the deed, that
would be divisible amongst his creditors under
Part VI if he had become a bankrupt on that day;"
Accordingly, it is necessary to turn to Part VI of the
Act, s.116(1) of which provides that subject to the Act:-
(a) all property that belonged to, or was vested
in, a bankrupt at the commencement of the
bankruptcy, or has been acquired or is
acquired by him, or has devolved or devolves
on hin, after the commencement of the
bankruptcy and before his discharge; and
{b) the capacity to exercise, and to take
proceedings for exercising, all such powers
an, over or in respect of property as might
have been exercised by the bankrupt for his
own benefit at the commencement of the
bankruptcy or at any time after the
commencement of the bankruptcy and before his
discharge, ..."
1s property divisible amongst the creditors of the bankrupt.
It 21s to be noted that s.116(1) provides that property
which is acquired or which devolves upon the bankrupt after
his bankruptcy but before his discharge is divisible property.
However, as indicated above, the deed of arrangement executed
by the debtor specifically excludes such property from that
which is conveyed or assigned by him to the trustee.
Following the signature by the debtor of the
authorization under s.188 the applicant found that the debter
had not filed income tax returns for the years ending 30 June
1979, 30 June 1980 and 30 June 1981. The applicant then
assisted the debtor in the preparation of income tax returns
for those years and filed those returns on behalf of the
debtor. Whether he did this before or after the deed of
arrangement was signed does not appear.
In January 1982 the Deputy Commissioner of Taxation
issued the following:
1. Notice of Assessment for the year ended 30 June 1979
showing a credit balance being a provisional tax credit
of $866.24 after deduction of tax assessed at $1,377.93
less $417.00 rebates and other credits, from $1,827.17
provisional tax paid by the debtor.
2. Refund notice for the year ended 30 June 1980 showing no
debits and carrying forward the $866.24 refundable to
the debtor.
3. Refund notice for the year ended 30 June 1981 carrying
forward the $866.24 as refundable to the debtor
accompanied by a cheque for that amount drawn to the
order of the debtor and marked "not negotiable".
Having regard to the form of the assessment notice I
think it correct to regard the $866.24 as a refund of
provisional tax paid in respect of the income year 1978/79.
It is to be observed that the tax refund of $866.24 was
received by the applicant in his capacity as tax agent for the
debtor and it is still held in his trust account. On 9 April
1984 a sequestration order was made against the estate of the
debtor by the Federal Court sitting in Brisbane, in respect of
debts incurred by the debtor following the execution by him of
the deed of arrangement.
The applicant seeks directions from this Court as to
whether it is his duty to hold the sum of $866.24 for the
trustee in bankruptcy under the sequestration order of 9 April
1984, or for the debtor, or as property assigned to him under
the deed of arrangement. The trustee in bankruptcy of the
debtor and the debtor have both been apprised of these
proceedings and have chosen not to make any submissions to the
Court in respect thereof.
Section 221YE of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (the
ITA Act) provides as follows:-
"(1) Where a taxpayer has paid provisional tax in
respect of income of any year of income, and an
assessment of income tax in respect of that income
has been made, or the Commissioner is satisfied
that no income tax will be payable in respect of
that income, the Commissioner shall credit the
amount of that provisional tax in payment
successively of -
(a) such income tax (1f any) as is payable by the
taxpayer in respect of that income;
{b) any provisional tax notified to the taxpayer
in respect of ancome of the year next
succeeding that year of income; and
(c) any other income tax or any withholding tax
payable by the taxpayer,
and shall be liable to refund to the taxpayer the
amount of that provisional tax not so credited.
(2) In this section -
'income tax' includes income tax payable under a
State income tax law;
'provisional tax' includes any tax of a similar
nature to provisional tax that is payable under a
State income tax law."
This provision imposes a duty on the Commissioner to ascertain
as soon as it is reasonable to do so after the lodging by the
taxpayer of a return of income for the relevant year, the
amount of the sums, 1f any, to be credited in accordance with
s.221YE of the ITA Act and to refund any excess of provisional
tax paid over the sums so credited. There is therefore in
every taxpayer of provisional tax an entitlement enforceable
by law to receive the appropriate refund. It may be that the
only enforcement process available is by mandamus. But this
1s of no importance. The statutory obligation to ascertain
the necessary credits and refund any excess of provisional tax
to the taxpayer is imposed by law on the Commonwealth officer
and will be obeyed. Certainly the taxpayer has a legal right
to the performance by the Commissioner of this duty.
It may be observed that the facts by reference to which
the amount of the refund, if there 1s to be one, depends, are
necessarily in existence, at the latest, at the end of the
year succeeding the year with respect to which the provisional
tax is paid. At the end of that latter year the tax for the
previous year has accrued due to the Commissioner and the
circumstances relevant to the making of a demand for
provisional tax for the succeeding year are established, as 1s
also liability for any outstanding tax. Where the taxpayer
has provided the relevant income tax returns, the liability of
the Commissioner to make the refund is established when the
procedural step of issuing the relevant assessment is
performed.
But the question is whether at the date of the deed of
arrangement there was in the debtor an interest in any portion
of the amount of provisional tax, paid by him, and, if so
whether that interest constituted property in his hands.
Provisional tax of $1827.17 had been paid by him in or prior
to the year ending 1979 in respect of possible liability to
income tax for that year. It was paid pursuant to s.221YR(1)
of the ITA Act.
On the evidence one is required to proceed on the basis
that at the date of the deed the debtor had not made a return
of income with respect to any of the years of income ending 20
June 1979, 30 June 1980, or 30 June 1981. Accordingly, the
condition for performance of the functions which the
Commissioner would have performed under 5.221YE of the ITA
Act, had those returns been made, had not been satisfied. Noa
duty had then arisen in the Commissioner to make any refund to
the debtor.
It is apparent however, on the facts relating to the
income of the debtor in the relevant years and which would
have been disclosed to the Commissioner if income tax returns
for those years or even those for the years ending 30 June
1979 and 1980 had been before him, the Commissioner would have
issued the refund notices referred to above. In that event
the stated refunds would, no doubt, have been paid to the
debtor. If not the obligation to do so would have been
enforceable by some appropriate process. Although the refund
was not recoverable by action against the Commissioner, the
duty imposed on him by Parliament as an officer of the
Commonwealth to make the refund on behalf of the Commonwealth
was clear.
It is apparent also that at the date of the deed and
indeed for a considerable time before then the debtor had the
capacity to activate the performance of the functions of the
Commissioner with respect to the matter of the refund by
making returns of his income.
To ascertain whether there was at the relevant time a
relevant entitlement in the debtor toa refund and if there
were, the nature thereof and whether it was assignable, regard
must first be had to $.221YB(1) of the ITA Act. It
provides:-
"For the purpose of enabling the income tax that
will be payable by taxpayers to whom this section
applies to be collected during the financial year
for which the income tax is levied, a person other
than a company, and a company in the capacity of a
trustee, deriving assessable income, not being
salary or wages, 18 liable to pay provisional tax
in accordance with this Division."
It is from the statutory purpose expressed in this provision
that the existence and nature of the legal relationship
between the taxpayer and the Commonwealth with respect to the
provisional tax paid is derived.
ire]
Section ?21R(1) of the ITA Act provides that an amount
payable under Division 3 of Part VI of that Act, which
includes an amount payable under s.221YB(1) of the same Act,
shall be a debt due to the Commonwealth and payable to the
Commissioner, and may be sued for and recovered in any Court
of competent jurisdiction by the Commissioner or a Deputy
Commissioner suing in his official name. At all material
times s.221U of the ITA Act, which was repealed by Act No. 123
of 1984 with effect from 14 December 1984, provided that:-
"221U. All moneys received by the Commissioner in
pursuance of this division (including moneys the
right to receive or to recover which has been
assigned to the Commonwealth by a State income tax
law) shall form part of the Consolidated Revenue
Fund and there shall be payable out of that Fund
(which 158, to the necessary extent, hereby
appropriated accordingly) such amounts as the
Commissioner becomes liable to pay in accordance
with the provisions of this Division."
The provisions of s.221YE of the ITA Act may be compared with
$.221H(2) of that Act Which deals with the ultimate
disposition of the amount of instalments paid to the
Commonweath against possible future tax in respect of income
of an employee by tax stamps or group certificates. Section
221H(2Z) provides: -
"Where the Commissioner receives from an employee a
tax stamps sheet or a group certificate, or both,
in respect of deductions made in any year of
income from his salary or wages and the tax
payable by the employee in respect of that year of
income has been assessed, the Commissioner shall -
(a) aif the sum of the amount represented by the
face value of the tax stamps duly affixed to
any such tax stamps sheet and the amount of
the deductions shown in any such group
certificate does not exceed the tax payable
10.
by the employee in respect of that year of
income - credit that sum in payment or part
payment of that tax;
(b) if that sum exceeds that tax - credit so much
of that sum as is required in payment of that
tax and any other tax payable by the
employee, and pay ta the employee an amount
equal to any excess; or
(c) af he is satisfied that there is no tax
payable by the employee - pay to the employee
an amount equal to that sum."
The obligation of the Commissioner with respect to an ultimate
excess 1S expressed as an obligation to pay. In s.221YE of
the ITA Act the corresponding obligation is "to refund" the
excess. No doubt this reflects the circumstance that s.221YE
is dealing with money paid by the taxpayer himself whereas
$,221H(2) operates in respect of money paid by the employer of
che taxpayer.
It would seem, from the decision in the Federal
Commissioner of Taxation v. Official Receiver & Anor (1956) 95
CLR 300 (Travis' Case):
l. that s.221H(2) does not confer on the taxpayer to whom a
sum is payable thereunder a right to sue the
Commissioner;
2. it imposes upon the Commissioner a duty to pay the
amount to which the taxpayer is entitled to the taxpayer
and to nobody else;
3. @ sum paid under the section to a taxpayer who is
11.
bankrupt, in respect of income earned by him after
sequestration of his estate has the character of income.
The amount received may be the subject of an application
by the trustee in bankruptcy for an order under s.131 of
the Act that a portion thereof be made available to the
creditors of the bankrupt;
4. although, as indicated by Williams J. in Travis' Case
(supra) at p.311l, an action to recover the excess over
tax liability which is revealed in a relevant assessment
might be brought against the Commonwealth it would seem
that no such action could be brought by a taxpayer
before the submission by him of his taxation return for
the relevant years, or possibly before the issue of an
assessment in respect thereof;
5. the transaction arising under the ITA Act with respect
to a payment made against possible future liability for
tax is one between the Commonwealth and the taxpayer and
not between the Commissioner and the taxpayer.
Both s.221H(2) and s.221YB are in Division 3 of Part VI
of the ITA Act. That part is headed "Collection and Recovery
of Tax". The requirement that payments be made against an
employee's contingent liability for tax is, as described in
the statute, "for the purpose of enabling the collection by
instalments from employees of income tax". See s.221(C)(1) of
the Act. It is of course inherent in the system that there is
the possibility that the instalments paid will exceed the tax
12.
liability of the employee taxpayer. For the purpose of
adjusting the situation as between the Commonwealth and the
taxpayer so that it will accord with the actual liability of
the taxpayer for tax according to law, a duty is imposed on
the Commissioner under s.221H(2) to make an assessment which
will disclose that liability and the amount of any excess and
to pay such excess to the taxpayer.
With respect to provisional tax one finds in s.221YB(1),
by which liability to pay provisional tax is imposed, a
corresponding statement of purpose for that imposition,
namely, "to enable income tax to be collected during the
financial year for which the tax is levied." That ais the
extent of the burden which is imposed. It is the statutory
intention that subject to the implementation cf the purpose
the money paid is to be refunded to the taxpayer and the
Commonwealth 15 liable to make that refund. From the moment
of payment of provisional tax there exists a 'legal
relationship between the Commonwealth and the taxpayer created
by the statute, pursuant to which, subject to the provisions
of s.221YE, an amount which 1s in excess of the amount
required for the purpose expressed in s.221YR(1) shall be
refunded.
Of course for the purpose of orderly adjustment in
relation to this liability suitable machinery provis2zons were
necessary and are provided. They are to be found in
s.221YE(1) which also makes provision in paras. (b) and (c)
of that section concerning provisional tax for a year
13.
succeeding that for which the provisional tax in question was
paid and outstanding tax. But s.221YE is more than machinery
in that, from it, there may be gathered a legislative
intention that no liability arises in the Commissioner in
respect of any excess of the provisional tax paid over
liability for tax, pending the issuing of an appropriate
assessment. Also, it provides for the appropriation of the
provisional tax paid to provisional tax with respect to a year
beyond the year of income in relation to which it was paid and
for a deduction in respect of any outstanding tax liability.
But it would seem that by the effect of 5.221YRB the terms of
the relationship between the Commonwealth and the taxpayer
with respect to provisional tax paid in relation to any year
are established as from the moment of payment thereof. Thase
terms flow from the stated purpose of the payment. There is
an obligation in the Commonwealth to hold the amount paid,
upon fulfillment of the purpose, to the use of the taxpayer.
That that obligation is itself qualified by statutory
authority in the Commissioner (s.221YE) to appropriate the
amount paid to additional provisional tax, if payable, and to
outstanding tax liability if there is one, does not go to the
nature of the relationship. Subject to this qualification the
obligation subsists. It is an obligation which, for reasons
of convenience, is not enforceable against the Commissioner
until the relevant tax liabilities of the taxpayer are
established by an assessment. Whether at that stage the
obligation of the Commonwealth may be enforced by action is
unimportant. At all relevant times the obligation of the
14,
Commonwealth to use the money for the recoupment of tax which
is payable by the taxpayer and return any balance to the
taxpayer existed and was well defined.
An obligation to pay aosum of money in the future,
measureable according to the operation of law in relation to
such events as may occur before the time for payment, isa
chose in action. Such a situation is to be distinguished from
one in which there is merely a spes or expectation. See
Norman v. Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1963) 109 CLR 9.
And even where the legal process which may be instituted in
respect of the amount payable may be limited, as perhaps that
in respect of the excess of provisional tax over actual tax
liability may be, the right of the taxpayer is still in the
nature of a chose in action.
It is ta be observed that with respect to the assignment
of the entitlement of the interest of the taxpayer with
respect to the excess or possible excess of his provisional
payment of tax, the critical factor 1s that the assignment is
not of money but of ae right. In Shepherd v. Federal
Commissioner of Taxation (1965) 113 CLR 385 the High Court of
Australia considered a gift by deed poll whereby the donor
assigned his "right title and interest in an amount equal to
ninety per cent of the income which" might accrue during 'a
period of three years under a licence agreement to royalties
directly proportionate to the number of castors manufactured
by the licensee. The assignment was called in question on the
ground that the subject thereof was but a mere spes or
15.
expectancy. On this question it was said by Barwick C.J., at
p.393:-
"The basis of this submission is that in the event
there may not be any amount payable for royalties
because no sales of castors may be made. But this
misconceives the matter. That a promise may not
be fruitful does not make it ancapable of
assignment".
And the same may be said of a statutory obligation. In the
words of Kitto Jd. at p.394:-
"The deed exhibits in its operative words, and
underlines twice later, the intention of effecting
an immediate alienation of property presently
existing, presently belonging to the assignor, and
consisting of a right, title and interest in
respect of royalties to become payable by Cowen
under the licence agreement."
As such it constituted an effective assignment of that right,
title and interest. In Shepherd's Case (supra) ait was
critical that the words of gift be so construed because the
transaction was one without consideration. As Barwick CJ said
at p.391:
"The question therefore, in my opinion, is a narrow
one, namely, whether upon its true construction
the deed purports to assign part of the right to
the royalties or of the royalties themselves as
after acquired property."
Similarly, in the case of the deed of arrangement under
consideration in this case the same question arises. Is the
deed to be interpreted as an assignment of the right in the
debtor as against the Commonwealth at the date of the deed, to
such excess as there was or might be in him in respect of the
16.
amount of the provisional payment he had made over and above
his relevant tax liabilities? The words of the deed are set
out above. If so, then the question is whether the right of
the debtor at the date of the deed in respect of the amount of
provisional tax paid by him was an item of property presently
existing and presently belonging to the debtor. If it was
then clearly it was assigned. In my opinion the answer to
each question is "yes". Just as the right of the assignor to
receive the royalties which was considered in Shepherd's Case
(supra), was regarded as property so described, so to my mind,
the right of the debtor in respect of any excess of
provisional tax paid over the permissible appropriations
thereof pursuant to s.221YE of the ITA Act, was property so
described. The circumstance that the right arose out of the
provisions of a statute rather than out of contract or deed is
not to the point.
At the date of the deed of arrangement all the facts by
reference to which the liability of the Commonwealth to
account to the taxpayer in respect of provisional tax paid had
occurred. That liability is independent of the existence of a
duty in the Commissioner to make a refund under s.221VYE. That
duty had not arisen. But the relationship between the
taxpayer and the Commonwealth under which the taxpayer was
entitled by law to recover the excess of his liability for tdk
for the relevant year of income, over additional provisional
tax if payable and outstanding tax liabilities, was one in
which the taxpayer had an effective and subsisting right for
the satisfaction of which the law had provided. Even if the
17.
imposition of provisional tax for the year succeeding the year
for which provisional tax was paid involved the exercise of a
discretion by the Commissioner, according to law, the
existence and nature of the right to recover the ultimate
balance due to the taxpayer remained. In this case no such
provisional tax was assessed. That the refund may be subject
to lawful deductions does not affect the nature and quality of
the right to recover the balance after those deductions. That
such a right is comprehended in the conveyance of all my
property is, I think, clear. Property, according to Lord
Longdale, is
"... the most comprehensive of all the terms which
can be used, inasmuch as it is indicative and
descriptive of every possible interest which the
party can have."
See Jones v. Skinner (1835) 5 LJ Ch. 87 at 90.
His Lordship was speaking with respect to real property,
but his statement 1s by its nature applicable to personalty.
And it is clear that the right to royalties the subject of the
assignment in Shepherd's Case (supra) was regarded as property
in the assignor. The same principle appears to have been
adopted by the majority in Federal Commissioner of Taxation v.
Everett (1980) 143 CLR 440. See also Federal Commissioner of
Taxation v. Galland (1984) 56 ALR 468.
In the present case the critical factors are that at the
date of the deed there existed a relationship between the
Commonwealth and the taxpayer arising out of the statutory
18.
purpose for which the provisional tax was paid. Further, the
facts by reference to which the disposition of that
provisional payment would be determined had then occurred, and
it was therefore within the power of the debtor to activate
the exercise by the Commissioner of his functions under
S.221YE of the ITA Act.
The restriction referred to above with respect to
proceedings for recovery of the amount due from the
Commissioner by a taxpayer is for the convenience of the
system. It relieves the Commissioner from having to cope with
the demands of persons claiming to be assignees, and perhaps
having conflicting claims. This much is clear from the
majority judgments in Travis' Case (supra). It has nothing to
do with the existence or non-existence of the taxpayer's
entitlement to receive a refund in due course according to
law.
In Travis' Case (supra) the question was whether a
refund of amounts paid as instalments against tax after
bankruptcy in respect of years of income occurring after the
bankruptcy were income for the purposes of s.91(1) and s.101
(now s.131) of the Act. At the time the question arose an
assessment had been issued stating the amount of the refund
available to the bankrupt. It was held to be income. The
basis for this was expressed by Williams J. at pp.315 and 316
as follows:-
"His Honour, in his reasons, said that it would be
strange indeed that where a taxpayer has paid to
19.
the commissioner a sum which 1s more than
sufficient to discharge his liability for tax, the
excess amount which the taxpayer is entitled to
receive back from the commissioner can be regarded
as earnings or income of the taxpayer within the
meaning of s.101. But what is there strange about
that? The installments on account of tax that
were deducted under the provisions of Pt. VI, Div.
2 of the Assessment Act were made from the salary
or wages of the employee. Apart from these
provisions the employer would have been bound to
pay the bankrupt his salary or wages in full. It
was part of these earnings that were appropriated
for that purpose. But it was only a provisional
appropriation. The commissioner is obliged to
repay any sum found to he inexcess of the
required amount. The commissioner is obliged to
restore the excess to the taxpayer and if the over
collections were made out of salary or wages the
restoration must be a refund of part of these
salary or wages. It is a refund of part of the
earnings of the bankrupt and money which he is
entitled to retain in the absence of an order of
the court under s.101 of the Act."
Similarly, a provisional payment 1s only a provisional
appropriation of funds against a possible liability for tax.
The fact that the debtor is the only person who can givea
good discharge to the Commissioner 1s quite incompatible with
the existence of the right in the debtor referred to above.
The person who has assigned his entitlement to a sum of money
for consideration is obliged to take any necessary steps to
implement the assignment and, if he receives the amount
assigned, to pay it to the assignee. The closing observations
of Fullagar J. in his judgment in Travis' Case (supra) at
p-324 are relevant. He said:- :
"The view which I have expressed does not mean that
an amount which becomes payable to an employee
taxpayer under s.221H(2)(b) is incapable of being
assigned or charged in the sense in which e.g.
worker's compensation and some pensions are
incapable of being assigned or charged. It does
not deny the possibility of a transaction which
will bind the sum received by the payee by making
20.
him a trustee of it for an assignee or chargee.
But it does mean that the responsibility of the
commissioner to the taxpayer is to him, and is not
transmuted by the bankruptcy of the taxpayer into
a liability to the official receiver under the
Bankruptcy Act."
The prospect of a refund, Which may be for a
considerable sum, may obviously be an important commercial
asset. There appears to be no principle by reference to which
dealings with it by a taxpayer should be restricted, The
assignment of the refund which on the facts will in due course
be payable in the course of the operation of law cannot be
made in a manner which will bind the Commissioner. But the
assignment for consideration of such an interest will be
implemented by the imposition upon the assignor of appropriate
duties. Such duties are to be implied 1n a conveyance for
consideration of all one's property. Having made such a
conveyance the assignor when he receives the money from the
Commissioner is a trustee thereof for the assignor.
Having regard to the foregoing, the order of the Court
will be that the applicant hold the sum of $866.24 as part of
the divisible property of the debtor referred to in the
schedule to the deed of arrangement.
I certify that this and the
nineteen preceding pages are
a true copy of the Reasons for
Judgment herein of of his Honour
Mr. Justice Smithers.
Associate
Dated: 7 June 1985
22%
IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA
BANKRUPTCY DISTRICT OF THE
STATE OF VICTORIA
GENERAL DIVISTON
NO. 143 OF 1981
APPLICATION FOR ORDERS
AND DECLARATIONS
RE: BASIL JOHN MONDIN
(A Bankrupt)
Ex parte: DAVID ANTHONY BRADSHAW
CORAM: Smithers J.
DATE:
7 June 1985
(AS TRUSTEE OF THE
PROPERTY OF BASIL JOHN
MONDIN, A DEBTOR}
(APPLICANT)
CORRIGENDA
Amendment to the Reasons for Judgment of the Court
delivered 7 June 1985:
Page 20 line 19 in place of he word "assignor" insert
the word "assignee".
Date:
Fa Jr
(Associate to Mr.
19 June 1985
Lidl
Justice Smithers)