Street, S. & Ors v Retravision (NSW) Pty Ltd & Ors [1995] FCA 247

CATCHWORDS CORPORATIONS - Corporations Law, s. 592 - claim by guarantors of the debts of a company to render the creditor jointly and severally liable for those debts - distinction between imposition of joint and several liability and the bringing of proceedings for the recovery of debts from persons rendered so liable - common law rule against suing self - "any person who ... took part in the management of the company" construed to exclude creditors to whom the company incurred debt - right to contribution - liability for debts under s. 592 not co-ordinate with liability as a guarantor for same debts - right to indemnity. EQUITY - doctrine of contribution - meaning of "co-ordinate liability" - whether primary and secondary liabilities sufficient - source of liabilities in statute and contract. Corporations Law, ss. 592, 594 Corporations Act 1989, s. 56 Federal Court of Australia Act, ss. 21, 23 Corporations (New South Wales) Act (NSW), s. 42 Spika Trading Pty Ltd v Harrison (1990) 19 NSWLR 211 Cooper Brookes (Wollongong) Pty Ltd v The Commissioner of Taxation of the Commonwealth of Australia (1981) 147 CLR 297 Armstrong v Commissioner of Stamp Duties [1967] 2 NSWR 63 Watt v 3M Australia Pty Limited [1984] 3 NSWLR 671 Acton Engineering Pty Ltd v Campbell (1991) 31 FCR 1 The Commonwealth v Evans Deakin Industries Ltd (1986) 161 CLR 254 Capita Financial Group Ltd v Rothwells Ltd (1992) 30 NSWLR 619 Dering v Earl of Winchelsea (1787) 1 Cox Eq Cas 318; 29 ER 1184 Craythorne v Swinburne (1807) 14 Ves Jun 160; 33 ER 482 In re Denton's Estate [1904] 2 Ch 178 Scholefield Goodman & Sons Ltd v Zyngier [1986] AC 562 A.M. Spicer & Son Pty Ltd (In Liquidation) v Spicer (1931) 47 CLR 151 Firma C-Trade SA v Newcastle Protection & Indemnity Association [1991] 2 AC 1 Abigroup Ltd v Abignano (1992) 39 FCR 74