Northam v Commonwealth Bank of Australia [1999] FCA 544

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA Northam v Commonwealth Bank of Australia [1999] FCA 544 BANKRUPTCY – bankruptcy notice – application to set aside on grounds of defects or irregularities – failure to accord precisely with form prescribed by reg 4.02 of Bankruptcy Regulations – nature of particular defect – likely effect upon debtor.

Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth) ss 30(1), 40(1)(g)(ii), 41, 306 Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) s 25C Kleinwort Benson Australia Ltd v Crowl (1988) 165 CLR 71, 77, 79-80 applied Re Wheeler & Reynolds (A Firm); Ex parte Kerr & Crowe (1988) 20 FCR 185 referred to Yu v Farrow Mortgage Services Pty Ltd (1995) 60 FCR 300 at 306 and 307 referred to Re Staples; Ex parte Baker v Staples (1996) 67 FCR 541 at 547 referred to Re Williams; Ex parte Alberton Electrical Service Pty Ltd (1982) 43 ALR 552 at 558 referred to Re Wimborne; Ex parte The Debtor (1979) 24 ALR 494 at 498 and 499 referred to James v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1955) 93 CLR 631 at 644 referred to Pillai v Comptroller of Income Tax [1970] AC 1124 at 1135 referred to Re Gray; Ex parte Person to Person Financial Services Pty Ltd (1980) 48 FLR 379 referred to Re Manion; Ex parte Deputy Commissioner of Taxation (1979) 23 ALR 270 referred to Scerri v Cahill (unreported, Federal Court of Australia, Beaumont J, 17 March 1998) referred to Re St Leon; Ex parte National Australia Bank Ltd (1994) 54 FCR 371 referred to Re Wong; Ex parte Kitson (1979) 38 FLR 207 referred to Re Hodgson; Ex Parte FCR Motion Technology Pty Ltd [1999] FCA 263 referred to Ex parte Johnson; re Johnson (1883) 25 Ch 112 referred to Re Low; Ex parte Gibson [1895] 1 QB 734 referred to Re Wenham; Ex parte Battams [1900] 2 QB 698 at 708 referred to CHARLES VICTOR NORTHAM v COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA (ACN 123 123 124) VG 7907 of 1998 WEINBERG J 5 MAY 1999 MELBOURNE