Australian Steel Company (Operations) Pty Ltd v Lewis [2000] FCA 1915

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

The Australian Steel Company (Operations) Pty Ltd v Lewis [2000] FCA 1915 BANKRUPTCY ‑ Bankruptcy notice ‑ Bankruptcy Act provides that "notice must be in accordance with form prescribed" ‑ Notice based on judgment in Magistrates' Court ‑ Prescribed form requires statement of provision under which interest claimed ‑ Completed form asserted that entitlement to interest derived from Supreme Court Act ‑ In fact entitlement derived from Magistrates' Court Act ‑ Quantum of interest the same under both Acts ‑ Whether error a failure to meet a requirement made essential by Bankruptcy Act ‑ Purposive approach to ascertainment of essentiality. Bankruptcy Act 1966, s 41(2), (5), (6) Bankruptcy Regulations, reg 4.02 Kirk v Ashdown [1999] FCA 1664 not followed Bendigo Bank Ltd v Williams (2000) 98 FCR 377 followed Trustees of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary v Weir (2000) 98 FCR 447 cited Re Wimborne (1979) 24 ALR 494 cited Kleinwort Benson Australia Ltd v Crowl (1998) 165 CLR 71 applied Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355 applied Deputy Commissioner of Taxation v Woodhams (2000) 169 ALR 503 cited Re St Leon; Ex parte National Australia Bank Ltd (1994) 54 FCR 371 cited EMCL Pty Ltd v Esanda Finance Corp Ltd [1999] FCA 978 cited James v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1955) 93 CLR 631 cited Re Hansen; Ex parte Hansen (1985) 4 FCR 590 cited Re Gyngell; Ex parte Speedo Group Limited (1990) 27 FCR 531 cited Re Beauchamp; Ex parte Beauchamp [1904] 1 KB 572 cited Re Celestine; Ex parte Monte Paschi Australia Ltd (1997) 71 FCR 399 cited Farrugia v Farrugia [2000] 99 FCR 16 not followed Distribution Group Ltd v Lyndan (1997) 78 FCR 240 referred to Walsh v Deputy Commissioner of Taxation (1984) 156 CLR 337 referred to Re Munson, Ex parte Deputy Commissioner of Taxation (1977) 29 FLR 479 referred to Re The Bankruptcy Act 1966; Ex parte Commercial Banking Co of Sydney Ltd (1979) 23 ALR 522 not followed Northam v Commonwealth Bank of Australia [2000] FCA 544 referred to Boylan v Farthing [2000] FCA 575 referred to Foote v Mid-West Finance Pty Ltd (in liq) (1997) 78 FCR 306 referred to Hilti Australia Pty Ltd v Millard (1997) 78 FCR 453 referred to St George Bank Ltd v Klintwirth & Klintworth (1998) 157 ALR 286 referred to Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Horvath (Junior) (1999) 161 ALR 441 referred to Re Scerri (1998) 82 FCR 146 referred to American Express International v Held (1999) 168 ALR 185 referred to St George Wholesale Finance Pty Ltd v Spalla [2000] FCA 1094 referred to Re A Debtor (No 478 of 1908) [1908] 2 KB 684 referred to Bank of Melbourne Limited v Hannan (1997) 78 FCR 249 referred to Cabvil Pty Ltd v Hoiberg [1999] FCA 1791 referred to George v Tricontinental Corporation Ltd (1994) 53 FCR 284 referred to Gardiner v Gardiner (1992) 39 FCR 259 referred to Re Farrugia; Ex parte Deputy Commissioner of Taxation (1988) 19 FCR 1 referred to In re A Debtor, No. 21 of 1950; Ex parte the Debtor v Bowmaker Ltd [1951] 1 Ch 313 cited Pillai v Comptroller of Income Tax [1970] AC 1124 cited Formosa v Secretary, Department of Social Security (1988) 46 FCR 117 cited James v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1955) 93 CLR 631 THE AUSTRALIAN STEEL COMPANY (OPERATIONS) PTY LTD v WARREN LEWIS V 7728 OF 1999 ROYAL & SUN ALLIANCE WORKERS' COMPENSATION LTD v PETER JOHN OAKES V 7859 OF 1999 JULIE MAREE OAKES and METROPOLITAN FIRE & EMERGENCY SERVICES BOARD v JOHN ZEMLIC V 7860 OF 1999 BLACK CJ, LEE, HEEREY, SUNDBERG and GYLES JJ 22 DECEMBER 2000 MELBOURNE