Spalla v St George Motor Finance Ltd (ACN 007 656 555) (No 6) [2004] FCA 1699

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Spalla v St George Motor Finance Ltd (ACN 007 656 555) (No 6) [2004] FCA 1699 COURTS AND JUDICIAL SYSTEM – res judicata – issue estoppel – extended 'Anshun' principle – abuse of power – relitigation of aspects of dispute which was decided or could reasonably have been raised in earlier proceedings – circumstances in which abuse of process JUDICIAL POWER – federal jurisdiction – matter arising under laws of the parliament – action for malicious prosecution – prosecution of offences under federal law – whether tortious action in federal jurisdiction CORPORATIONS - duties of officers – receivers – alleged breach of duties – breach predating Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) – whether action in respect of breaches under old Corporations Law are in federal jurisdiction CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS – breaches of old Corporations Law – whether in federal jurisdiction by virtue of transitional provisions of Corporations Act 2001 ESTOPPEL – res judicata – issue estoppel – Anshun estoppel – abuse of process – relitigation of issues TORT – conversion – money – whether capable of conversion – cheques Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) s 39B Federal Court Rules O 11 r 16, O 20 r 2 Spalla v St George Wholesale Finance Pty Ltd [1999] FCA 513 cited Spalla and Others v St George Wholesale Finance Pty Ltd (1999) 95 FCR 359 cited Spalla v St George Motor Finance Ltd (No 5) [2004] FCA 1262 cited Henderson v Henderson (1843) 3 Hare 100; 67 ER 313 cited Port of Melbourne Authority v Anshun Pty Ltd (1981) 147 CLR 589 cited Reichel v Magrath [1889] 14 App Cas 665 cited Rippon v Chilcotin Pty Ltd (2001) 53 NSWLR 198 cited Walton v Gardiner (1993) 177 CLR 378 cited Rogers v R (1994) 181 CLR 251 cited Connelly v Director of Public Prosecutions [1964] AC 1254 cited Hunter v Chief Constable of the West Midland Police [1982] AC 529 cited Bryant v Commonwealth Bank of Australia (1995) 57 FCR 287 cited Rahme v Commonwealth Bank of Australia (unreported, Court of Appeal, New South Wales, 20 December 1991) cited Ling v The Commonwealth (1996) 68 FCR 180 cited Coffey v Secretary, Department of Social Security (1999) 86 FCR 434 cited Johnson v Gore Wood & Co [2002] 2 AC 1 cited Sea Culture International v Scoles (1991) 32 FCR 275 cited Djaigween v Douglas (1994) 48 FCR 535 cited State Bank of New South Wales Ltd v Stenhouse Ltd (1997) Aust Torts Reports 81-423 cited Re Potters Oils Ltd (No 2) [1986] 1 All ER 890 cited Penfolds Wines Pty Ltd v Elliott (1946) 74 CLR 204 cited Lipkin Gorman v Karpnale Ltd [1991] 2 AC 548 cited Lloyds Bank v Chartered Banks [1929] 1 KB 40 cited Arrow Transfer v Royal Bank (1971) 19 DLR (3d) 420 cited Bavins v L & S W Bank [1900] 1 QB 270 cited Shum Yip Properties Development Pty Ltd v Chatswood Investment and Development Co Pty Ltd (2002) 40 ACSR 619 cited R v Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration; Ex parte Barrett (1945) 70 CLR 141 cited Felton v Mulligan (1971) 124 CLR 367 cited Moorgate Tobacco Co Ltd v Philip Morris Ltd (1980) 145 CLR 457 cited LNC Industries Ltd v BMW (Australia) Ltd (1983) 151 CLR 575 cited Spencer, Bower and Turner, 'Res Judicata', 3rd Edition (Butterworths 1996) O'Donovan, 'Company Receivers and Administrators', LBC Fleming, 'The Law of Torts' 8th Edition, 1992 ANTHONY PATRICK SPALLA, ANDREW DAVID BENTLEY STILL and IRLMOND PTY LTD (RECEIVERS AND MANAGERS APPOINTED IN LIQUIDATION) (ACN 066 314 870) v ST GEORGE MOTOR FINANCE LTD (ACN 007 656 555), ST GEORGE WHOLESALE FINANCE PTY LTD (ACN 001 834 886), ANDREW WILLIAM BECK, ANDREW STEWART HOME, DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENT COMMISSION, SIMON ALEXANDER WALLACE-SMITH and ST GEORGE MOTOR WHOLESALE PTY LTD V3203 of 2002 FRENCH J 20 DECEMBER 2004 PERTH