Coshott v Burke [2012] FCA 517

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Coshott v Burke [2012] FCA 517 Citation: Coshott v Burke [2012] FCA 517

Parties: ROBERT GILBERT COSHOTT v JOHN CHRISTOPHER BURKE and COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA

File number: NSD 2086 of 2011

Judge: RARES J

Date of judgment: 27 April 2012

Catchwords: BANKRUPTCY – annulment of bankruptcy pursuant to s153A Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth) – trustee gives notice of intention to declare final dividend under s 145 and requires proof of debt by specified date to facilitate annulment – application under s 104 by bankrupt for review of decision by trustee pursuant to s102(1)(b) to partially admit creditor's proof of debt – where creditor delays lodging proof of debt for a period after specified date in notice – whether Court should reject late proof of debt on a review of trustee's decision under s 104 in respect of bankrupt seeking annulment under s 153A Held: Court conducts a review de novo under s 104 of the trustee's decision to admit or reject creditor's proof of debt – when considering whether trustee (or Court) satisfied for the purposes of s 153A(1) that bankrupt has paid all provable debts in full, trustee (or Court) not constrained by time specified in notice to creditors under s 145(3)

Legislation: Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth) ss 82, 83, 102(1)(b), 140, 140(1), 144, 145, 145(5), 153, 154 Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) s 48(1) Legal Profession Act 2004 (NSW)

Cases cited: BDT Holdings Pty Limited v Piscopo [2009] FCA 151 applied Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (2007) 162 FCR 466 applied Coshott v Commonwealth Bank of Australia [2004] NSWCA 189 referred to Hingston v Westpac Banking Corporation [2012] FCAFC 41 considered Macdonald v Raupach [2011] NSWCA 320 considered Oates v Commissioner of Taxation (1990) 27 FCR 289 considered Payne; Ex parte Levi [1986] FCA 439 applied Pozniac Estate: Morgan v Reuben [2005] NSWSC 766 referred to Qantas Airways Limited v Gama (2008) 167 FCR 537 applied Re Coyle (1993) 42 FCR 72 considered Re DK Rogers; Ex parte v CMV Parts Distributors Pty Limited (1989) 20 FCR 561 applied Re Wong: Ex parte Wong v Donnelly (1995) 63 FCR 426 applied Tanning Research Laboratories Inc v O'Brien (1990) 169 CLR 332 referred to Union Club v Lord Battenberg (2006) 66 NSWLR 1 considered