Lenthall v Westpac Banking Corporation (No 2) [2020] FCA 423

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Lenthall v Westpac Banking Corporation (No 2) [2020] FCA 423 File number(s): NSD 1812 of 2017

Judge(s): LEE J

Date of judgment: 2 April 2020

Catchwords: REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDINGS - where common fund order made beyond power and no longer operative – whether Court has power to approve notice informing group members of applicant's intention to seek an order at conclusion of proceeding to distribute the burden of costs, fees and all other expenses equitably among all persons who have benefitted from the class action – whether BMW Australia Ltd v Brewster [2019] HCA 45; (2019) 94 ALJR 51 precludes the Court approving the issue of such a notice – whether the Court ought to refuse to issue notice in exercise of discretion - whether group members should be informed about the basis upon which the class action is now being funded – whether content of notice ought be approved – considerations of complexity in conveying information contained in notices – discussion of need to consider simpler and more accessible ways of communicating complex messages to large and varied classes

Legislation: Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) Pt IVA, ss 5, 33E, 33J, 33N, 33V, 33X, 33Y, 33ZF, 53A Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) s 183 Class Actions Practice Note (GPN-CA) Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) s 144

Cases cited: BMW Australia Ltd v Brewster [2019] HCA 45; (2019) 94 ALJR 51 Dickenson's Arcade Pty Ltd v Tasmania (1974) 130 CLR 177 Farah Constructions Pty Ltd v Say-Dee Pty Ltd (2007) 230 CLR 89 Federation Insurance Ltd v Wasson (1987) 163 CLR 303 Femcare Ltd v Bright [2000] FCA 512; (2000) 100 FCR 331 Franklins Pty Ltd v Metcash Trading Ltd [2009] NSWCA 407; (2009) 76 NSWLR 603 Garcia v National Australia Bank Ltd (1998) 194 CLR 395 Great Western Railway Co v Owners of SS Mostyn [1928] AC 57 Johnstone v HIH Ltd [2004] FCA 190 Lenthall v Westpac Banking Corporation (No 1) [2018] FCA 1422; (2018) 363 ALR 698 Migration Agents Registration Authority v Frugtniet [2018] FCAFC 5; (2018) 259 FCR 219 Muswellbrook Shire Council v Royal Bank of Scotland NV [2013] FCA 616 Pharm-a-Care Laboratories Pty Ltd v Commonwealth of Australia (No 4) [2010] FCA 749 Richard West and Partners (Inverness) Ltd v Dick [1969] 2 Ch 424 Westpac Banking Corporation v Lenthall [2019] FCAFC 34; (2019) 265 FCR 21 Zotti v Australian Associated Motor Insurers Limited [2009] NSWCA 323; (2009) 54 MVR 111 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 4228.0 - Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies, Australia, 2011-12 Australian Law Reform Commission, Report No 46, Grouped Proceedings in the Federal Court Commonwealth, Debates, Senate, 12 September 1991 Explanatory Memorandum, Federal Court of Australia Amendment Bill 1991 (Cth) Harding, Matthew and Malkin, Ian, "The High Court of Australia's Obiter Dicta and Decision-Making in Lower Courts" (2012) 34(2) Sydney Law Review 239 Horning, Alice, "Reading, Writing and Digitizing: A Meta-Analysis of Reading Research", (2010) 10(2) Reading Matrix 243 Law Council of Australia, The Justice Project Final Report – Part 1: Rural, Regional and Remote Australians (August 2018) Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Australia - Country Note: Survey of Adult Skills First Results (OECD, 2012) Richardson, Grant and Smith, David "The Readability of Australia's Goods and Services Tax Legislation: An Empirical Investigation", (2002) 30(3) Federal Law Review 475