Prygodicz v Commonwealth of Australia (No 2) [2021] FCA 634

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Prygodicz v Commonwealth of Australia (No 2) [2021] FCA 634 File number: VID 1252 of 2019

Judgment of: MURPHY J

Date of judgment: 11 June 2021

Catchwords: REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDINGS – application for court approval of settlement under s 33V of the Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) – principles relevant to settlement approval – whether the proposed settlement is fair and reasonable as between the parties – whether the proposed settlement is fair and reasonable as between group members – whether proposed settlement distribution scheme is fair and reasonable – principles relevant to approval of applicants' legal costs – whether legal costs proposed to be charged by applicants' solicitors are reasonable – settlement approved

Legislation: Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) s 140 Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) ss 33C, 33J, 33V, 33Y, 33ZB, 33ZF, 37M, 37AF, 37AG, 51A, 54A Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 (Cth) ss 126, 135, 142 192, Parts 4, 4A Social Security Act 1991 (Cth) ss 1222, 1223, 1229 Civil Law (Wrongs) Act 2002 (ACT) s 35 Wrongs Act 1958 (Vic) ss 72, 74, 75

Cases cited: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd [2014] FCA 1405 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Richards [2013] FCAFC 89 Baltic Shipping v Dillon [1993] HCA 4; (1993) 176 CLR 344 Blairgowrie Trading Ltd v Allco Finance Group Ltd (Recs & Mgrs Apptd) (In Liq) (No 3) [2017] FCA 330; (2017) 343 ALR 476 BMW Australia Ltd v Brewster [2019] HCA 45; (2019) 94 ALJR 51 Botsman v Bolitho [2018] VSCA 278; (2018) 57 VR 68 Caason Investments Pty Ltd v Cao (No 2) [2018] FCA 527 Caltex Refineries (Qld) Pty Ltd v Stavar [2009] NSWCA 258; (2009) 75 NSWLR 649 Camilleri v The Trust Company (Nominees) Ltd [2015] FCA 1468 Chippendale v Commissioner of Taxation [1996] FCA 80; (1996) 62 FCR 347 Clarke v Abou-Samra [2010] SASC 205 Commissioner for State Revenue (Vic) v Royal Insurance Australia Limited [1994] HCA 61; (1994) 182 CLR 51 Commonwealth of Australia v Prygodicz [2020] FCA 1516 Commonwealth v SCI Operations Pty Ltd [1998] HCA 20; (1998) 192 CLR 285 Crimmins v Stevedoring Industry Finance Committee [1999] HCA 59; (1999) 200 CLR 1 Darwalla Milling Co Ltd v F Hoffman-La Roche (No 2) [2006] FCA 1388; (2006) 236 ALR 322 David Securities Pty Ltd v Commonwealth Bank of Australia [1992] HCA 48; (1992) 175 CLR 353 Dyczynski v Gibson [2020] FCAFC 120; (2020) 381 ALR 1 Earglow Pty Ltd v Newcrest Mining Limited [2016] FCA 1433 EOX17 v Commonwealth of Australia [2018] FCA 1656 Evans v Davantage Group Pty Ltd (No 3) [2021] FCA 70 Griffiths v Commonwealth Bank of Australia [1994] FCA 402; (1994) 123 ALR 111 Harris v Digital Pulse Pty Ltd [2003] NSWCA 10; (2003) 56 NSWLR 298 Kelly v Willmott Forests Ltd (in liquidation) (No 4) [2016] FCA 323; (2016) 335 ALR 439 Kuddus v Chief Constable of Leicestershire Constabulary [2001] UKHL 29; [2002] 2 AC 122; [2001] 3 All ER 193 Lenehan v Powercorp [2020] VSC 82 Lewis v Australian Capital Territory [2020] HCA 26; (2020) 94 ALJR 740 Mann v Paterson Constructions Pty Ltd [2019] HCA 32; (2019) 267 CLR 560 Mason v New South Wales [1959] HCA 5; (1959) 102 CLR 108 Mobil Oil Australia Pty Ltd v State of Victoria [2002] HCA 27; (2002) 211 CLR 1 Modtech Engineering Pty Ltd v GPT Management Holdings Ltd [2013] FCA 626 Moore v Scenic Tours [2020] HCA 17; (2020) 377 ALR 209 Muschinski v Dodds (1985) 160 CLR 583 National Mutual Life Association of Australasia Ltd v Walsh (1987) 8 NSWLR 585 Newstart 123 Pty Ltd v Billabong International Ltd [2016] FCA 1194; (2016) 343 ALR 662 Pavey v Matthews [1987] HCA 5; (1987) 162 CLR 221 Perre v Apand Pty Ltd [1999] HCA 36; (1999) 198 CLR 180 Petersen Superannuation Fund Pty Ltd v Bank of Queensland Limited (No 3) [2018] FCA 1842; 132 ACSR 258 Pickering v Centrelink [2008] FCA 561 Prygodicz v Commonwealth of Australia [2020] FCA 1454 Re Magarey Farlam Lawyers Trust Accounts (No 3) (2007) 96 SASR 337 Sargood Brothers v Commonwealth [1910] HCA 45; (1910) 11 CLR 258 Scott v Pedler [2003] FCA 650; (2003) 74 ALD 424 Scott v Pedler [2004] FCAFC 67; (2004) 80 ALD 283 Scott v Secretary, Department of Social Security [1999] FCA 1774; (1997) 57 ALD 627 Scott v Secretary, Department of Social Security [2000] FCA 1241; (2000) 65 ALD 79 Skalkos v T & S Recoveries Pty Ltd (2004) 65 NSWLR 151; [2004] NSWCA 281 State Bank of New South Wales Limited v Commissioner of Taxation for the Commonwealth of Australia [1995] FCA 893; (1995) 62 FCR 371 Super Pty Ltd v SJP Formwork (Aust) Pty Ltd (1992) 29 NSWLR 549 Tame v State of New South Wales [2002] HCA 35; (2002) 211 CLR 317 Thomas v Powercor Australia Ltd [2011] VSC 614 Timbercorp Finance Pty Ltd (in liquidation) v Collins; Timbercorp Finance Pty Ltd (in liquidation) v Tomes [2016] HCA 44; (2016) 259 CLR 212 Ultramares Corporation v Touche (1931) 225 NY 170 Underdown v Secretary, Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations [2009] FCA 965 Wang v Secretary, Department of Employment & Workplace Relations [2007] FCAFC 17 Wang v Secretary, Department of Employment & Workplace Relations [2006] FCA 898 Williams v Ausnet Electricity Services Pty Ltd [2017] VSC 474 Williams v FAI Home Security Pty Ltd (No 4) [2000] FCA 1925; (2000) 180 ALR 459 Woolwich Equitable Building Society v Inland Revenue Commissioners [1993] AC 70; [1992] 3 All ER 737 Edelman, Interest Awards in Australia (2003, LexisNexis Butterworths) J D Heydon, M J Leeming and PG Turner, Meagher, Gummow and Lehane's Equity Doctrines & Remedies (Fifth edition, p 865)