Francis (Trustee) v Oculus Accounting Pty Ltd (No 2) [2021] FCA 1275

Federal Court of Australia

Francis (Trustee) v Oculus Accounting Pty Ltd (No 2) [2021] FCA 1275 File number: QUD 11 of 2020

Judgment of: DERRINGTON J

Date of judgment: 20 October 2021

Catchwords: PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – application under s 33V of Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) for approval to discontinue representative proceeding –discontinuance to apparent benefit of representative parties and legal representatives only – terms on which proceedings to be discontinued adverse to interests of other group members – application dismissed PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – application under s 33N for order that proceeding no longer continue as representative proceeding under Pt IVA – whether Court should move on its own motion – no reason identified why inappropriate that claims be pursued by means of representative proceeding – application dismissed

Legislation: Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) ss 33N, 33V, 33W, 33ZE, 33ZF

Cases cited: AUB19 v Commonwealth of Australia [2019] FCA 1722 Babscay Pty Ltd v Pitcher Partners (2020) 148 ACSR 551 Calinoiu v QLD Law Group – A New Direction Pty Ltd [2019] FCA 2194 Dyczynski v Gibson (2020) 280 FCR 583 Gill v Ethicon Sarl (No 4) [2019] FCA 1814 Laine v Thiess Pty Ltd [2016] VSC 689 Mercedes Holdings Pty Limited v Waters (No 1) (2010) 77 ACSR 265 Multiplex Funds Management Limited v P Dawson Nominees Pty Limited (2007) 164 FCR 275 P Dawson Nominees Pty Ltd v Multiplex Limited (2007) 242 ALR 111 P Dawson Nominees Pty Ltd v Brookfield Multiplex Limited (No 4) [2010] FCA 1029 Simonetta v Spotless Group Holdings Limited [2017] FCA 1071 Tate v Westpac Banking Corporation (No 2) [2020] FCA 1374 Turner v Bayer Australia Ltd [2021] VSC 241 Williams v FAI Homes Security Pty Ltd (No 5) [2001] FCA 399 Wotton v Queensland (2009) 109 ALD 534