Coleman v Veale [2023] FCA 1023

Federal Court of Australia

Coleman v Veale [2023] FCA 1023 File number: NSD 333 of 2023

Judgment of: KENNETT J

Date of judgment: 29 August 2023

Catchwords: BANKRUPTCY AND INSOLVENCY – application to set aside bankruptcy notice under s 30 of the Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth) (the Act) – whether failure to note and make allowance for a costs order adverse to respondent vitiated bankruptcy notice – consideration of whether invalidity flows automatically from misstatement – consideration of meaning of "amount in fact due" BANKRUPTCY AND INSOLVENCY – where bankruptcy notice includes a final judgment expressed in a foreign currency – error in publication date of exchange rate used – exchange rate expressed to two decimal places and equivalent amount understated due to rounding – whether bankruptcy notice complied with s 12 of the Bankruptcy Regulations 2021 (Cth) – whether non-compliance is merely formal PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – where application lodged prior to, but not accepted for filing until after, expiration of the period in s 41(6A) of the Act – consideration of whether Court's jurisdiction in bankruptcy properly invoked in light of Lamb v Sherman [2023] FCAFC 85

Legislation: Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth) ss 30, 40, 41, 306 Bankruptcy Regulations 2021 (Cth) s 12 Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) r 2.25

Cases cited: Coleman v Gannaway [2023] FCA 224 Croker v Commissioner of Taxation [2005] FCA 127; 145 FCR 150 Duarte v Coshott [2017] FCA 1238 Farah Constructions Pty Ltd v Say-Dee Pty Ltd [2007] HCA 22; 230 CLR 89 Grant v Green & Associates Pty Ltd [2021] FCA 934 Herat v McLean Holdaway Pty Ltd [2014] FCA 816 Kleinwort Benson Australia Ltd v Crowl (1988) 165 CLR 71 Lamb v Sherman [2023] FCAFC 85 N & M Martin Holdings Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation [2020] FCA 1186 Nugawela v Deputy Commissioner of Taxation [2016] FCAFC 164 Parianos v Lymlind Pty Ltd [1999] FCA 684; 93 FCR 191 Re Emerson; Ex parte Wreckair Pty Ltd (1991) 101 ALR 315 Re Greenhill; Ex parte Myer (NSW) Ltd (1984) 5 FCR 84 Re Prossimo; Ex parte De Marco (1952) 16 ABC 86 Re Walsh (1982) 65 FLR 87 Seovic Civil Engineering v Groeneveld [1999] FCA 255; 87 FCR 120 Skououlis v St George Bank [2008] FCA 1765; 173 FCR 236 Walsh v Deputy Commissioner of Taxation (1984) 156 CLR 337