Toogood v Gott [2023] FCA 1521

Federal Court of Australia

Toogood v Gott [2023] FCA 1521 Appeal from: Gott v Toogood [2021] FedCFamC2G 149

File number: QUD 362 of 2021

Judgment of: RANGIAH J

Date of judgment: 6 December 2023

Catchwords: APPEAL AND NEW TRIAL – whether the primary judge denied the appellants procedural fairness – whether the primary judge failed to provide adequate reasons for judgment BANKRUPTCY AND INSOLVENCY – whether creditor's petition had lapsed – whether creditor's petition invalid – whether bankruptcy notice invalid – whether appellants were solvent – whether primary judge erred in failing to go behind the judgment – whether petitioning creditors obtained benefit of legal costs paid unlawfully through misappropriation of funds – appeal dismissed EVIDENCE – application to adduce further evidence on appeal – whether further evidence would result in different outcome – application dismissed

Legislation: Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth) ss 52, 40(3)(d) and 306(1) Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) ss 27, 24(1)(d) and 28(1) Federal Circuit Court Rules 2001 (Cth) r 16.05(2)(a) Constitution Act 1867 (Qld) s 2 Judicial Review Act 1991 (Qld) Local Government Act 2009 (Qld) ss 9 and 240 Property Law Act 1974 (Qld) s 54(1)(a) Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements Act 1982 (Qld) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 1999 (Qld) r 799(2)(b)

Cases cited: Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd v Foyster [2000] FCA 400 Boensch v Somerville Legal (2021) 286 FCR 293 CMU16 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2020] FCAFC 104; (2020) 277 FCR 201 Concrete Pty Ltd v Parramatta Design and Developments Pty Ltd (2006) 229 CLR 577 Conway v The Queen (2002) 209 CLR 203 Coshott v Woollahra Municipal Council [2008] NSWCA 176 Cristovao v Tan & Tan Lawyers Pty Ltd [2018] FCAFC 41 DAO16 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (2018) 258 FCR 175 Deputy Commissioner of Taxation v Clyne (1984) 4 FCR 156 Ebner v Official Trustee in Bankruptcy (2000) 205 CLR 337 FTV Holdings Cairns Pty Ltd v Smith [2014] QCA 217 Gott v Toogood [2021] FedCFamC2G 149 Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd v Hancock (No 3) [2016] WASC 423 Housing Commission of New South Wales v Tatmar Pastoral Co Pty Ltd [1983] 3 NSWLR 378 In Re Ryals Hotel Pty Ltd [2021] NSWSC 42 Jess v Cooloola Milk Pty Ltd (2022) 292 FCR 284 Jorgensen v Fair Work Ombudsman (2019) 271 FCR 461 Kitay, in the matter of Frigger (No 2) [2018] FCA 1032 Kovan Engineering (Aust) Pty Ltd v Gold Peg International Pty Ltd [2006] FCAFC 117; (2006) 234 ALR 241 Lowbeer v De Varda [2018] (2018) 264 FCR 228 Mainieri v Cirillo (2014) 47 VR 127 Makhoul v Barnes (1995) 60 FCR 572 Martires v Endura Paint Pty Ltd (No 2) [2021] FCA 179 Menzies v Paccar Financial Pty Ltd [2011] FCA 460 Michael Wilson & Partners Ltd v Nicholls (2011) 244 CLR 427 Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v SZVFW [2018] HCA 30; (2018) 264 CLR 541 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Bhardwaj (2002) 209 CLR 597 NASB v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs & Citizenship [2004] FCAFC 24 Northern Land Council v Quall (No 3) [2021] FCAFC 2 Noye v Robbins [2010] WASCA 83 Payne v Long (2020) 280 FCR 362 QYFM v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2023] HCA 15; (2023) 409 ALR 65 Royal v El Ali (No 3) [2016] FCA 1573 Sanders v Knudsen & Yates trading as The Hargreaves Practice [2004] FCAFC 305 Sullivan v Department of Transport (1978) 20 ALR 323 Toogood v Gott [2019] FCA 1792 Toogood v Graffen [2022] QSC 053 Wentworth v Rogers (2006) 66 NSWLR 474 Windoval Pty Ltd v Donnelly (2014) 226 FCR 89