Lawloan Mortgages Pty Ltd v Hancock & Ors [2001] NSWSC 607

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Lawloan Mortgages Pty Ltd v Hancock & Ors [2001] NSWSC 607 CURRENT JURISDICTION: Equity Division Commercial List FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 50061/2001 HEARING DATE(S) : 4 and 5 July 2001 JUDGMENT DATE : 20 July 2001

Lawloan Morgages Pty Ltd (Plaintiff) PARTIES : Oswald James Hancock (First Defendant) Shelley Elizabeth Hancock (Second Defendant) H Ranch Pty Limited (Third Defendant) JUDGMENT OF : Bergin J

COUNSEL : RG Forster SC/M McCulloch (Plaintiff) MJ Watts (Defendants) SOLICITORS : Cowley Hearne (Plaintiff) Potts Latimer (Defendants) CATCHWORDS : [STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION] - Whether a property promoted as a "Ranch" with a motel and tourist facilities offering accommodation, horse riding and a function centre operation is a "farming operation" and whether each, or any of, the defendants is a "farmer" for the purposes of the Farm Debt Mediation Act 1994 (NSW). Farm Debt Mediation Act 1994 (NSW), as amended LEGISLATION CITED : Income Tax Assessment Act, 1936 (Cth) Rural Lands Protection Act 1989 (NSW) Biga Nominees Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation for the Commonwealth of Australia (1991) 104 FLR 74 Ferguson v F.C.T. 79 ATC 4261 CASES CITED : Miles v Ficuga Pty Ltd (1996) 20 ACSR 156 Regional Director of Customs (WA) v Dampier Salt (Operations) Pty Ltd (1996) 67 FCR 108 Re McDermott Industries (Aust) Pty Ltd & Anor and Chief Executive Officer of Customs (1997) 47 ALD 134 Varga v Commonwealth Bank of Australia (1996) 7 BPR 15,052 DECISION : See paragraph 90.