[2025] WASC 347
General information, not legal advice.
Supreme Court of WA
2025-08-27
Gething J
Original judgment source is linked above.
(a) a property at 25 Hall Street, Exmouth (25 Hall Street);
(b) a 'Capri' 32ft commercial fishing vessel registration number SPV813, call sign VKV6941 (Vessel);
(c) an unlicensed Jinker custom triple axel trailer (Trailer);
(d) 210 fully paid ordinary shares in Wesfarmers Limited held by Mr Cook (Wesfarmers Shares);[2]
(e) 200 fully paid ordinary shares Westpac Banking Corporation Limited held by Mr Cook (Westpac Shares); and
(f) Westpac Bank account number 736123527656 (Bank Account).
(a) Paul World affirmed 19 October 2021 (World Affidavit);
(b) Keziah Royce affirmed 23 December 2021 (Royce Affidavit);
(c) Peter Beattie sworn 15 November 2021 (Beattie Affidavit);
(d) Nankivell Affidavit;
(e) Ma Theresa Mendoza sworn 22 May 2024 (Mendoza Affidavit); and
(f) Ian Steve Jones sworn 2 May 2024 (Jones Affidavit).
(1) For the purposes of this Act, a person has effective control of property if the person does not have the legal estate in the property, but the property is directly or indirectly subject to the control of the person, or is held for the ultimate benefit of the person.
(2) Without limiting subsection (1), when determining whether a person has effective control of any property, the following matters may be taken into account -
(a) any shareholdings in, debentures over or directorships of any corporation that has a direct or indirect interest in the property;
(b) any trust that has a relationship to the property;
(c) family, domestic and business relationships between persons having an interest in the property;
(d) family, domestic and business relationships between persons having an interest in or in a corporation that has a direct or indirect interest in the property;
(e) family, domestic and business relationships between persons having an interest in a trust that has a relationship to the property;
(f) any other relevant matters.
(a) real or personal property of any description, wherever situated, whether tangible or intangible; or
(b) a legal or equitable interest in any property referred to in paragraph (a).
(a) a person has been declared to be a drug trafficker under MDA s 32A(1) as a result of being convicted of a confiscation offence; and
(b) the property was owned or effectively controlled by the person at the time the person was declared to be a drug trafficker.
(a) within 90 days of the orders, Mr Cook pay to Mrs Cook the sum of $150,000 (Payment Order); and
(b) contemporaneously with that payment, Mrs Cook was to transfer to Mr Cook at his expense, her interest in 25 Hall Street.[22]
(a) his legal and beneficial interest as joint proprietor; and
(b) subject to and upon satisfaction of the Payment Order, a right to be transferred the Mrs Cook's interest as joint proprietor, giving him an equitable interest.
(a) the court declares under CPCA s 30 that the property has been confiscated; and
(b) a memorial of the making of the declaration is registered under CPCA s 113(1).
Until that occurred, by CPCA s 9(3), CPCA s 50 (prohibited dealings), s 51 (effect of prohibited dealings) and pt 7 (management of seized, frozen and confiscated property) applied to the property as if it were subject to a freezing order.
(a) obtained a declaration pursuant to CPCA s 30 in relation to Mr Cook's interest in 25 Hall Street;
(b) registered a memorial of the making of the declaration is registered under CPCA s 113(1) such that 25 Hall Street vested absolutely in the State pursuant to CPCA s 9(1);
(c) sold 25 Hall Street using the power in CPCA s 90; and
(d) remitted the amounts owed to Mrs Cook,
there would be no issue that the State was entitled to the balance of the sale proceeds. The fact that this outcome was achieved through the processes of the Family Court does not disentitle the State to the same outcome.
(a) the Vessel, named Capri, registration number SPV813, call sign VKV6941, was located at 25 Hall Street by Western Australian Police on 13 September 2018 and 7 October 2018;[40]
(b) on 7 October 2018, the 'Jinker' custom triple axle trailer was located underneath the Capri Vessel when Western Australian Police attended 25 Hall Street;[41]
(c) between 22 September 2004 and 6 December 2018, Mr Cook was a registered proprietor as joint tenant of 25 Hall Street;[42]
(d) the Vessel was registered in the name of Cook of 25 Hall Street, Exmouth Western Australia from 26 August 2005 to 1 April 2013;[43]
(e) the records held by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority show that the Vessel was last registered to Mr Cook by the Western Australian Authority from 21 February 2012 to 1 April 2013;[44]
(f) on 9 March 2016, Mr Cook completed an Australian Maritime Safety Authority form in relation to the Vessel to bring the vessel back into survey (but did not pursue the survey application to completion);[45]
(g) on 22 August 2019, the Family Court of Australia made orders in which Mrs Cook's right, title and interest in the Capri Boat vested in Mr Cook;[46]
(h) in his statutory declaration made in relation to the Freezing Notice, Mr Cook did not identify any person that may have a claim over any of the frozen property (including vessel and the trailer) other than Mrs Cook.[47]
(2) The court may set aside a freezing notice issued for property under section 34(3) or a freezing order for property that was frozen under section 43(5) if the court finds that it is more likely than not that the person who is or will be charged with the offence does not own or effectively control the property, and has not at any time given it away.
(a) COOK'S joint legal and beneficial interest in the land situated at lot 1110 on deposited plan 217148 in certificate of title volume 1989 folio 618, being the property situated at 25 Hall Street Exmouth (25 Hall Street);
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> (b) COOK'S equitable interest in the legal estate of Robyn Louise Cook (Mrs Cook) in 25 Hall Street, contingent upon the payment to Mrs Cook of the sum of $150,000.00;
>
> (c) 210 fully paid ordinary shares in Wesfarmers Limited held by COOK;
>
> (d) 200 fully paid ordinary shares Westpac Banking Corporation Limited held by COOK;
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> (e) Commercial style fishing charter vessel called the 'Capri' approximately 32 Feet in length with twin hulls, registration number SPV813, call sign VKV6941 (Vessel);
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> (f) 'Jinker' custom triple axle trailer (Trailer); and
>
> (g) COOK'S entitlement against Westpac Banking Corporation Limited to be paid an amount equal to the sum standing to the credit of COOK in Westpac Bank Account numbered 736123527656 as at 21 November 2019, together with any interest accrued thereon but not credited as at that date.
(a) the Vessel; and
>
> (b) the Trailer.
I certify that the preceding paragraph(s) comprise the reasons for decision of the Supreme Court of Western Australia.
[1] Affidavit of Martin Lionel Nankivell sworn 22 February 2023 (Nankivell Affidavit), pars 6 - 7, attachment MLN2.
[2] The shares are incorrectly described as 'Westfarmers' shares in the Freezing Notice, but this is an obvious typographic error.
[5] The Director of Public Prosecutions v Nguyen [2025] WASC 3 [50] (Lemonis J) (Nguyen); Centurion Trust Company Ltd v Director of Public Prosecutions (WA) [2009] WASCA 97 [14] (McLure P).
[6] Centurion Trust Company Ltd v Director of Public Prosecutions (WA) [2010] WASCA 133 [199] (Buss JA, with whom Owen JA agreed) (Centurion).
[9] Ranford v The State of Western Australia [2015] WASC 45 [22] (Edelman J); Whittle v The State of Western Australia [2012] WASC 244 [36] (Allanson J).
[11] Mendoza Affidavit, par 15, attachment MTM14.
[12] Commissioner of Taxation v Bosanac (No 7) [2021] FCA 249 [168] (McKerracher J).
[13] Mendoza Affidavit, attachment MTM13.
[17] Mendoza Affidavit, attachment MTM11.
[18] Jones Affidavit, pars 9 - 10, attachments ISJ 4 and ISJ 5.
[21] Jones Affidavit, par 13, attachment ISJ7.
[22] Jones Affidavit, par 15, attachment ISJ9.
[23] FCA s 79; Mullane v Mullane [1983] HCA 4; (1983) 158 CLR 436, 445 - 446 (judgment of the court).
[24] Official Trustee in Bankruptcy v Mateo [2003] FCAFC 26; (2003) 127 FCR 217 [62] (Wilcox J); [136] (Merkel J); [102] (Branson J); Jones v Daniel [2004] FCAFC 278 [14] (Moore J).
[25] Consistent with the position in equity more generally: Stern & Anor v McArthur & Anor [1988] HCA 51; (1988) 165 CLR 489, 511 (Brennan J), 537 (Deane and Dawson JJ); Bahr v Nicolay [No 2] [1988] HCA 16; (1988) 164 CLR 604, 610 - 612 (Mason CJ and Deane J), 645 - 647 (Brennan J); Wyloo Metals Pty Ltd v Quarry Park Pty Ltd [2024] WASCA 38 [404] (Buss P and Livesey AJA).
[26] Commissioner of the AFP v Kalimuthu [No 2] [2018] WASCA 192 [139] (Kalimuthu) (Buss P).
[27] Jones Affidavit pars 16 - 17, attachments ISJ10 and ISJ11.
[28] Mendoza Affidavit, attachment MTM-12.
[29] Mendoza Affidavit, attachment MTM-15.
[30] Mendoza Affidavit, pars 19 - 20 attachment MTM16; Jones Affidavit, pars 20 - 23, attachments ISJ14 ‑ ISJ17.
[31] Mendoza Affidavit, pars 19 - 22, attachment MTM16.
[32] Jones Affidavit, pars 24 - 26, attachments ISJ18 - ISJ20.
[33] Bowfinger v Kingsway Group Limited [2009] WAC 44 [35] (Gummow, Hayne, Heydon, Kiefel and Bell JJ).
[34] Jones Affidavit pars 27 - 29, attachments ISJ21 and ISJ22.
[35] Supplementary Submissions filed 21 August 2025, par 16.
[40] World Affidavit, pars 3 - 5, 8 - 16, attachment PW1.
[41] World Affidavit pars 3 - 5, 8 - 16, attachment PW1.
[42] Mendoza Affidavit, par 15, attachment MTM14.
[43] Beattie Affidavit, pars 8 - 9, attachments 'Attachment 1 of 9' and 'Attachment 3 of 9'.
[44] Royce Affidavit, pars 7 - 8, attachment KR-1.
[45] Beattie Affidavit, par 10, attachment 'Attachment 7 of 9'.
[46] Jones Affidavit, par 15, attachment ISJ9.
[47] Mendoza Affidavit, par 8, attachment MTM10
[48] Mendoza Affidavit, pars 25, 28, 29, attachments MTM19 and MTM22.
[49] Mendoza Affidavit, pars 26 - 29, attachments MTM20 and MTM21.
[50] Mendoza Affidavit, par 30, attachment MTM23.
[52] Russell v Scott [1936] HCA 34; (1936) 55 CLR 440, 450 - 451 (Dixon and Evatt JJ); Kalimuthu [139].
(2003) 127 FCR 217
(1988) 165 CLR 489
(1936) 55 CLR 440
(1983) 158 CLR 436
(1988) 164 CLR 604