Bankruptcy Act. Australia

      (ii) in respect of time — present or future, or certain or dependent on a contingency; or

      (iii) in respect of the manner of valuation — capable of being ascertained by fixed rules or only as matter of opinion.

      83 Debt not to be considered proved until admitted

      For the purposes of this Act, a creditor shall be taken not to have proved a debt until a proof of debt lodged by him or her in respect of that debt has been admitted.

      84 Manner of proving debts

      (1) Subject to this Division, a creditor who desires to prove a debt in a bankruptcy shall lodge, or cause to be lodged, with the trustee a proof of debt in accordance with this section.

      (2) A proof of debt:

      (a) shall set out particulars of the debt;

      (b) shall be in accordance with the approved form;

      (c) shall specify the vouchers, if any, by which the debt can be substantiated; and

      (d) shall state whether or not the creditor is a secured creditor.

      (3) Where the trustee is of the opinion that it is desirable that all the matters, or some of the matters, contained in a proof of debt lodged with him or her by a creditor should be verified by statutory declaration, the trustee may serve on the creditor a written notice informing the creditor that he or she is of that opinion and that, unless the creditor lodges with the trustee a statutory declaration verifying the matters contained in the proof of the debt or such of those matters as the trustee specifies in the notice, the trustee will administer the estate as if the proof of debt had not been lodged.

      (4) A statutory declaration verifying matters in a proof of debt lodged by a creditor may be made by:

      (a) the creditor; or

      (b) a person whose own knowledge includes the facts set out in the statutory declaration and the proof of debt, and who is authorised by the creditor to make the declaration.

      (5) Where the trustee serves a notice on a creditor under subsection (3) in respect of a proof of debt, the proof of debt shall, for the purposes of this Act (other than section 263), be deemed not to have been lodged with the trustee unless and until the creditor has lodged with the trustee a statutory declaration verifying the matters in the proof of debt or such of those matters as are specified in the notice, as the case requires.

      (6) A proof of debt under this section, or a statutory declaration referred to in subsection (3), sent to the trustee by post as certified mail (postage being prepaid) shall be deemed to have been lodged with the trustee and shall be deemed to have been so lodged at the time at which it would have been delivered in the ordinary course of post unless it is shown that the trustee did not receive it at that time.

      85 Proof by employees

      (1) Where it appears from the bankrupt’s statement of affairs that he or she is indebted to numerous persons employed by him or her for wages or salary, the debts may be proved by one of those persons on behalf of all of those persons.

      (2) The proof of debt in respect of the several debts shall be in accordance with the approved form.

      (2A) Where the trustee is of the opinion that it is desirable that all the matters, or some of the matters, contained in a proof of debt lodged with him or her by a person in pursuance of this section should be verified by statutory declaration, the trustee may serve on the person a written notice informing the person that he or she is of that opinion and that, unless the person lodges with the trustee a statutory declaration verifying the matters contained in the proof of debt or such of those matters as the trustee specifies in the notice, the trustee will administer the estate as if the proof of the debt had not been lodged.

      (2B) A statutory declaration verifying matters in a proof of debt lodged by a person (the creditor) under this section may be made by:

      (a) the creditor; or

      (b) another person whose own knowledge includes the facts set out in the statutory declaration and the proof of debt, and who is authorised by the creditor to make the declaration.

      (2C) Where the trustee serves a notice on a person under subsection (2A) in respect of a proof of debt, the proof of debt shall, for the purposes of this Act (other than section 263), be deemed not to have been lodged with the trustee unless and until the person has lodged with the trustee a statutory declaration verifying the matters in the proof of debt or such of those matters as are specified in the notice, as the case requires.

      (2D) A proof of debt under this section, or a statutory declaration referred to in subsection (2A), sent to the trustee by post as certified mail (postage being prepaid) shall be deemed to have been lodged with the trustee and shall be deemed to have been so lodged at the time at which it would have been delivered in the ordinary course of post unless it is shown that the trustee did not receive it at that time.

      (3) A proof of debt lodged in pursuance of this section has the same effect as if separate proofs of debt had been lodged by each of the creditors to whom it relates.

      86 Mutual credit and set-off

      (1) Subject to this section, where there have been mutual credits, mutual debts or other mutual dealings between a person who has become a bankrupt and a person claiming to prove a debt in the bankruptcy:

      (a) an account shall be taken of what is due from the one party to the other in respect of those mutual dealings;