177   Judgment—powers of the Court

(cf s33Z FCA)

(1)  The Court may, in determining a matter in representative proceedings, do any one or more of the following:

(a)  determine a question of law,

(b)  determine a question of fact,

(c)  make a declaration of liability,

(d)  grant any equitable relief,

(e)  make an award of damages for group members, sub-group members or individual group members, being damages consisting of specified amounts or amounts worked out in such manner as the Court specifies,

(f)  award damages in an aggregate amount without specifying amounts awarded in respect of individual group members.

(2)  In making an order for an award of damages, the Court must make provision for the payment or distribution of the money to the group members entitled.

(3)  Subject to section 173, the Court is not to make an award of damages under subsection (1) (f) unless a reasonably accurate assessment can be made of the total amount to which group members will be entitled under the judgment.

(4)  If the Court has made an award of damages, the Court may give such directions (if any) as it thinks just in relation to:

(a)  the manner in which a group member is to establish the member’s entitlement to share in the damages, and

(b)  the manner in which any dispute regarding the entitlement of a group member to share in the damages is to be determined.