A Case Analysis of Official Trustee in Bankruptcy v Kent (No 2) [2023] FCA 1396

In Official Trustee in Bankruptcy v Kent [2023] FCA 1211 (“Principal Case“), the Court found that a bankrupt’s right to claim compensation through the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (“AFCA”) is personal to the bankrupt and that right cannot be assigned to the Trustee.

A Case Analysis of Doctors of Optimization Pty Ltd v MPA Engineering Pty Ltd (Subsidiary of Aquatec Maxon Group Ltd) [2023] QCA 219

The Australian Government introduced two significant new insolvency solutions following the enactment of the Corporations Amendment (Corporate Insolvency Reforms) Act 2020 (Cth), as part of the federal government’s JobMaker Plan in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first of these solutions is the Simplified Liquidation Process (SLP) which allows eligible small companies to participate in a faster and more financially commercial liquidation process.

The benefits of the process, compared to traditional liquidation, include:

As stated in our previous article, a statutory demand must be addressed to the proper entity (including the correct ACN number) at the registered office address of the debtor company (which can be searched by an ASIC search of the debtor company) in order for it to be considered valid. This statutory demand can be left at or posted to the debtor company’s registered office address or delivered personally to a director of the debtor company who resides in Australia: see section 109X(1) of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) in this regard.

A members voluntary winding up (MVWU) is implemented in circumstances where the company’s members no longer wish to retain the company’s structure because its existence is no longer required or useful. It is only available if the company in question is solvent.

A MVWU is the only way to fully wind up the affairs of a solvent company. All outstanding creditors are paid in full, and any surplus assets are distributed to its members. A MVWU also ensures that the interests of the company’s members are protected while the company structure is dismantled.

If you are a creditor who is owed money by a company that has gone into voluntary administration, you will receive reports and notifications of meetings from the voluntary administrators.  Chamberlains can advise you on your rights and what to do in this situation.  In this case update, we look at one issue that may come up in such a scenario – when more time is needed before the second meeting.

What is Illegal Phoenix Activity?

The Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) defines illegal phoenix activity as activity that occurs when a new company, for little or no value, continues the business of an existing company that has been liquidated or abandoned to avoid paying outstanding debts, including taxes, creditors and employee entitlements.

Facts

In April 2015, administrators were appointed to several companies within the NewSat Group. Secured lenders appointed receivers who attempted, unsuccessfully, to restructure the business. Following this, the group was placed into liquidation.

There is growing concern in business news and media about the increase in insolvency appointments. Many experts are warning that the country is going to see a significant rise in insolvencies following the pandemic.

What’s the cause?

1. Before using the Online Bankruptcy Portal

The consequences of bankruptcy are serious, and a bankruptcy cannot be cancelled if you change your mind.

Before filing any documentation with the Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA), seek advice from an insolvency lawyer. An insolvency lawyer will be able to provide you advice on your rights and obligations throughout the bankruptcy process.

2. Create an Account