On 1 September 2017, the remaining parts of the new Insolvency Practice Schedule (IPS) introduced by the Insolvency Law Reform Act 2016 (Cth) as Schedule 2 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (Corporations Act) commenced operation, including the provisions relating to "funds handling" contained in Division 65 of the IPS. These provisions apply to all "external administrations"1. including those that commenced prior to 1 September 20172.
The reforms proposed to combat illegal phoenix activity range from light-touch through to more significant changes to the Corporations Act.
DOING BUSINESS
IN AUSTRALIA Restructuring and insolvency
OCT 2017
WWW.CORRS.COM.AU
DOING BUSINESS IN AUSTRALIA
RESTRUCTURING AND INSOLVENCY
AUSTRALIAN INSOLVENCY PROCESSES
The key insolvency-related processes relevant to Australian companies under Australian law are:
Voluntary Administration;
Liquidation; and
Receivership.
The Boart Longyear decisions confirm that class constitution remains a critical issue for review when pursuing creditors' schemes of arrangement.
The New South Wales Court of Appeal has recently confirmed the circumstances in which companies seeking approval of schemes of arrangement will be required to convene separate meetings for different classes of creditors.
Class constitution: key principles
Following a suite of recent reforms to Australian insolvency laws, liquidators are now able to assign rights to sue, conferred on them personally by the Corporations Act. The new power to assign is broad. It appears that the implications of the power will need to be clarified by the judiciary before they are fully understood.
In this article, we look at the issues that arise from these legislative amendments along with the opportunities created.
This week’s TGIF considers the case of Lane (Trustee), in the matter of Lee (Bankrupt) v Commissioner of Taxation [2017] FCA 953, where the Federal Court considered whether the claims of ‘non trust’ creditors in a bankruptcy are to be treated differently than like creditors in a corporate insolvency.
BACKGROUND
This week’s TGIF examines the determination of an application by a liquidator for directions as to the conduct of further investigations and for those costs and expenses to be paid from the assets of a trust.
What happened?
On 16 March 2016, Australian Managed Print Services (Vic) Pty Ltd (AMPS) was wound up in insolvency and a liquidator was appointed by order of the court.
In brief
The Government has released a consultation paper as part of their commitment to ongoing reform of Australia’s corporate insolvency regime. Phoenix activity refers to both legitimate business rescue activities and serial insolvency to avoid debts.
Australia’s corporate insolvency regime has undergone significant reform with the passing of the Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Enterprise Incentives No. 2) Bill 2017 (the Bill) through both houses of parliament.