Keeping on top of the latest financial services regulatory and compliance trends?

Investing time in your professional development within a rapidly changing financial services industry is challenging. To meet that challenge, the Australian Regulators Weekly Wrapis designed to keep you at the forefront of your practice by quickly setting out the top five developments from the past week, analysis and practical considerations for the future.

Former One Nation senator, current Great Australian Party Leader and self-styled ‘senator in exile’ Rod Culleton has vowed to fight charges that he knowingly provided false or misleading information to a Commonwealth entity.

The basis of the allegations

Overview of corporate insolvency in Australia

On 28 September 2022, the Federal Government, through the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services (the Committee) commenced an inquiry into the effectiveness of Australia’s corporate insolvency laws in protecting and maximising value for the benefit of all interested parties and the economy.

A comprehensive review has begun into the effectiveness of Australia’s corporate insolvency laws in protecting and maximising value for the benefit of all interested parties and the economy. Undertaken by the Federal Government’s Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services, the review is seeking submissions by 30 November 2022.

On 28 September 2022, the Federal Government, through the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services (PJC), began an inquiry into corporate insolvency in Australia.

The announcement follows calls from industry for a ‘root and branch’ review of corporate insolvency law in Australia.

Submissions are open until 30 November 2022 and the PJC intends to table a report to Parliament by 30 May 2023.

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services has commenced an inquiry into Australia’s corporate insolvency regime. The inquiry, due to be completed by 30 May 2023, will examine the effectiveness of the current regime and consider potential reform.

Key takeaways

On 20 September 2022, the Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA) released a report detailing the:

• impact which untrustworthy financial advisers can have on Australia’s personal insolvency system,

• common tactics which may be signs of untrustworthy adviser activity,

• risks which untrustworthy advisers present in an unpredictable economic environment,

• consequences of receiving bad advice, and

T W Timber Treatment Pty Ltd v Giddings [2022] VSCA 147

The Victorian Court of Appeal has re-affirmed that a director’s signature can indicate an intention to personally guarantee a company’s obligations, even where that signature is qualified and accompanied by contrary indications in the signed document.

The Court also confirmed that a creditor’s rights under a director’s guarantee, including a right to interest, are not affected by a Deed of Company Arrangement (DOCA).

Background

This week’s TGIF examines Sentinel Orange Homemaker Pty Ltd v Davis Investment Group Holdings Pty Ltd (in liquidation) (No 2) [2022] NSWSC 1171 where a court considered an application for non-party costs orders against a litigation funder and the liquidator of an insolvent defendant.

Key takeaways

In significant news for the insolvency industry, the High Court will hear the long-awaited Gunns Group preference claim appeal in Bryant & Ors v Badenoch Integrated Logging (A10/2022) on 18 October 2022.

Johnson Winter & Slattery act for PwC, the appellant liquidators of the Gunns group, in the proceeding.

Briefly stated, the grounds for the appeal are: