When a corporate trustee goes into liquidation, there is often uncertainty about how it is to be wound up which requires Court intervention. On 15 October 2021, the Federal Government initiated a consultation process relating to trusts and insolvency, which looks to consider, amongst other things, what powers an external administrator has to administer trust property.
This week’s TGIF considers Australian Vocational Learning Institute Pty Ltd (in liq), in the matter of Australian Vocational Learning Institute Pty Ltd (in liq) [2022] FCA 319, a Federal Court of Australia decision on the approval of a funding agreement between the Commonwealth government and a liquidator.
Key Takeaways
The federal government has announced plans to further reform Australia’s insolvency laws.
On 30 March 2022, the Assistant Treasurer announced that the government intends to:
• simplify the unfair preference rules so that transactions between a company and a creditor of less than $30,000 or that are made more than 3 months before the company entered external administration aren’t able to be clawed back by the company’s liquidator
This week’s TGIF considers In the matter of Guided Knowledge Group Pty Ltd [2022] NSWSC 255 in which a liquidator sought approval for his remuneration under Schedule 2 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).
Key Takeaways
Thorn (liquidator), in the matter of South Townsville Developments Pty Ltd (in liq) (Company) involved an ex parte application by a liquidator seeking approval under section 477(2B) of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (Corporations Act) to enter into agreements to fund existing litigation and a request for the suppression and non-publication of certain details in those agreements.
Background
Letters of support take many forms and are issued for a variety of purposes and can generate a serious tension between the interests of various stakeholders — parents, subsidiaries, boards and auditors.
Financial support for businesses impacted by COVID-19, legislative provisions (such as the statutory relaxation to insolvent trading liability) and general creditor leniency have resulted inhistorically low insolvency appointments during the last two years.
Australia’s current corporate insolvency regime does not expressly cover how companies which structure themselves through a trust, or businesses which have a corporate trustee (corporate trusts) are to be dealt with during insolvency.
On 15 October 2021, the government released a consultation paper seeking stakeholder views on whether the treatment of corporate trusts in Australia’s insolvency law needs to be clarified. Input was also sought on the benefits which this could deliver and how any new framework might operate.
This consultation process closed on 10 December 2021.
Morton as liquidator of MJ Woodman Electrical Contractors Pty Ltd v Metal Manufactures Pty Limited [2021] FCAFC 228
The Full Court of the Federal Court confirms that a statutory set-off under s 553C(1) of the Corporations Act2001 (Cth) is not available against a liquidator’s claim for the recovery of an unfair preference under s 588FA of the Act.
Background
In a recent decision of the Federal Court of Australia (Re WHBO Australia Pty Ltd[2022] FCA 234), Administrators of the Probuild group of companies (the Probuild Group) were granted a three-month extension for the convening period for the second meeting of Creditors largely due to the ‘size and complexity’ of the companies involved.
Key Takeaways