Registration will be mandatory under the Insolvency Practitioners Bill as reported back to the House by the Commerce Committee. This is a radical and far-reaching change from the negative licensing regime initially proposed in the Bill.
This Brief Counsel summarises and comments on the Committee’s report.
Big receiverships often test legal boundaries, and the Crafar group receivership is no exception. Gibson & Stiassny v StockCo & Ors1 is the longest decision to date on the Personal Property Securities Act 1999 (PPSA).
Although the facts are complex, the practical take-outs are fairly simple:
This FYI outlines the things you need to know about the Insolvency Practitioners Bill in its latest form. You can follow this link to access the Bill on the New Zealand legislation website. The Bill is new legislation that seeks to improve the regulation of administrators, liquidators, and receivers. It proposes amendments to the Companies Act 1993 and the Receiverships Act 1993.
The Court of Appeal has overturned a High Court decision, agreeing with receivers that certain sales by the debtor were not in the ordinary course of business, but rather payments to an unsecured creditor.
In this case1 when the debtor began to experience cash flow difficulties, it established another company to purchase stock, which the debtor would find buyers for. Sales were made either in the name of the new company, or the debtor would account to the new company for the sale proceeds.
The residual powers that directors of a company in receivership have to commence a claim by that company without the receivers' consent were recently considered by the High Court.
A recent UK High Court decision on the issue of balance sheet insolvency will be of interest in New Zealand, despite the fact that the respective statutory solvency tests differ.
The court had made orders for examination of 4 current and former directors of New Image by the liquidators of Omegatrend.
In Katavich v Meltzer & Ors, the court confirmed that pursuant to ss 284 and 321 of the Companies Act 1993 (Act), liquidators can be removed notwithstanding that their final report has been filed and the company is to be struck off the Register.
In Nylex (New Zealand) Ltd (In Rec and in Liq) v Independent Timber Merchants Co-Operative Limited Justice Heath granted summary judgment to Nylex and rejected ITM's argument that it had a defence of equitable set-off relating to unpaid loyalty scheme obligations.