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The Grand Court of the Cayman Islands (the Court) recently ruled in favour of Primeo Fund (in official liquidation) (Primeo) in its ongoing representative proceedings with the Additional Liquidator of Herald Fund SPC (in official liquidation) (Herald).

On 4 June 2015 the Cayman Islands Grand Court ruled in favour of Primeo Fund (Primeo), in the ongoing Representative Proceedings between Primeo and Herald Fund SPC (Herald). The Court had to construe section 37(7)(a) of the Companies Law. Although the Court's detailed reasons are still awaited, it is clear from the Court's decision that section 37(7)(a) does not apply to redeeming investors whose shares have been redeemed prior to the commencement of the liquidation.

Strike off is the procedure of removing a company from the Register of Companies (the Register) following which the company will cease to exist.

Under the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 (the Companies Law), a company may be struck off in one of three situations:

  1. if the company is defunct;
  2. if the company is defaulting; or
  3. if the company itself applies to be voluntarily struck off.

Strike off by the Registrar of Companies

The Registrar of Companies (the Registrar) has the power pursuant to the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 (the Companies Law) to strike off companies which are either defunct or defaulting.

When a buyer’s characteristics can determine whether they are misled about the features of a property

Orchid Avenue Pty Ltd v Hingston & Anor [2015] QSC 42 per McMurdo J

This case highlights the importance of buyers making their own enquiries when purchasing properties for reasons that relate to features external to the property, such as ocean views. 

Personal liability of members of management committees of incorporated associations for debts incurred by the association if it traded while insolvent has been an uncertain area of law in Queensland. Directors of companies that trade while insolvent have potentially been personally liable for debts incurred by the company, but there has always been a question mark over whether members of management committees of incorporated associations face the same personal liability. 

On 7 November 2014, the Government released the draft Insolvency Law Reform Bill 2014, with key changes proposed to be put in place by 30 June 2015.

On 4 September 2014, the Government introduced the Fair Entitlements Guarantee Amendment Bill 2014 to the House of Representatives (Bill).  The Bill is intended to amend the Fair Entitlements Guarantee Act 2012 (Cth) so as to limit the entitlements payable by the Government to those employees made redundant due to the liquidation or bankruptcy of their employer. 

The recent decision of Australian Building Systems Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation [2014] FCA 116 involves a significant development in the taxation collection obligations of liquidators involved in winding up a company.

In this Alert, Special Counsel Justin Byrne and Solicitor Rachael Nyst discuss the implications of the case in regard to the need to retain an amount from sale proceeds of a property in order to meet capital gains tax (CGT) liabilities.

Key points

The Personal Property Securities Act 2009 (Cth) (PPSA) came into effect on 30 January 2012 and has introduced major changes for businesses that lease or hire personal property. If you lease or hire personal property it is vital that you understand how the PPSA affects your business, including what additional steps you need to take to protect your property and the consequences for not doing so, especially as the PPSA’s transitional provisions will end shortly.

What does the PPSA mean for your business?