This week, the Federal Court published judgments in three unfair preference claims brought by the liquidators of the Gunns Group. We acted for the liquidators in each proceeding.

Times are changing rapidly with the current flow of Coronavirus measures introduced to support businesses in debt and distress.

We take a look at what creditors can (and can’t) do to help better protect their position.

I’m owed money. What can I do?

Certain recent government measures may impede your ability to take recovery or enforcement action at the present time. The good news is that many avenues remain available.

You cannot (in some cases):

In a recent decision in the Supreme Court of NSW[1], Rees J set aside a liquidator’s bid to publicly examine two senior officers of the National Rugby League (NRL), finding that examination summonses issued by the liquidator were an abuse of process and the entire liquidation process was a contrivance in order to exert commercial pressure on the NRL.

The Coronavirus Economic Response Package Omnibus Bill 2020 (Coronavirus Response Bill) was passed on 23 March 2020 and received Royal Assent on 24 March 2020 following the Federal Government’s announcements made between 12 and 22 March 2020 of its economic response to the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Coronavirus Response Bill provides, amongst other legislative amendments, for temporary changes of 6 months’ duration to Australian insolvency and corporations laws to assist in managing the sudden economic shock resulting from COVID-19.

Yeni Gelişme

Koronavirüs (COVID-19) salgın hastalığının Türkiye'de yayılmasını önlemek amacıyla hükümet tarafından alınan tedbirler kapsamında Cumhurbaşkanı tarafından İcra ve İflas Kanunu'nun ("İİK") "Fevkalade Hallerde Tatil" başlıklı 330. maddesinde kendisine verilen yetkiye dayanarak verilen "İcra ve İflas Takiplerinin Durdurulması Hakkında Karar", 22.3.2020 tarihinde yürürlüğe konmuştur.

Karar Ne Diyor?

In its recent decision in the ongoing Solar Shop litigation,[1] the Full Federal Court established two key principles which will have significant ongoing implications for the conduct of unfair preference claims:

In Carrello,^[1] the Federal Court granted a warrant under section 530C of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (the Act) allowing the liquidator of Drilling Australia Pty Ltd (the Company) to search and seize property, books and records located in storage containers belonging to the Company.

1. Nature of process 

Chapter 11 used to effect operational restructuring, deleverage balance sheet, and/or commence asset sale of the business as a going concern

Insolvency Act process primarily used to effect a pre-packaged sale of the business or assets effected by administrators (i.e. external qualified appointees).

I. DEFINITIONS

"Banking Law" means the Banking Law of Turkey No. 5411.

"BRSA" means the Banking Regulatory and Supervisory Authority of Turkey.

"Creditors" means Turkish banks, financial leasing companies, factoring companies and financing companies and Foreign Credit Institutions and International Organizations.

The Federal Court has considered whether a deed of company arrangement (DoCA) binds a regulator. The case involved an application by the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) for leave to proceed against a company in liquidation. The Court rejected the company’s argument that the FWO’s claims were extinguished by the DoCA and granted the FWO leave to pursue the claim. The outcome of the proceedings may impact the types of, and circumstances in which, claims by a regulator will not be extinguished by a DoCA.