This week’s TGIF examines a High Court decision which confirmed the power of a court under s 588FF(3) of the Corporations Act to extend the time for the commencement of voidable transaction proceedings, without identifying the particular transaction or transactions to which the extension would apply.

In Sharpe v WH Bailey & Sons Pty Ltd [2014] FCA 921, Justice Gleeson found that the Farm Debt Mediation Act 1994 (NSW) (FDM Act) did not operate to prevent an individual from pursuing their rights under the Bankruptcy Act1966 (Cth), even though those rights may have been related to a farm mortgage.  In doing so, Justice Gleeson confirmed that the Bankruptcy Act1966 (Cth) will have priority over the FDM Act where the requirements of section 5 of the FDM Act are met.

FACTS

In DSG Holdings Australia Pty Ltd v Helenic Pty Ltd [2014] NSWCA 96, the Court of Appeal considered the meaning of the “interests of the creditors as a whole” under section 600A of the Corporations Actand the circumstances in which the Court will intervene to set aside or impose conditions on resolutions passed at creditors meetings.

BACKGROUND

In its recent judgment of Morgan,In the matter of Brighton Hall Securities Pty Ltd (in liquidation) [2013] FCA 970, the Federal Court of Australia determined that a liquidator is entitled to retain certain remuneration and other expenses from the proceeds of a claim under a professional indemnity insurance policy in preference to claimants, who would otherwise have a statutory priority under section 562 of the Corporations Act.

BACKGROUND

This week’s TGIF considers a decision of Georges (Liquidator), in the Matter of SIRA Pty Ltd (In Liquidation) [2022] FCA 768, in which liquidators were granted leave to serve a summons for examination on a company based in Singapore.

Key takeaways

This week’s TGIF considers In the matter of Spitfire Corporation Limited (in liquidation) and Aspirio Pty Ltd (in liquidation) [2022] NSWSC 579 in which liquidators sought an order that a non-party creditor pay their legal costs for seeking directions from the Court.

Key Takeaways

This week’s TGIF considers the decision of Wallace (Liquidator), in the matter of Avestra Asset Management Ltd (In Liq) v Dempsey [2021] FCA 1643 in which the Court granted liquidators leave to amend their pleading following a mistake in the naming of the plaintiff.

Key Takeaways

This week’s TGIF looks at the decision of the Federal Court of Australia in Donoghue v Russells (A Firm)[2021] FCA 798 in which Mr Donoghue appealed a decision to make a sequestration order which was premised on him ‘carrying on business in Australia' for the purpose of section 43(1)(b)(iii) of the Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth) (Act).

Key Takeaways

This week’s TGIF considers a recent decision of the NSW Supreme Court which determined an application to extend the time to bring voidable transaction claims, where the potential defendants were themselves insolvent, deregistered or bankrupt and the prospect of returns from the proceedings unclear.

Key takeaways

This week’s TGIF considers the decision in Cant v Mad Brothers Earthmoving Pty Ltd[2020] VSCA 198, where the Court of Appeal refused to find that a payment made by a third party on behalf of an insolvent company was an unfair preference.

Key takeaways