The decision of Grant v CP Asset Management Ltd & Ors outlined the appropriate methodology to be used when examining whether a resolution passed at a creditors' meeting should be set aside as prejudicial to a creditor or class of creditors under section 245A of the Companies Act 1993.

In the case of In Re Silverdale Developments (2007) Ltd (In Liq): Bunting v Buchanan [2012] NZHC 766, the shareholders of Silver Developments (2007) Limited (in liquidation) unsuccessfully applied to the Court to terminate the liquidation under section 250 of the Companies Act 1993.

The UK Supreme Court has recently considered the role of commercial common sense in interpreting a contract.  Rainy Sky v Kookmin Bank concerned the interpretation of bonds issued by Kookmin Bank to guarantee the return of advance payments made by six purchasers under separate shipbuilding contracts. The shipbuilder had suffered an insolvency event and the purchasers were claiming refunds of the advance payments made to the shipbuilder under the bonds. The Bank contended that the bonds did not guarantee repayment of the advances on insolvency.

The recent case of Simpson v Commission of Inland Revenue (HC, 17/5/2011; Dobson J, Wellington, CIV 2010-485-1860) concerned the issue of whether receivers are personally liable to account for goods and services tax (GST) on the sale of six properties effected by them.

Finnigan v He underlines the obligatory nature of bankruptcy set-off whereby once the statutory requirements that exist in section 310 of the Companies Act 1993 are met (and no exclusion applies), such a set-off is mandatory. It also discusses when a transaction occurs and the operation of the exclusion in section 310(2) that preludes bankruptcy set-off.

The New South Wales Supreme Court decision in Rapid Metal Developments (Aust) Pty Ltd v Rildean Pty Ltd (No 3) examined the Australian statutory provision that is broadly equivalent to s 32(5) of the Receiverships Act (NZ).

The English High Court in Telnic Ltd v Knipp Medien Und Kommunikation GmbH [2020] EWHC 2075 (Ch) has confirmed that the court has discretion to restrain a winding-up petition against debtor's when the debt is governed by an arbitration agreement.

Knipp Medien Und Kommunikation GmbH (Knipp) appealed against an order to stay its winding-up petition against Telnic Limited (Telnic). Telnic also brought a cross-appeal seeking orders that Knipp's petition be dismissed rather than stayed.

A Singaporean Court in Anan Group (Singapore) PTE Ltd v VTB Bank (Public Joint Stock Company) [2020] SGCA 33 has recently confirmed the Court’s approach in assessing arbitration clauses when an application has been brought to put a company into liquidation. 

The parties in this case are parties to an arbitration agreement.  The respondent applied to put the appellant into liquidation.  The Court considered that the winding up proceeding should be stayed with the underlying dispute to be resolved through arbitration.

In Robt. Jones Holdings Limited v McCullagh [2019] NZSC 86, the Supreme Court unanimously held that it is unnecessary for a liquidator to prove that any payment actually diminished the assets of a company to claw back that payment under s 292 of the Companies Act (Act). 

In Re Willis, Eileen Willis (Anne) applied to annul a bankruptcy order made against her on the application of her former husband, Leslie Willis.