In November 2016, the High Court of Australia heard a challenge brought by Clive Palmer in respect of the constitutional validity of the power of a liquidator to examine a former director of a company before the court. At the conclusion of that hearing, Kiefel J, as her Honour then was, stated that the Court was unanimously of the view that the challenge had failed and that reasons would be published later. Yesterday the High Court published those reasons.
The proceedings
This week’s TGIF considers In the matter of ACN 151 726 224 Pty Ltd (in liq) [2016] NSWSC 1801, where the Court dismissed a creditor’s application to remove liquidators who had refused to conduct public examinations of a director.
What happened?
On 18 November 2015, the District Court of New South Wales entered judgment against Ridley Capital Holdings Pty Limited (the Company) in the amount of $660,862.62.
This week’s TGIF considers the application of the principle in Re Universal Distributing and whether liquidators may claim an equitable lien to recover their costs and expenses, even if no assets are realised and no fund exists.
Background
In the recent Court of Appeal decision of Primary Securities Ltd v Willmott Forests Limited, liquidators had been appointed to an insolvent company which was the responsible entity of a managed investment forestry scheme.
Everything or Nothing! That is what the Queensland Court of Appeal has told us recently when it comes to assessing what a creditor is really owed for the purposes of standing to wind up a company
Background
A dispute arose between two parties involved in the management of Treadtel International Pty Ltd (Treadtel) whereby a Mr Cocco asserted that one of the two issued shares in Treadtel was held on trust for his benefit by the sole director’s wife, Mrs Crosher, because of an alleged share sale agreement.
In Suk v Hanjin Shipping Co Ltd [2016] FCA 1404, the Federal Court (a) provided guidance on how courts are to determine what stay arises upon recognition of foreign main proceedings under the Cross-Border Insolvency Act 2008; and (2) demonstrated that such recognition can cause maritime lien actions to be stayed.
Winding up a company when you are the trustee in bankruptcy of the sole director and shareholder can be more complicated than you think.
Today, certain provisions of the Insolvency Law Reform Act 2016 will take effect. Amongst these is s100-5 of the new Insolvency Practice Schedule (Corporations), which will be included as a schedule to the Corporations Act 2001. The same provision (with identical numbering) is contained in the Insolvency Practice Schedule (Bankruptcy), which is a schedule to the Bankruptcy Act 1966.
A recent decision of the New South Wales Court of Appeal serves as a timely reminder of the costly consequences of failing to register a PPSR security interest in leased goods.
Power Rental Op Co Australia, LLC v Forge Group Power Pty Ltd (in liq) (receivers and managers appointed) [2017] NSWCA 8
In March 2013 General Electric International Inc (GE), the appellant’s predecessor in title, agreed to lease turbines to Forge Group Power Pty Ltd (Forge Group).
Liquidators can rest assured that courts are reluctant to interfere in their commercial judgments or permit liquidators to be personally exposed to mandatory examinations under s596ACorporations Act 2001 (Cth) (Act).