High Court upholds decision that separate entities of foreign states may be immune from being wound up in Australia
Key takeouts
In this week’s TGIF, we examine the High Court’s recent decision in Greylag Goose Leasing 1410 Designated Activity Company & Anor v P T Garuda Indonesia Ltd [2024] HCA 21. In the decision, a majority of the High Court upheld the New South Wales Court of Appeal decision that foreign state immunity extends to a state-owned national airline subject to winding-up proceedings.
1. Is a letter of support from your immediate holding company sufficient to satisfy the solvency test?
Case Name & Citation
Greylag Goose Leasing 1410 Designated Activity Company v P.T. Garuda Indonesia Ltd [2023] NSWCA 134 per Bell CJ, Meagher JA, Kirk JA
Hyperlink
Date of Judgment
14 June 2023
Issues
The NSW Court of Appeal has allowed Garuda Indonesia to invoke sovereign immunity to foil an insolvency proceeding brought by aircraft lessor Greylag Goose Leasing.
The Court’s decision is Greylag Goose Leasing 1410 Designated Activity Company v P.T. Garuda Indonesia Ltd [2023] NSWCA 134 (14 June 2023) (Bell CJ, Meagher JA and Kirk JA agreeing).
Greylag Goose Leasing 1410 Designated Activity Company v P.T. Garuda Indonesia Ltd
In a decision that appears to be the first of its kind, the NSW Court of Appeal has found that a national airline should be afforded foreign State immunity against a winding up application.
Key points:
In a recent case involving PT Garuda, the national airline of Indonesia, the New South Wales Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal by two creditors seeking to wind-up the airline, concluding that PT Garuda enjoyed immunity under the Foreign States Immunities Act 1985 (Cth).
Key takeaways
Most landlords seek advice prior to entering a commercial lease.
But, as the cautionary tales in this article suggest, if the tenant goes into administration or liquidation, landlords would be wise to seek specialist advice. The lesson is simple: a landlord should not lightly assume that the appointment of an administrator or liquidator implies the end of the lease or a right to re-enter the premises.
Understanding whether a company is insolvent, and the date of insolvency, is essential for directors and accountants who advise companies, as well as liquidators and other parties bringing insolvency-based claims. In understanding these issues, the analysis may need to go beyond establishing present-day liquidity – for example, what impact do long term-debts have on a company’s solvency and how are they used to prove insolvency? Which debts are relevant to the cashflow test? Whether a company is ‘able to pay all its debts’ as and when they become ‘due and payable’?