In the recent decision of Re PBS Building (Qld) Pty Ltd [2024] QSC 108, the Supreme Court of Queensland considered for the first time the operation of the State’s new project and retention trust account regime in the context of an insolvency. The decision provides useful guidance to insolvency practitioners and subcontractors as to their rights in relation to trust accounts established by an insolvent head contractor.
Queensland tourism icon “The Big Pineapple” recently tasted sweet success in the Queensland Supreme Court with judgment setting aside a creditor’s statutory demand issued against it as part of an ongoing multi-million dollar dispute amongst investors.
In brief: The Supreme Court of Queensland has ordered that an objector to an external administrator's remuneration application pay the administrator's costs of responding to the objections. This decision, which will be welcomed by external administrators, appears to be the first time such an order has been made in the insolvency jurisdiction.
Disclaimer of interest: Colin Biggers & Paisley acted for the Provisional Liqudiator in Michaela Manicaros v Commercial Images (Aust) Pty Ltd [2022] QSC 83.
This week’s TGIF considers the recent Queensland Supreme Court decision in CGS Constructions (Qld) Pty Ltd [2022] QSC 28 where it dismissed an application to restrain liquidators from engaging the same solicitors as a major creditor to conduct public examinations.
Key Takeaways
This week’s TGIF considers the recent ruling of the Queensland Supreme Court in Re Gulf Aboriginal Development Company Ltd[2021] QSC 310, where the Court dismissed an application to terminate the winding up of Gulf Aboriginal Development Company Limited (Gulf).
Key Takeaways
In Short
The Situation: A liquidator can reject a "double proof" for what is, in substance, the same debt as another accepted proof of debt.
The Question: When are liquidators justified in rejecting what could arguably be a double proof?
Insolvency – every director’s biggest nightmare. Under the Corporations Act s 459C, when a creditor serves a statutory demand on a company for an outstanding debt, the company will be presumed insolvent if it fails to comply with, or set aside, the demand. But what happens when the creditor is also a director of the company? This was an issue recently considered by the Supreme Court of Queensland in Re CSSC (QLD) Pty Ltd [2018] QSC 282.
The facts
A recent Supreme Court of Queensland decision as to what constitutes a ‘’construction company’’ under the QBCC Act brings consequences for construction groups who undertake works under different State entities.
Partner, Ted Williams, and Senior Associate, Gemma Twemlow, review the decision and what it means for construction companies.
Liquidators have more certainty about their ability to disclaim the environmental liabilities and responsibilities of a company in liquidation.
The High Court has refused to grant the Queensland State Government (Qld Government) special leave to appeal the Queensland Court of Appeal’s March 2018 decision in favour of the liquidators of Linc Energy, concerning the liquidators’ obligations to cause Linc Energy to comply with an Environmental Protection Order (EPO).