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Fighting the Rearguard Action – s 459S and Winding Up Applications

By Jacob Reardon a Solicitor of Matthews Folbigg, in our Insolvency, Restructuring and Debt Recovery Group

In an application to wind up a company for failure to comply with a statutory demand, section 459S of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (“the Act”) operates to exclude grounds that a defendant either did rely on, or could have relied on, in an earlier application to set aside a statutory demand.

In the Explanatory Memorandum to the Corporate Law Reform Bill 1992, the stated policy goal of section 459S is to: [...]  READ MORE →

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The House that Estoppel Built?

The full version of this article was originally published in the Lexis Nexis Insolvency Law Bulletin

By Jacob Reardon, solicitor, and Stephen Mullette, Principal, Matthews Folbigg Lawyers

How long does a bankruptcy trustee have to sell a bankrupt’s home? What if the Trustee allows the bankrupt to live in the property, and pay the mortgage, council, and water rates, and repair the property for almost 5 years? Or for 8 years? More? Will the Trustee eventually become estopped from selling the property after such a long period? The answer may surprise. [...]  READ MORE →

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Debt Restructuring Part 3 – Restructuring plans

This is the third part in a blog series discussing the new debt restructuring regime, which commences on 1 January 2021. This blog discusses the the process of putting forward a restructuring plan to creditors.

The regime will be implemented through substantial amendments to the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (“the Act”) and the Corporations Regulations 2001 (Cth) (“the Regulations“). Relevant links are:

How a restructuring plan is to be proposed is guided by the Regulations (Division 3, Subdivision B). The process is again somewhat similar to a voluntary administration, but instead it avoids the need to call creditors meetings. A regime for the restructuring practitioner to resolve disputes about creditors’ debts is tied into the process. A brief overview of the process follows. [...]  READ MORE →

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Winding Up Applications and the Extension of Time

By Darrin Mitchell, Senior Associate at Matthews Folbigg in the Insolvency, Restructuring and Debt Recovery Group

Section 459R(1) of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (“the Act”) requires that an application be filed to wind up a company, and for it to be determined within six months of filing. Should that six month period expire, the application can be dismissed without the orders sought being made.

However, there is provision for the six month period to be extended under section 459R(2) of the Act, if the applicant can satisfy the Court that special circumstances exist. [...]  READ MORE →