{"id":"F2016L01898","name":"Insolvency Law Reform (Transitional Provisions) Regulation 2016","slug":"insolvency-law-reform-transitional-provisions-regulation-2016","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":439053,"registerId":"F2016L01898-fast-fetch-1775955214068","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Insolvency Law Reform (Transitional Provisions) Regulation 2016","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nInsolvency Law Reform (Transitional Provisions) Regulation 2016\n\nI, General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Ret’d), Governor‑General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, make the following regulation.\n\nDated 08 December 2016\n\nPeter Cosgrove\n\nGovernor‑General\n\nBy His Excellency’s Command\n\nGeorge Brandis QC\n\nAttorney‑General\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\nPart 1—Preliminary\n\n1 Name\n\n2 Commencement\n\n3 Authority\n\nPart 2—Transition to Part 3 of the Insolvency Practice Schedule (Bankruptcy)\n\n4 Application provisions and modifications relating to Part 3 of the Insolvency Practice Schedule (Bankruptcy)\n\n5 Application of certain consequential amendments relating to the enactment of the Insolvency Practice Schedule (Bankruptcy)\n\nSchedule 1—Transition to Part 3 of the Insolvency Practice Schedule (Bankruptcy)\n\n \n\nPart 1—Preliminary\n\n \n\n1  Name\n\n  This is the Insolvency Law Reform (Transitional Provisions) Regulation 2016.\n\n2  Commencement\n\n (1) Each provision of this instrument specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.\n\n \n\n- Commencement information\n- Column 1 Column 2 Column 3\n- Provisions Commencement Date/Details\n- 1. The whole of this instrument At the same time as Schedule 1 to the Insolvency Law Reform Act 2016 commences. 1 March 2017\n\n\nNote: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this instrument.\n\n (2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this instrument. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this instrument.\n\n3  Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under item 178 of Schedule 1 to the Insolvency Law Reform Act 2016.\n\nPart 2—Transition to Part 3 of the Insolvency Practice Schedule (Bankruptcy)\n\n \n\n4  Application provisions and modifications relating to Part 3 of the Insolvency Practice Schedule (Bankruptcy)\n\n (1) For the purposes of subitem 178(1) of Schedule 1 to the Insolvency Law Reform Act 2016, that Schedule applies as if the references in Divisions 3 and 5 (other than items 169 and 175) of Part 3 of that Schedule to the commencement day were a reference to 1 September 2017.\n\n (2) For the purposes of subitem 178(1) of Schedule 1 to the Insolvency Law Reform Act 2016, that Schedule applies as if the definition of ongoing administration in item 102 of Part 3 of that Schedule were omitted and the following definition were substituted for the purposes of Divisions 3 and 5 of Part 3 of that Schedule:\n\nongoing administration of a regulated debtor’s estate means an administration of a regulated debtor’s estate that started before 1 September 2017 and ends after that day.\n\n (3) For the purposes of subitem 178(2) of Schedule 1 to the Insolvency Law Reform Act 2016, that Schedule applies as if Divisions 1 and 3 of Part 3 of that Schedule were modified as set out in Schedule 1 to this instrument.\n\n5  Application of certain consequential amendments relating to the enactment of the Insolvency Practice Schedule (Bankruptcy)\n\n (1) This section is made for the purposes of subitem 178(1) of Schedule 1 to the Insolvency Law Reform Act 2016.\n\n (2) The amendments made by the following items of Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the Insolvency Law Reform Act 2016 apply in relation to the administration of regulated debtors’ estates on and after 1 September 2017:\n\n (a) item 9;\n\n (b) item 10;\n\n (c) item 13;\n\n  (d) item 14;\n\n (e) item 16;\n\n (f) item 18;\n\n (g) item 21;\n\n (h) item 23;\n\n (i) item 24;\n\n (j) items 27 to 38;\n\n (k) item 40;\n\n (l) item 45;\n\n (m) item 46;\n\n (n) item 48;\n\n (o) item 49;\n\n (p) items 51 to 56;\n\n (q) item 59;\n\n (r) item 60;\n\n (s) item 63;\n\n (t) item 65;\n\n (u) item 72;\n\n (v) item 74;\n\n (w) item 76;\n\n (x) item 77;\n\n (y) items 79 to 83;\n\n (z) items 86 to 88;\n\n (za) item 89, to the extent that it repeals table items 7 to 10 in subsection 277B(2) of the Bankruptcy Act 1966;\n\n (zb) item 90, to the extent that it inserts table items 31 to 34 in subsection 277B(2) of the Bankruptcy Act 1966;\n\n (zc) item 91;\n\n (zd) item 93;\n\n (ze) item 99;\n\n (zf) item 100.\n\nSchedule 1—Transition to Part 3 of the Insolvency Practice Schedule (Bankruptcy)\n\nNote: See subsection 4(3).\n\n  \n\nInsolvency Law Reform Act 2016\n\n1  Item 101 of Schedule 1 (paragraph relating to Part 3)\n\nOmit “starts on or after the commencement of this Act”, substitute “starts on or after 1 September 2017”.\n\n2  Item 118 of Schedule 1\n\nRepeal the item, substitute:\n\n118  Matters not dealt with by a committee before the commencement day\n\n(1) This item applies if, before the commencement day:\n\n (a) the Inspector‑General convened a committee under section 155H of the old Act to consider whether a trustee should continue to be registered; and\n\n (b) the committee had not made a decision in relation to the trustee under section 155I of the old Act.\n\n(2) Despite the repeal of sections 155H and 155I of the old Act by this Schedule, those sections continue to apply after the commencement day, in relation to the trustee, as if that repeal had not occurred.\n\n(3) If, on a day that occurs after the commencement day, a decision is made by the committee under section 155I of the old Act that the trustee should cease to be registered, the committee is taken to have made a decision on that day under section 40‑55 of the Insolvency Practice Schedule (Bankruptcy) to cancel the registration of the person as a trustee.\n\n(4) If, on a day that occurs after the commencement day, a decision is made by the committee under section 155I of the old Act that that the trustee should continue to be registered subject to a specified condition:\n\n (a) that condition is a current condition imposed on that day on the old Act registrant; and\n\n (b) Subdivision C of Division 20 of the Insolvency Practice Schedule (Bankruptcy) applies on and after that day to the condition in the same way as it applies to a condition imposed by a committee under that Schedule.\n\n3  Item 126 of Schedule 1\n\nOmit “the commencement of this Act (called new administrations)”, substitute “1 September 2017”.\n\n4  Item 127 of Schedule 1\n\nRepeal the item, substitute:\n\n127  Application of Part 3 of the Insolvency Practice Schedule (Bankruptcy)—general rules\n\n(1) Part 3 of the Insolvency Practice Schedule (Bankruptcy) applies in relation to an administration of a regulated debtor’s estate that starts on or after 1 September 2017.\n\n(2) Part 3 of the Insolvency Practice Schedule (Bankruptcy) applies in relation to an ongoing administration of a regulated debtor’s estate in accordance with this Division.\n\n5  Item 133 of Schedule 1\n\nAfter “applies”, insert “on and after 1 September 2017”.\n\n6  Item 141 of Schedule 1\n\nAfter “applies”, insert “on and after 1 September 2017”.\n\n7  Subitem 142(1) of Schedule 1 (heading)\n\nRepeal the heading, substitute:\n\nAdministration returns for 2018‑19 and later years\n\n8  Subitems 142(1) and (2) of Schedule 1\n\nOmit “2017”, substitute “2018”.\n\n9  Subitem 145(1) of Schedule 1\n\nAfter “apply”, insert “on and after 1 September 2017”.\n\n10  Subitem 147(1) of Schedule 1\n\nAfter “apply”, insert “on and after 1 September 2017”.\n\n11  Items 148 to 151 of Schedule 1\n\nAfter “applies”, insert “on and after 1 September 2017”.\n\n12  Subitem 152(1) of Schedule 1\n\nAfter “applies”, insert “on and after 1 September 2017”.\n\n13  Item 158 of Schedule 1\n\nAfter “apply”, insert “on and after 1 September 2017”.\n\n14  Items 159 and 161 of Schedule 1\n\nAfter “applies”, insert “on and after 1 September 2017”.\n\n15  Subitem 162(1) of Schedule 1\n\nAfter “carried out”, insert “on and after 1 September 2017”.\n\n16  Subitem 165(2) of Schedule 1\n\nAfter “apply”, insert “on and after 1 September 2017”.\n\n17  Subitems 165(3) and (4) of Schedule 1\n\nAfter “applies”, insert “on and after 1 September 2017”.\n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"This regulation changes the effective scope and timing of application of Part 3 of the Insolvency Practice Schedule (Bankruptcy) by replacing references to the Act’s general commencement with a specific date: 1 September 2017 (see section 4(1) and Schedule 1 item 1). It also replaces the definition of “ongoing administration” for specified Divisions to mean administrations that started before and end after 1 September 2017 (see section 4(2)), and preserves certain committee processes begun under the old Act by mapping their outcomes into the new Schedule (see Schedule 1 item 118). These textual changes therefore alter when and to which administrations the new rules apply compared with the earlier wording that referred to the Act’s commencement."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple cross-references to items and divisions in the Insolvency Law Reform Act 2016 and its Schedule 1 (e.g. section 4(1) referring to Divisions 3 and 5 and many Schedule 1 items).","Temporal rules distinguishing ‘new’ administrations from ‘ongoing’ ones (redefinition of ongoing administration in section 4(2) and Schedule 1 item 4).","Large enumerated list of consequential amendment items that take effect from the later date (section 5(2)), requiring readers to track each item’s substance elsewhere.","Preservation and mapping of administrative decisions made under the old Act into the new Schedule (Schedule 1 item 118), which requires translation of outcomes across regimes.","Multiple small textual edits across Schedule 1 (items 5–17) that alter application dates in many places, raising the risk of inconsistent interpretation if one does not consult each amending entry.","Interaction with the old Act’s provisions (sections 155H/155I) and the new Schedule’s different mechanisms (e.g. cancellation under section 40‑55 referenced in Schedule 1 item 118(3))."],"plain_english_summary":"### What this regulation does\n\nThis regulation sets transitional rules for the insolvency reforms introduced by the Insolvency Law Reform Act 2016, with a particular focus on Part 3 of the new Insolvency Practice Schedule (Bankruptcy). Mechanically, it postpones the practical start-date for applying many of the new bankruptcy practice rules to 1 September 2017, modifies the treatment of administrations that span that date, and specifies which consequential amendment items take effect from that date. (See commencement table and section 4(1)–(3); section 5(2); Schedule 1 items 1–17.)\n\n### Who it affects\n\n- Regulated debtors (bankruptcy estates) and their administrations. (See section 4(2) and Schedule 1 item 4.)\n- Trustees, insolvency practitioners and administrators who manage those estates, because which set of rules they must follow depends on the timing of the administration. (See section 4(2); Schedule 1 items 1 and 4.)\n- The Inspector‑General and committees convened under the old Act for trustee registration matters, because some committee processes started before the change continue under the old rules but have outcomes mapped into the new Schedule. (See Schedule 1 item 118 (replacing former item 118).)\n- Creditors and other parties to an administration to the extent that the applicable procedural and substantive rules change with the timing rules in this instrument. (See section 4 and section 5.)\n\n### How it works, step by step\n\n- Commencement: The instrument itself commences with Schedule 1 to the Insolvency Law Reform Act 2016 (the instrument’s table indicates the instrument was associated with 1 March 2017 for the original table entry). (See section 2 and the commencement table.)\n\n- Delay of operation for Part 3 (Bankruptcy): References in certain Divisions of Part 3 to the “commencement day” are treated as a specific date: 1 September 2017. That means Part 3 applies to administrations starting on or after that date (and subject to specified transitional rules for ongoing administrations). (See section 4(1) and Schedule 1 item 4.)\n\n- Ongoing administrations: The regulation replaces the definition of “ongoing administration” for Divisions 3 and 5 of Part 3 with a straight time-test: an administration that started before 1 September 2017 and ends after that day is an ongoing administration. That determines whether transitional rules or the new rules apply. (See section 4(2).)\n\n- Consequential amendments: A list of consequential amendment items in the Insolvency Law Reform Act are declared to apply in relation to administrations of regulated debtors’ estates on and after 1 September 2017. The instrument enumerates those items. (See section 5(2).)\n\n- Preservation of certain committee processes: Where a committee under the old Act was convened before the commencement day but had not yet decided, the old sections continue to apply so the committee can decide; if the committee decides to cancel registration after the commencement day that decision is taken to be a cancellation under the new Schedule, and if it imposes conditions the new Schedule’s mechanisms for conditions apply. (See Schedule 1 item 118(1)–(4).)\n\n### Why this matters (mechanics, incentives and costs)\n\n- Timing determines which legal regime applies: the regulation changes the reference point used to decide whether an administration is governed by the old or the new rules. The decisive date is now fixed at 1 September 2017 for the specified parts. (See section 4(1) and Schedule 1 items 1 and 4.)\n\n- Who pays / bears the adjustment costs: Trustees, administrators and regulated debtors bear the practical compliance costs of checking whether an administration is ‘new’ or ‘ongoing’ under the revised date and applying the appropriate rules. Creditors may face indirect effects because procedural rules and creditor entitlements can differ between the old and new regimes. (Implied by section 4(2) and Schedule 1 item 4.)\n\n- Decision‑makers and discretion: Committees and the Inspector‑General retain the ability to complete decisions started under the old Act; the regulation maps those outcomes into the new Schedule (for example, treating a committee cancellation under the old Act as a cancellation under the new Schedule). That preserves administrative discretion but requires actors to translate outcomes across regimes. (See Schedule 1 item 118(2)–(4).)\n\n- Compliance burden and implementation risk: Administrators must apply transitional rules and multiple cross‑referenced items (the instrument lists numerous consequential amendment items in section 5(2) and adjusts many Schedule 1 entries), which increases the need for careful record‑keeping and legal classification of each administration. The requirement to apply both old and new provisions to different cases increases legal and operational complexity. (See section 5(2) and Schedule 1 items 5–17.)\n\n- Trade‑offs and opportunity cost: Fixing a specific later commencement date shifts immediate implementation costs (training, system updates, changes to practice) away from the early months and concentrates the need to adapt on or before 1 September 2017. Parties with administrations that span the date must operate with transitional rules, which may require additional legal and administrative effort. (See section 4(2) and Schedule 1 item 4.)\n\n### Concrete textual anchors (where to look in the instrument)\n\n- Commencement and authority: section 2 (commencement table) and section 3 (authority under item 178 of Schedule 1 to the Insolvency Law Reform Act 2016).\n- Core transitional rule and revised definition of ongoing administration: section 4(1)–(3).\n- Lists of consequential amendment items to take effect from 1 September 2017: section 5(2).\n- Specific changes to Schedule 1 of the Insolvency Law Reform Act (including the replacement of item 118 and the rule that Part 3 applies to administrations starting on or after 1 September 2017): Schedule 1 items 1–17 (notably items 1, 2 (new 118), and 4 (new 127))."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This regulation performs exactly the function suggested by its title — transitional provisions for insolvency law reform. It does not expand beyond managing the technical transition between old and new bankruptcy regimes. The scope remains tightly focused on timing, application rules, and bridging mechanisms."},"complexity_factors":["Heavy cross-referencing to the Insolvency Law Reform Act 2016 (specifically Schedule 1, item 178 and numerous other items)","Multiple date substitution mechanics — replacing 'commencement day' with specific dates (1 March 2017 vs 1 September 2017) in different contexts","Nested conditional application — provisions apply differently depending on whether administrations are 'new', 'ongoing', or pre-existing","Modification of definitions through substitution rather than simple amendment (section 4(2))","Schedule 1 contains 17 separate modification items, each altering specific subitems of the parent Act","Grandfathering provisions for committee decisions with complex conversion mechanics (item 118)","Partial application of amendments — some items apply only to specific table items within subsections (items 89-90)"],"plain_english_summary":"This regulation sets the rules for switching over from the old bankruptcy system to the new one introduced by the Insolvency Law Reform Act 2016.\n\n**What it does:**\n- **Delays the start date** for key parts of the new bankruptcy rules. Instead of starting when the main Act begins (1 March 2017), many important provisions don't kick in until **1 September 2017**.\n- **Defines \"ongoing administrations\"** — bankruptcies or personal insolvency agreements that started before 1 September 2017 but finish after that date. Special rules apply to these cases.\n- **Grandfathers old committee decisions** — if the Inspector-General had already set up a committee to review a trustee's registration before the changeover, that committee can finish its work under the old rules, but its decision gets converted into a decision under the new system.\n- **Staggers consequential amendments** — various technical changes to other laws (like the Bankruptcy Act 1966) only apply from 1 September 2017, not immediately.\n- **Pushes back reporting deadlines** — administration returns that were meant to start in 2017-18 are delayed to 2018-19.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- **Bankruptcy trustees** — people appointed to manage someone else's bankruptcy\n- **Regulated debtors** — people in bankruptcy or personal insolvency agreements\n- **The Inspector-General in Bankruptcy** — the government official who oversees the system\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThis is a **bridging document**. It prevents chaos during a major law reform by ensuring existing cases aren't disrupted mid-stream, giving the industry time to prepare for new rules, and making sure there's no gap in oversight of trustee registrations."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/insolvency-law-reform-transitional-provisions-regulation-2016","history":"/api/acts/insolvency-law-reform-transitional-provisions-regulation-2016/history","analysis":"/api/acts/insolvency-law-reform-transitional-provisions-regulation-2016/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/insolvency-law-reform-transitional-provisions-regulation-2016/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/insolvency-law-reform-transitional-provisions-regulation-2016/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/insolvency-law-reform-transitional-provisions-regulation-2016/documents"}}