[2025] FCA 1013
General information, not legal advice.
Federal Court of Australia
2025-08-18
Commission J, Derrington J
Original judgment source is linked above.
IN THE MATTER OF OKARA PTY LTD (ADMINISTRATORS APPOINTED) (ACN 010 568 331)
OKARA PTY LTD (ADMINISTRATORS APPOINTED) (ACN 010 568 331)
ANNE MEAGHER IN HER CAPACITY AS JOINT AND SEVERAL ADMINISTRATOR OF OKARA PTY LTD (ADMINISTRATORS APPOINTED) (ACN 010 568 331)
ADAM PETER KERSEY IN HIS CAPACITY AS JOINT AND SEVERAL ADMINISTRATOR OF OKARA PTY LTD (ADMINISTRATORS APPOINTED) (ACN 010 568 331)
(a) pursuant to clause 24 of the discretionary Trust Deed dated 18 January 1993, an indemnity out of the assets of the Trust against any liabilities properly incurred by Okara in exercising its powers in its capacity as trustee;
(b) pursuant to clause 20(b) of the Varied Trust Deed, an indemnity out of the trust fund (as that term is defined in the Varied Trust Deed) against all liabilities properly incurred by Okara in the execution of any rights or obligations in relation to the Trust or all actions, proceedings, costs, claims and demands relating to any matter of the trust fund; and
(c) an equitable lien over the assets of the Trust, pursuant to its rights to be indemnified and exonerated out of the assets of the Trust in respect of any and all debts incurred in its capacity as trustee of the Trust.
(a) preserving, realising, getting in the property, or carrying on the business of the Trust;
(b) in administering or distributing the property of the Trust; and
(c) in conducting the administration and liquidation of Okara,
from 20 June 2025.
(a) seeking the relief set out above for the purposes of enforcing Okara's rights of indemnity and exoneration in respect of debts Okara incurred as trustee of the Trust;
(b) administering the Assets of the Trust, including any proceeds of sale, in accordance with the declarations made in paragraph 1 hereof; and
(c) proceeding on the basis that the Second and Third Plaintiffs are and were at all relevant times entitled to be paid from the Assets of the Trust for their remuneration, costs and expenses properly incurred in connection with preserving, realising, getting in the property of the Trust, or in distributing the property of the Trust, and in conducting the Administration of Okara.
Note: Entry of orders is dealt with in Rule 39.32 of the Federal Court Rules 2011.
(1) declarations as to Okara's right of indemnity and equitable lien;
(2) orders relieving Okara and the Administrators from liability arising from any dealing with property of the Trust between 20 June 2025 and 16 July 2025;
(3) the filing of receivers' accounts;
(4) costs of the proceeding;
(5) remuneration and payment; and
(6) orders under s 90-15(1) of the Insolvency Practice Schedule (Corporations) (the IPSC).
Declarations as to Okara's right of indemnity and equitable lien
Relief from liability for any breach of trust between 20 June 2025 and 16 July 2025
(1) If, in any civil proceeding against a person to whom this section applies for negligence, default, breach of trust or breach of duty in a capacity as such a person, it appears to the court before which the proceedings are taken that the person is or may be liable in respect of the negligence, default or breach but that the person has acted honestly and that, having regard to all the circumstances of the case, including those connected with the person's appointment, the person ought fairly to be excused for the negligence, default or breach, the court may relieve the person either wholly or partly from liability on such terms as the court thinks fit.
(2) Where a person to whom this section applies has reason to apprehend that any claim will or might be made against the person in respect of any negligence, default, breach of trust or breach of duty in a capacity as such a person, the person may apply to the Court for relief, and the Court has the same power to relieve the person as it would have had under subsection (1) if it had been a court before which proceedings against the person for negligence, default, breach of trust or breach of duty had been brought.
(3) Where a case to which subsection (1) applies is being tried by a judge with a jury, the judge after hearing the evidence may, if he or she is satisfied that the defendant ought pursuant to that subsection to be relieved either wholly or partly from the liability sought to be enforced against the person, withdraw the case in whole or in part from the jury and forthwith direct judgment to be entered for the defendant on such terms as to costs or otherwise as the judge thinks proper.
(4) This section applies to a person who is:
(a) an officer or employee of a corporation; or
(b) an auditor of a corporation, whether or not the person is an officer or employee of the corporation; or
(c) an expert in relation to a matter:
(i) relating to a corporation; and
(ii) in relation to which the civil proceeding has been taken or the claim will or might arise; or
(d) a receiver, receiver and manager, liquidator or other person appointed or directed by the Court to carry out any duty under this Act in relation to a corporation.
(5) This section does not apply to a corporation that is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporation.
Note: Similar provision is made in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations under section 576‑1 of the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006.
76 Power of court to relieve trustee from personal liability
If it appears to the court that a trustee, whether appointed by the court or otherwise, is, or may be, personally liable for any breach of trust, whether the transaction alleged to be a breach of trust occurred before or after the commencement of this Act, but has acted honestly and reasonably, and ought fairly to be excused for the breach of trust and for omitting to obtain the directions of the court in the matter in which the trustee committed the breach, then the court may relieve the trustee either wholly or partly from personal liability for that breach.
The court may excuse the trustee if it appears that he or she "is or may be" personally liable for breach of trust. Since it has been held that this provision may not be used as a means of authorising a breach of trust in advance: Re Tollemache [1903] UKLawRpCh 10; [1903] 1 Ch 457, [1903] 1 Ch 955; Re Rosenthal [1972] 1 WLR 1273, it is clear that the word "may" refers to a case where there is doubt as to whether the trustee's conduct constituted a breach of trust. Otherwise it would be necessary for the trustee to prove that he or she had committed a breach of trust before asking to be excused by the court: Re Mackay [1910] UKLawRpCh 145; [1911] 1 Ch 300, 306, Parker J; Re Sir Colin and Lady MacKenzie Trust (No 2) [2020] VSC 335 at [23].
... Thus, the liquidator of a (former) corporate trustee may only apply the proceeds of a sale of trust assets to satisfy debts owed to trust creditors (as opposed to general creditors). This includes the costs of the liquidation (including the liquidator's remuneration) because such costs constitute debts incurred by the company in discharging the duties imposed by the trust: Re Suco Gold Pty Ltd (in liq) (1983) 33 SASR 99 at 110 per King CJ; Jones v Matrix at [105]-[106]. In circumstances where a company has only ever acted as a trustee of one trust and that has been the totality of its affairs, no issue arises as to the application of trust assets to general creditors because all of the company's creditors are trust creditors. In this situation, the proceeds from the exercise of the right of exoneration are to be distributed to the trust creditors in accordance with the order of priority prescribed by the Corporations Act: Jones & Matrix at [100] - [108] per Allsop CJ; see also _Carter Hol_t at [93]-[96] per Bell, Gageler and Nettle JJ; at [111], [156]-[158] per Gordon J.
30 Section 90-15 confers two separate heads of power on the Court, being to:
(a) give judicial directions (as were made formerly under ss 479 and 511 of the Corporations Act), which provides comfort and relief from liability to a liquidator if the liquidator acts in accordance with a direction which turns out to be wrong: One T Development Pty Ltd v Krejci (in his capacity as liquidator of ENA Development Pty Ltd) [2023] NSWCA 120 at [40] and [42] (Ward P, Leeming JA and Mitchelmore JA); and
(b) make orders (which were not able to be made under ss 479 or 511 of the Corporations Act) that can affect rights and obligations, or conclusively determine controversies, that arise in relation to an external administration: see, for example, Re Hawden Property Group Pty Ltd (ACN 003 528 345) (in liq) [2018] NSWSC 481; (2018) 125 ACSR 355 at 357 [7]- [8] (Gleeson JA); Joiner (Liquidator), in the matter of CuDeco Limited (Receivers and Managers Appointed) (in liq) [2020] FCA 1661 at [93]- [97] (Banks-Smith J); Re Woodhouse (in their capacities as joint and several liquidators of Forex Capital Trading Pty Ltd (in liq) (ACN 119 086 270)) [2022] FCA 600; (2022) 159 ACSR 669 at [51] (Banks-Smith J).
The principles that were applicable to the giving of directions under former ss 447D(1), 479 and 511 of the Corporations Act are applicable to the giving of directions under ss 90-15 and 90-20: Re Walley [2017] FCA 486 at [41] (Gleeson J); Re Reidy (in their capacity as administrators of eCHOICE Ltd) (admins apptd) [2017] FCA 1582 at [27] (Yates J); El-Saafin v Franek (No 2) [2018] VSC 683 at [110] (Lyons J); Re University Co-Operative Bookshop LTD (admins apptd) (No 2) [2020] NSWSC 97; (2020) 142 ACSR 607 at [13]- [14] (Gleeson J); Re Equiticorp Australia Ltd (in liq) [2020] NSWSC 143 at [43] (Gleeson J).
That power may be exercised where it is just and beneficial to do so: see Federal Commissioner of Taxation v ACN 154 520 199 Pty Ltd (in liq) [2017] FCA 444 at (Gleeson J), citing at - (Emmett J); (NSW) Pty Ltd at - (Barrett J). Alternatively, the power may be exercised where a liquidator's decision to act in a particular way is likely to be contentious: ; at 256 (Brereton J), citing ; at 428 (Goldberg J), at (Black J), and ; at - (Robson J). Directions will not generally be granted in relation to a decision that is purely commercial, but may be granted where there is a "particular legal issue raised for consideration or attack on the propriety or reasonableness of the decision in respect of which the directions are sought": at (Stewart J), citing at 428 [65] (Goldberg J).
Effect of a Direction
- If a liquidator acts in accordance with a direction and has made full and fair disclosure of the material facts, the liquidator will be protected from claims by creditors or contributories in respect of an alleged breach of duty arising from the direction: Bastion v Gideon Investments Pty Ltd (in liq) (No 2) (2000) 35 ACSR 466 at [49] (Austin J).
- The power to give directions under the relevant predecessor provisions had limitations, as McLelland J explained in Re G B Nathan & Co Pty Ltd (in liq) (1991) 24 NSWLR 674 at 679-680:
The historical antecedents of s 479(3), the terms of that subsection and the provisions of s 479 as a whole combine to lead to the conclusion that the only proper subject of a liquidator's application for directions is the manner in which the liquidator should act in carrying out his functions as such, and that the only binding effect of, or arising from, a direction given in pursuance of such an application (other than rendering the liquidator liable to appropriate sanctions if a direction in mandatory or prohibitory form is disobeyed) is that the liquidator, if he has made full and fair disclosure to the court of the material facts, will be protected from liability for any alleged breach of duty as liquidator to a creditor or contributory or to the company in respect of anything done by him in accordance with the direction.
Modern Australian authority confirms the view that s 479(3) "does not enable the court to make binding orders in the nature of judgments' and that the function of a liquidator's application for directions "is to give him advice as to his proper course of action in the liquidation; it is not to determine the rights and liabilities arising from the company's transactions before the liquidation".
In ENA Development, the New South Wales Court of Appeal observed that s 90-15 is broader than its predecessors as it confers power to make orders that can determine rights and liabilities in an external administration (at [33]). However, such orders can only be made where necessary and proper parties are given an opportunity to be heard or joined: ENA Development at [35]; see also Re Hawden at [8] (Gleeson JA).
In ENA Development, the relevant direction concerned whether the liquidator would be justified in proceeding on the basis that company assets were not held on trust. The Court explained the effect of the direction made at [36] and [40]:
However, the orders from which this appeal has been brought do not determine any title to property. They merely confirm that, in advance of a determination of beneficial title to property in the company's name, the liquidator would be justified in proceeding on the basis that the property was owned beneficially by the company and is available for the benefit of creditors. They are to that extent unusual, insofar as there will have been a hearing as to whether the liquidator would be justified in proceeding on a basis, and also a hearing which will determine finally whether that basis is correct. ...
...
The effect of the orders is limited. They do not determine title to any property. Instead, they provide qualified comfort to the liquidator in the event that it turns out that he is wrong to proceed on the basis that the assets are assets held beneficially by the company being wound up. ...
- The Liquidator submits that this conclusion is consistent with the general principle that the function of a judicial direction is not to determine rights and liabilities: Re Sparks, IG Energy Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd [2023] FCA 538, [24] (Halley J), citing Union Standard International at [7] (Stewart J). The Liquidator also submits that the the only binding effect that arises from a direction is protection of a liquidator from liability, citing Re G B Nathan at 679.
Absence of contradictor
- Plainly it will often be desirable that there be a contradictor at the hearing of an application seeking approval to proceed in a manner that distinguishes between certain classes of creditors of a company.
- Though preferable in an application such as this that there be a contradictor, the Liquidator submits that the absence of a contradictor is not generally regarded as an impediment to the determination of questions arising in a winding up: In the matter of Dalma No 1 Pty Ltd (in Liquidation) [2013] NSWSC 1335; (2013) 279 FLR 80 at 83-84 [8] - [9] (Brereton J); Lewis and Templeton v LG Electronics Australia Pty Ltd (No 2) [2016] VSC 63; (2016) 308 FLR 100 at 114 [62] (Sifris J).
- Both Dama and Lewis and Templeton were cited with approval in Re Sparks at [53] - [54], where Halley J summarised the principles as follows:
The absence of a contradictor, whilst undesirable, does not preclude a Court from determining an application of an administrator if all reasonable steps have been undertaken to obtain a contradictor or if the natural contradictor has elected against intervening: Re Jick Holdings Pty Ltd (in liq) (2009) 234 FLR 22; [2009] NSWSC 574 at [7] (White J); see Re Dalma No 1 Pty Ltd (in liq) (2013) 279 FLR 80; [2013] NSWSC 1335 at [9] (Brereton J); Hall v Poolman (2009) 75 NSWLR 99; [2009] NSWCA 64 at [7]- [8] (Spigelman CJ, Hodgson JA and Austin J).
Reasonable steps can include giving notice of the proceedings to persons with a potential interest in the outcome of the application, circulating a report to creditors of the company and inviting creditors to express an opinion on the application, including by appearing before the Court: Re Jick at [7] (White J); see also Lewis and Templeton and Another v LG Electronics Australia Pty Ltd and Others (No 2) (2016) 48 VR 450; [2016] VSC 63 at [63] (Sifris J)
I certify that the preceding twenty-seven (27) numbered paragraphs are a true copy of the Reasons for Judgment of the Honourable Justice Derrington.
Ainsworth
Criminal Justice Commission
(1992) 175 CLR 564
(1983) 33 SASR 99
(2002) 115 FCR 409
(1991) 24 NSWLR 674
(2013) 279 FLR 80
(2016) 308 FLR 100
(2009) 234 FLR 22
(2009) 75 NSWLR 99
(2016) 48 VR 450