REASONS FOR JUDGMENT
1 On 25 February 2010, Orders were made that 15 schemes listed in Annexure A to the orders made on that day (the Schemes) be wound up pursuant to s 601EE(1) of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (the Act). In addition, the Orders provided that Mr Damian Templeton and Mr Phillip Hennessy of KPMG (the Receivers) be appointed as joint and several receivers and managers of certain property of each of the second to sixteenth and eighteenth to forty-fifth defendants (defined as the Corporate Defendants) and as joint and several receivers and managers of identified property of the Schemes (the Appointment Order): see Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Letten [2010] FCA 140.
2 On 4 March 2010, the Receivers were also appointed as joint and several receivers and managers of the property of a scheme defined in those orders (the SY21 Orders) to mean "the funds invested, contributed or deposited by investors for the purpose of acquiring an interest in the project known as SY21 Retail Complex Project" (the SY21 Scheme).
3 In general terms, the effect of the Appointment Order and the SY21 Orders was to preserve the status quo to enable the Receivers to conduct investigations into each Scheme and the SY21 Scheme and, on or before 12 April 2010, to file a report (the Disclosure Report) in respect of each about the following matters:
(a) the nature and identity of the Property of the Scheme;
(b) the claims (actual, contingent and other) of third parties in relation to the Property of the Scheme including, but not limited to, whether the Property of the Scheme has been given as security for any debt or liability and if so, the nature of the security and the debt or liability so secured;
(c) in relation to the Investors:
(i) the identities of the Investors and the nature and extent of their interests;
(ii) any payments made to or by Investors in relation to the Scheme;
(iii) any money owing to the Investors;
(d) the nature and identity of the liabilities of the Scheme including, but not limited to, liabilities to the Investors;
(e) the solvency of the Scheme;
(f) the most appropriate manner and timing of managing and realising any assets or Property of the Scheme so as to most benefit the Investors; and
(g) a recommendation as to the process for recovering all money owing to the Scheme, whether by way of loan or otherwise.
4 On 23 March 2010, the Receivers filed an Interlocutory Process under ss 1323(5) and 601EE of the Act and paragraph 29 of the Appointment Order seeking orders or directions determining certain questions in the receiverships, namely:
(a) that the Receivers are justified in causing the following corporate defendants (each a "Borrower") to borrow funds from Westpac Banking Corporation Limited ("Westpac") in the amounts identified at paragraph 34 of the Second Templeton Affidavit:
(i) Yarra Valley Golf Pty Ltd (receivers and managers appointed) ("YVG");
(ii) Firbank Arch Pty Ltd (receivers and managers appointed);
(iii) Twinview Nominees Pty Ltd (receivers and managers appointed);
(iv) Nicholson Street Pty Ltd (receivers and managers appointed);
(v) The Glen Centre Hawthorn Pty Ltd (receivers and managers appointed);
(vi) Glenbelle Pty Ltd (receivers and managers appointed); and
(vii) Enmore Enterprises Pty Ltd (receivers and managers appointed),
(collectively, the "Facilities".)
(b) that, without limiting Westpac's rights under the Facilities and any security it holds in connection with the Facilities, amounts owing under or in connection with the Facilities be paid out of the assets of the relevant Borrower (including any Scheme assets held by that Borrower) in priority to all other debts and claims (for the purposes of this Order (b), Scheme has the meaning ascribed to it in the Appointment Order).
(c) that the powers of the Receivers as set out in paragraphs 3 and 5 of the Orders of the Court made on 25 February 2010 be amended so as to provide the Receivers with the following powers:
(i) to complete the contracts of sale entered into by YVG in respect of lots 601 to 618 on plan subdivision number 415064K located at the Heritage Golf and Country Club, Wonga Park, Victoria and known as the "Botanica" development; and
(ii) to pay the entire net proceeds of the settlement of the Botanica properties to Westpac, in reduction of the secured liabilities of YVG to Westpac, after deduction of the reasonable selling expenses of YVG and the reasonable fees and expenses of the Receivers in respect of getting in, preserving and realising the Botanica properties (as agreed with Westpac or, failing agreement, as fixed by the Court).
(d) that the Receivers are justified in:
(i) completing the contracts of sale entered into by YVG in respect of 601 to 618 on plan subdivision number 415064K located at the Heritage Golf and Country Club, Wonga Park, Victoria and known as the "Botanica" development;
(ii) paying the entire net proceeds of the settlement of the Botanica properties to Westpac, in reduction of the secured liabilities of YVG to Westpac, after deduction of the reasonable selling expenses of YVG and the reasonable fees and expenses of the Receivers in respect of getting in, preserving and realising the Botanica properties (as agreed with Westpac or, failing agreement, as fixed by the Court).
(e) that the Receivers are justified in suspending operation of any of the businesses conducted by the following corporate defendants in the event that the relevant corporate defendant does not have and cannot obtain sufficient loan funds, or generate sufficient cash flow from trading operations of the relevant business, to pay all debts which would otherwise be incurred during the receivership as a result of those trading operations:
(i) YVG;
(ii) Firbank Arch Pty Ltd (receivers and managers appointed);
(iii) Twinview Nominees Pty Ltd (receivers and managers appointed);
(iv) Nicholson Street Pty Ltd (receivers and managers appointed);
(v) The Glen Centre Hawthorn Pty Ltd (receivers and managers appointed);
(vi) Glenbelle Pty Ltd (receivers and managers appointed);
(vii) Enmore Enterprises Pty Ltd (receivers and managers appointed); and
(viii) Low Head Village Pty Ltd (receivers and managers appointed).
5 An affidavit sworn by Mr Damian Templeton on 23 March 2010 (the Second Templeton Affidavit)was filed in support of the interlocutory process. The process was listed for hearing on 25 March 2010. When the interlocutory process was called on for hearing, I informed Counsel for the Receivers that I had a number of concerns with the proposed orders sought and the material filed in support of the application. Those concerns included that the material appeared to be incomplete, the material inappropriately dealt with the schemes on a global basis, in some respects the application appeared to be premature and further or alternatively, the cash flow forecasts appeared to involve some double counting. Counsel for the Plaintiff, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), informed the Court that ASIC was not in a position to express a view on the majority of the Orders sought because it had not been provided with the necessary material. In fact, some of the material (for example the terms of the proposed funding) was not then in existence. Counsel for Mr Letten informed the Court that he supported the making of the Orders. Notwithstanding the submissions of Counsel for the Receivers and Counsel for Mr Letten, I refused to make the Orders on the material that had then been filed. I informed the Receivers that if they wished to seek a variation to the Appointment Order or the SY21 Orders, they could do so on a scheme by scheme basis supported by appropriate affidavit evidence.
6 On 29 March 2010, a further affidavit sworn by Mr Damian Templeton on 26 March 2010 (the Third Templeton Affidavit)was filed in support of the interlocutory process. The application was accompanied by an outline of submissions and draft orders. The orders sought by the Receivers were in an amended form (the Proposed Orders) as follows:
1. Damian Templeton and Phillip Hennessy ("Receivers") are justified in causing Glenbelle Pty Ltd (receivers and managers appointed) ("Glenbelle") to borrow funds from Westpac Banking Corporation Limited ("Westpac") in the maximum amounts specified in, and upon the terms set out in the term sheet for Glenbelle ("Glenbelle Facility")included in Exhibit "DJT-8" to the affidavit of Damian John Templeton sworn on 26 March 2010 ("Third Templeton Affidavit").
2. Without limiting Westpac's rights under the Glenbelle Facility and the security specified therein, amounts owing under or in connection with the Glenbelle Facility be paid out of the assets of Glenbelle (including any Scheme assets held by Glenbelle) in priority to all other debts and claims.
3. The Receivers are justified in causing Firbank Arch Pty Ltd (receivers and managers appointed) ("Firbank") to borrow funds from Westpac in the maximum amounts specified in, and upon terms set out in the term sheet for Firbank ("Firbank Facility")included in Exhibit "DJT-8" to the Third Templeton Affidavit.
4. Without limiting Westpac's rights under the Firbank Facility and the security specified therein, amounts owing under or in connection with the Firbank Facility be paid out of the assets of Firbank (including any Scheme assets held by Firbank) in priority to all other debts and claims.
5. The Receivers are justified in causing to (sic) Yarra Valley Golf Pty Ltd (receivers and managers appointed) ("YVG") to borrow funds from Westpac in the maximum amounts specified in, and upon the terms set out in, the terms sheet (sic) for YVG ("YVG Facility") included in Exhibit "DJT-8" to the Third Templeton Affidavit.
6. The Receivers are justified in causing YVG to borrow further funds from Westpac in the maximum amounts specified in, and upon the terms set out in, the Proposed Botanica Facility ("Botanica Facility")which is Exhibit "DJT-11" to the Third Templeton Affidavit.
7. Without limiting Westpac's rights under:
(a) the YVG Facility and the security specified therein;
(b) the Botanica Facility and the security specified therein,
amounts owing under or in connection with the YVG Facility and/or the Botanica Facility be paid out of the assets of YVG (including any Scheme assets held by YVG) in priority to all other debts and claims.
8. The Receivers are justified in causing Twinview Nominees Pty Ltd (receivers and managers appointed) ("Twinview") to borrow funds from Westpac in the maximum amounts specified in, and upon the terms set out in the term sheet for Twinview ("Twinview Facility") included in Exhibit "DJT 8" to the Third Templeton Affidavit.
9. Without limiting Westpac's rights under the Twinview Facility and the security specified therein, amounts owing under or in connection with the Twinview Facility be paid out of the assets of Twinview (including any Scheme assets held by Twinview) in priority to all other debts and claims.
10. The Receivers are justified in causing The Glen Centre Hawthorn Pty Ltd (receivers and managers appointed) ("The Glen Centre") to borrow funds from Westpac in the maximum amounts specified in, and upon the terms set out in the term sheet for The Glen Centre ("The Glen Facility") included in Exhibit "DJT-8" to the Third Templeton Affidavit.
11. Without limiting Westpac's rights under The Glen Facility and the security specified therein, amounts owing under or in connection with The Glen Facility be paid out of the assets of The Glen Centre (including any Scheme assets held by The Glen Centre) in priority to all other debts and claims.
12. The Receivers are justified in causing Nicholson Street Pty Ltd (receivers and managers appointed) ("Nicholson Street") to borrow funds from Westpac in the maximum amounts specified in, and upon the terms set out in the terms sheet (sic)
for Nicholson Street ("Nicholson Street Facility")included in Exhibit "DJT-8" to the Third Templeton Affidavit.
13. Without limiting Westpac's rights under the Nicholson Street Facility and the security specified therein, amounts owing under or in connection with the Nicholson Street Facility be paid out of the assets of Nicholson Street (including any Scheme assets held by Nicholson Street) in priority to all other debts and claims.
14. The Receivers are justified in causing Enmore Enterprises Pty Ltd (receivers and managers appointed) ("Enmore") to borrow funds from Westpac in the maximum amounts specified in, and upon the terms set out in the term sheet for Enmore ("Enmore Facility")included in Exhibit "DJT-8" to the Third Templeton Affidavit.
15. Without limiting Westpac's rights under the Enmore Facility and the security specified therein, amounts owing under or in connection with the Enmore Facility be paid out of the assets of Enmore (including any Scheme assets held by Enmore) in priority to all other debts and claims.
16. Notwithstanding paragraphs 3 and 5 of the 25 February Orders, the powers of the Receivers include the power:
(a) to complete the contracts of sale entered into by YVG in respect of lots 601 to 618 on plan of subdivision number 415064K located at the Heritage Golf and Country Club, Wonga Park, Victoria and known as the "Botanica" development; and
(b) to pay the entire net proceeds of the settlement of the Botanica properties to Westpac, in reduction of the secured liabilities of YVG to Westpac, after deduction of the reasonable selling expenses of YVG and the reasonable fees and expenses of the Receivers in respect of getting in, preserving and realising the Botanica properties (as agreed with Westpac or, failing agreement, as fixed by the Court).
17. The Receivers are justified in:
(a) completing the contracts of sale entered into by YVG in respect of 601 to 618 on plan of subdivision number 415064K located at the Heritage Golf and Country Club, Wonga Park, Victoria and known as the "Botanica" development;
(b) paying the entire net proceeds of the settlement of the each of the said contracts to Westpac, in reduction of the secured liabilities of YVG to Westpac, after deduction of the reasonable selling expenses of YVG and the reasonable fees and expenses of the Receivers in respect of getting in, preserving and realising the Botanica properties (as agreed with Westpac or, failing agreement, as fixed by the Court).
7 The Receivers submitted that the orders and directions in [6] above were necessary:
1. to enable them to obtain working capital facilities from Westpac to allow the businesses to continue to operate as going concerns and to maintain the operational status quo until the Receivers completed their investigations;
2. to vary the existing orders to allow the Receivers to settle the pre-existing contracts for sale of the "Botanica" townhouses within the Yarra Valley Golf Development; and
3. to enable the Receivers to obtain construction funding for completion of works on some of the "Botanica" apartments and to cover the contingent cost of rental guarantees and other post-settlement obligations specified in the contracts of sale of the apartments.
8 Before turning to consider the interlocutory process, it is necessary to restate some principles. First, scheme property is trust property: Re GDK Financial Solutions Pty Ltd; Australian Securities and Investments Commission v GDK Financial Solutions Pty Ltd (2006) 236 ALR 699 at [2], [22] and [47]. Secondly, the principle that trust property should not be mixed applies equally to managed investment schemes: see Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Enterprise Solutions 2000 Pty Ltd [2001] QSC 82 and generally Charles Pearson Pty Ltd v Attorney-General for the State of Victoria[2006] VSC 260 at [7]; Conlan v Registrar of Titles (2001) 24 WAR 299 at [272]; Lupton v White [1808] 15 Ves 432; R P Meagher, Jacobs' Law of Trusts in Australia (6th ed, 1997) at 435. Thirdly, it is only where trust property is so intermixed that it is nearly impossible to trace individual investor's monies and that any attempt to do so would be unlikely to produce a reliable result, that a rateable distribution may be more appropriate: see Enterprise Solutions 2000 Pty Ltd [2001] QSC 82 at [12] and [13]. We are not currently in that position and may never be so. The Receivers have not yet prepared the Disclosure Reports which would identify the assets of each scheme and identify whether scheme assets have been intermixed and, if so, the extent to which that has occurred.
9 In order to understand the orders now sought by the Receivers (see [6] above), it is necessary to set out in some detail the evidence filed in support of the application.
10 First, notwithstanding that the Receivers have not yet completed preparation of the Disclosure Reports which would identify the assets of each scheme and, if relevant, the extent to which scheme assets have been intermixed, the Receivers' contend that "the Corporate Defendants and the Schemes (excluding the SY21 Retail Complex Project) individually or collectively (the emphasis added is mine) own four trading businesses and five commercial property investments" listed in the table below. The Receivers define the trading businesses and the commercial property investments as "the Businesses".