INTRODUCTION
1 On 25 February 2010, the schemes numbered 1, 4 to 9 and 13 to 16 in Annexure A to these reasons for decision were wound up pursuant to s 601EE(1) of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (the Corporations Act). Also on 25 February 2010, Mr Damian Templeton and Mr Phillip Hennessy of KPMG (the Receivers) were appointed as joint and several receivers and managers of certain property of each of the second to sixteenth and eighteenth to forty-fifth defendants (the Corporate Defendants) and as joint and several receivers and managers of identified property of each of the schemes listed in Annexure A (the Schemes) except for the scheme numbered 12: Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Letten [2010] FCA 140 (the 25 February Orders).
2 The 25 February Orders required the Receivers to file and serve a report in respect of, inter alia, the nature and identity of the property of each Scheme, any claims by third parties in relation to the property of the Scheme, the identities of investors and the nature of their investment (the Disclosure Reports).
3 On 13 April 2010, the Receivers filed Disclosure Reports in relation to each Scheme listed in Annexure A except for schemes numbered 6, 15 and 16. The Disclosure Reports for schemes numbered 6, 15 and 16 were filed on 28 April 2010.
4 This judgment concerns Schemes 15 (the Yarra Valley Golf Joint Venture Scheme) and 16 (the Glenbelle Project Scheme).
5 On 25 February 2010, the Court ordered that:
1. Pursuant to s 1323(1)(h)(ii) of the Act the Receivers be appointed to the property of, inter alia, the twenty-first to forty-fifth defendants (the YVG Parties) and the twenty-ninth and thirty-sixth defendants (the Glenbelle Parties), other than property that constitutes property of a Scheme as defined in Annexure A to the Order;
2. the Yarra Valley Golf Joint Venture Scheme and the Glenbelle Project Scheme (being Schemes identified in Annexure A) be wound up pursuant to s 60IEE(1) of the Act; and
3. the Receivers be appointed as receivers and managers of the Property of, inter alia, the Yarra Valley Golf Joint Venture Scheme and the Glenbelle Project Scheme.
6 In his disclosure report in relation to the Yarra Valley Golf Joint Venture Scheme, Mr Templeton (one of the Receivers) provided a diagrammatic and descriptive overview of the scheme structure and the relationship with key stakeholders (the Yarra Valley Overview). A copy of the Yarra Valley Overview is Annexure B to these reasons for decision.
7 In his disclosure report in relation to the Glenbelle Project, Mr Templeton provided a diagrammatic and descriptive overview of the scheme structure and the relationship with key stakeholders (the Glenbelle Overview). A copy of the Glenbelle Overview is Annexure C to these reasons for decision.
8 On 4 June 2010, the Receivers were authorised to sell the YVG Properties and Glenbelle Properties, save that the Receivers were not authorised to enter into any contract of sale in respect of the YVG Properties and Glenbelle Properties which was not conditional upon approval of the Court. In the 4 June Orders, the "YVG Parties" were defined as the twenty-first to forty-fifth defendants and the "YVG Properties" were defined as:
(a) the land, buildings and fixtures, the legal title to which is held by any of the YVG Parties, located at The Heritage Golf and Country Club, Corner of Hughes and Yarraview Roads, Chirnside Park, Victoria (the Heritage Complex) including:
(i) the properties in respect of which there are existing contracts of sale, including:
(A) Lots 611 to 618 Botanica town houses;
(B) Lots 6 and 7 of the Henley Land;
(C) Lot 8 of the Henley Land,
(collectively, the Pre-sold Properties); and
(ii) all other developed and undeveloped land located at the Heritage Complex.
(b) the golf operations business located at the Heritage Complex including the YVG Parties' interest in and rights in respect of:
(i) the Henley Golf Course;
(ii) the St John Golf Course;
(iii) the club house;
(iv) the members' bar;
(v) the pro shop;
(vi) all maintenance sheds;
(vii) all ancillary property and plant and equipment used in the golf operations;
(viii) goodwill; and
(ix) debtors;
(c) all other rights, plant and equipment, vehicles and any other thing owned by the YVG Parties; and
(d) all shares held by Yarra Valley Golf Pty Ltd (receivers and managers appointed) in Heritage Golf and Country Club Pty Ltd,
(each a YVG Property and collectively the YVG Properties).
9 In the same orders, the "Glenbelle Parties" were defined as twenty-ninth and thirty-sixth defendants and the "Glenbelle Properties" were defined as:
(a) the land, buildings and fixtures, in respect of the Management Lot of The Sebel Lodge Yarra Valley located within the Heritage Complex;
(b) the land, building and fixtures, in respect of the Heritage Retreat recreation facility and day spa located within the Heritage Complex;
(c) The Sebel Lodge Yarra Valley business including the Glenbelle Parties' interest in:
(i) the hotel operations;
(ii) the food and beverage operations;
(iii) the conference operations;
(iv) the associated goodwill;
(v) the debtors; and
(vi) all ancillary property and plant and equipment used in The Sebel Lodge Yarra Valley operations;
(d) the Heritage Retreat business including the Glenbelle Parties' interest in;
(i) the spa operations;
(ii) the recreation facility operations;
(iii) the food and beverage operations;
(iv) the associated goodwill;
(v) the debtors;
(vi) all ancillary property and plant and equipment used in the Heritage Retreat operations;
(e) all other rights, plant and equipment, vehicles and any other thing owned by the Glenbelle Parties.
10 On 23 December 2010 the Receivers entered into various agreements for the sale of the YVG Properties and the retreat and day spa component of the Glenbelle Properties (the Glenbelle Retreat & Spa).
11 This application concerns the sale of the majority of the assets over which the Receivers have been appointed, comprising the land and businesses operated in the Yarra Valley where there is situated, generally speaking, golf courses, a substantial Clubhouse, a Hotel, a spa and pool complex, tennis courts and associated businesses that go to the operation of those assets and, in particular:
1. The St John Golf Course - an 18 hole championship course upon which there is a substantial club house;
2. The Henley Golf Course - an 18 hole championship course and further land surrounding it to be subdivided for sale;
3. The Retreat and Spa land - land upon which a spa and pool complex has been constructed, together with two tennis courts;
4. The business that operates the golf club known as the Heritage Golf and Country Club, the two golf courses, the clubhouse, a landscaping business and a property development business; and
5. The business that operated the Retreat and Spa.
The assets listed in paragraphs (1) to (5) have now been sold and are the subject of the current application.
12 On 27 April 2011, the Receivers filed an interlocutory process which, pursuant to ss 1323(5) and 601EE of the Corporations Act and paragraph 29 of the 25 February Orders, sought approval of the Receivers to enter into the following contracts of sale in relation to these assets:
1. The YVG Business Sale Agreement, whereby the Receivers, on behalf of Yarra Valley Golf Pty Ltd (Receivers and Managers Appointed) (YVG), entered into a business sale agreement for the sale of the assets of the business carried on by YVG in owning or operating the businesses conducted by and on behalf of the Heritage Golf and Country Club, two golf courses, the clubhouse, a landscaping business and YVG Development, a property development business conducted by YVG;
2. The Glenbelle Business Sale Agreement, whereby the Receivers, on behalf of Glenbelle Pty Ltd (Receivers and Managers Appointed) (Glenbelle), entered into a business sale agreement for the sale of the assets of the business carried on by Glenbelle in owning and operating the business conducted on the Management Lot and the Retreat and Day Spa businesses;
3. The St. John Golf Course land sale contract, whereby the Receivers, on behalf of YVG, entered into a contract for the sale of the land comprising the St. John Golf Course. Clause 25.6 of the Special Conditions makes completion of this sale contract conditional upon the completion of the YVG Business Sale Agreement, the YVG Property Agreement (Henley) sale contract, the Glenbelle Business Sale Agreement and the Retreat and Spa land sale contract;
4. The YVG Property Agreement (Henley) land sale contract, whereby the Receivers, on behalf of YVG, entered into a contract for the sale of the land comprising the Henley Golf Course. Clause 25.7 conditions the completion of this contract in the same way as referred to in relation to the St. John Golf Course land sale contract;
5. The Retreat and Spa of the Sebel Heritage Yarra Valley land sale contract, whereby the Receivers, on behalf of Glenbelle, entered into a land sale agreement comprising certain land upon which the Retreat and Spa business was operated. Clauses 21.5 and 21.6 make completion of this contract conditional upon completion of the other contracts the subject of this application.
(collectively, the Sale Contracts).
The interlocutory process was supported by affidavits sworn by Damian John Templeton on 21 April 2011 (the Twenty Fifth Templeton Affidavit), 12 May 2011 (the Twenty Sixth Templeton Affidavit) and 13 May 2011 (the Twenty Seventh Templeton Affidavit).
13 On 13 May, the interlocutory process came on for hearing. In addition to Counsel for the Receivers, a number of other parties appeared by Counsel including the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, the first defendant (Mr Letten) and the following interested parties (either by their legal representative or in person):
1. Westpac Banking Corporation (the secured lender) (Westpac);
2. Australian and Pacific Investment Corporation Pty Ltd and William Boerkamp;
3. Dr Tickell and Keywear Pty Ltd (Keywear) (the Tickell Interests);
4. Bridgehead Properties Pty Ltd (ACN 078 214 490) (Bridgehead), a creditor of Yarra Valley Golf Pty Ltd.
14 The only parties who opposed the orders sought by the Receivers were Bridgehead and the Tickell Interests. Bridgehead filed a number of affidavits in opposition to the claim and Mr Woodward SC made oral submissions in relation to Bridgehead's opposition to the application. Dr Tickell (a guarantor) appeared in person and was given leave to appear on behalf of Keywear, another guarantor. Dr Tickell made written and oral submissions.
15 Their principal complaint was that a parcel of land included in the Sale Contracts (referred to during the submissions as "the undeveloped land)" was not marketed. It will be necessary to consider the substance of this argument in further detail later in these reasons for decision.