[2026] FCA 189
General information, not legal advice.
Federal Court of Australia
2026-02-27
Jackman J
Original judgment source is linked above.
Counsel for the 1st, 5th, 9th and 15th Respondents:
Solicitors for the 1st, 5th, 9th and 15th Respondents:
Counsel for the 2nd, 6th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th and 16th Respondents:
Solicitors for the 2nd, 6th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th and 16th Respondents:
(a) the Trustees be appointed as trustees for the sale of the Belrose Property and are authorised to charge remuneration for their services as Trustees, and those of their partners and staff, at the rates contained in their Consent to Act; > > (b) the Belrose Property immediately vests in the Trustees on the making of these orders to be held on trust for sale, subject to any encumbrances affecting the entirety of the Belrose Property; > > (c) the Trustees are empowered to sell the Belrose Property by auction or by private treaty as the Trustees deem appropriate, and to engage agents, valuers, solicitors and/or conveyancers as they deem appropriate for that purpose, to engage contractors for the purpose of bringing the Belrose Property up to a condition which would facilitate sale, and to borrow money for the purpose of those engagements.
(a) in payment of the Trustees' reasonable costs (at their approved rates) and expenses of and incidental to the sale of the Belrose Property, including, but not limited to, legal costs, advertising costs, agent's commission and contractors' costs; > > (b) in payment of all rates, taxes and insurance and other outgoings of the Belrose Property required to be incurred by the Trustees; > > (c) in payment and discharge of all mortgages and other encumbrances registered on title of the Belrose Property including the reasonable costs of discharge of the mortgagee/s, and any reasonable costs of the mortgagee of this proceeding; and > > (d) payment of the balance to the First Applicant (DC Rd DC).
(a) the Trustees be appointed as trustees for the sale of the Turramurra Property and are authorised to charge remuneration for their services as Trustees, and those of their partners and staff, at the rates contained in their Consent to Act; > > (b) the Turramurra Property immediately vests in the Trustees on the making of these orders to be held on trust for sale, subject to any encumbrances affecting the entirety of the Turramurra Property; > > (c) the Trustees are empowered to sell the Turramurra Property by auction or by private treaty as the Trustees deem appropriate, and to engage agents, valuers, solicitors and/or conveyancers as they deem appropriate for that purpose, to engage contractors for the purpose of bringing the Turramurra Property up to a condition which would facilitate sale, and to borrow money for the purpose of those engagements.
(a) in payment of the Trustees' reasonable costs (at their approved rates) and expenses of and incidental to the sale of the Turramurra Property, including, but not limited to, legal costs, advertising costs, agent's commission and contractors' costs; > > (b) in payment of all rates, taxes and insurance and other outgoings of the Turramurra Property required to be incurred by the Trustees; > > (c) in payment and discharge of all mortgages and other encumbrances registered on title of the Turramurra Property including the reasonable costs of discharge of the mortgagee/s, and any reasonable costs of the mortgagee of this proceeding; > > (d) payment to DC Rd DC in the amount of $1,953,053.69 plus post-judgment interest; and > > (e) payment of the balance, if any, to the Eleventh Respondent (Lian Li).
(a) the Trustees be appointed as trustees for the sale of the Herbert Street Property and are authorised to charge remuneration for their services as Trustees, and those of their partners and staff, at the rates contained in their Consent to Act; > > (b) the Herbert Street Property immediately vests in the Trustees on the making of these orders to be held on trust for sale, subject to any encumbrances affecting the entirety of the Herbert Street Property; > > (c) the Trustees are empowered to sell the Herbert Street Property by auction or by private treaty as the Trustees deem appropriate, and to engage agents, valuers, solicitors and/or conveyancers as they deem appropriate for that purpose, to engage contractors for the purpose of bringing the Herbert Street Property up to a condition which would facilitate sale, and to borrow money for the purpose of those engagements.
(a) in payment of the Trustees' reasonable costs (at their approved rates) and expenses of and incidental to the sale of the Herbert Street Property, including, but not limited to, legal costs, advertising costs, agent's commission and contractors' costs; > > (b) in payment of all rates, taxes and insurance and other outgoings of the Herbert Street Property required to be incurred by the Trustees; > > (c) in payment and discharge of all mortgages and other encumbrances registered on title of the Herbert Street Property including the reasonable costs of discharge of the mortgagee/s, and any reasonable costs of the mortgagee of this proceeding; > > (d) payment to DC Rd DC in the amount of $726,658.64 plus post-judgment interest; and > > (e) payment of the balance, if any, to the Second Respondent (Bob Cai).
(a) the Trustees be appointed as trustees for the sale of the Saiala Property and are authorised to charge remuneration for their services as Trustees, and those of their partners and staff, at the rates contained in their Consent to Act; > > (b) the Saiala Property immediately vests in the Trustees on the making of these orders to be held on trust for sale, subject to any encumbrances affecting the entirety of the Saiala Property; > > (c) the Trustees are empowered to sell the Saiala Property by auction or by private treaty as the Trustees deem appropriate, and to engage agents, valuers, solicitors and/or conveyancers as they deem appropriate for that purpose, to engage contractors for the purpose of bringing the Saiala Property up to a condition which would facilitate sale, and to borrow money for the purpose of those engagements.
(a) in payment of the Trustees' reasonable costs (at their approved rates) and expenses of and incidental to the sale of the Saiala Property, including, but not limited to, legal costs, advertising costs, agent's commission and contractors' costs; > > (b) in payment of all rates, taxes and insurance and other outgoings of the Saiala Property required to be incurred by the Trustees; > > (c) in payment and discharge of all mortgages and other encumbrances registered on title of the Saiala Property including the reasonable costs of discharge of the mortgagee/s, and any reasonable costs of the mortgagee of this proceeding; > > (d) payment to DC Rd DC in the amount of $2,349,969.45 plus post-judgment interest; and > > (e) payment of the balance, if any, to the Twelfth Respondent (Saiala Holdings Pty Ltd).
(a) the Trustees be appointed as trustees for the sale of the Clarence 104 Property and are authorised to charge remuneration for their services as Trustees, and those of their partners and staff, at the rates contained in their Consent to Act; > > (b) the Clarence 104 Property immediately vests in the Trustees on the making of these orders to be held on trust for sale, subject to any encumbrances affecting the entirety of the Clarence 104 Property; > > (c) the Trustees are empowered to sell the Clarence 104 Property by auction or by private treaty as the Trustees deem appropriate, and to engage agents, valuers, solicitors and/or conveyancers as they deem appropriate for that purpose, to engage contractors for the purpose of bringing the Clarence 104 Property up to a condition which would facilitate sale, and to borrow money for the purpose of those engagements.
(a) in payment of the Trustees' reasonable costs (at their approved rates) and expenses of and incidental to the sale of the Clarence 104 Property, including, but not limited to, legal costs, advertising costs, agent's commission and contractors' costs; > > (b) in payment of all rates, taxes and insurance and other outgoings of the Clarence 104 Property required to be incurred by the Trustees; > > (c) in payment and discharge of all mortgages and other encumbrances registered on title of the Clarence 104 Property including the reasonable costs of discharge of the mortgagee/s, and any reasonable costs of the mortgagee of this proceeding; > > (d) payment to DC Rd DC in the amount of $329,808.58 plus post-judgment interest; and > > (e) payment of the balance, if any, to the Thirteenth Respondent (Clarence 104 Pty Ltd).
(a) the Trustees be appointed as trustees for the sale of the DSZ Clarence Street Properties and are authorised to charge remuneration for their services as Trustees, and those of their partners and staff, at the rates contained in their Consent to Act; > > (b) the DSZ Clarence Street Properties immediately vest in the Trustees on the making of these orders to be held on trust for sale, subject to any encumbrances affecting the entirety of the DSZ Clarence Street Properties; > > (c) the Trustees are empowered to sell the DSZ Clarence Street Properties by auction or by private treaty as the Trustees deem appropriate, and to engage agents, valuers, solicitors and/or conveyancers as they deem appropriate for that purpose, to engage contractors for the purpose of bringing the DSZ Clarence Street Properties up to a condition which would facilitate sale, and to borrow money for the purpose of those engagements.
(a) in payment of the Trustees' reasonable costs (at their approved rates) and expenses of and incidental to the sale of the DSZ Clarence Street Properties, including, but not limited to, legal costs, advertising costs, agent's commission and contractors' costs; > > (b) in payment of all rates, taxes and insurance and other outgoings of the DSZ Clarence Street Properties required to be incurred by the Trustees; > > (c) in payment and discharge of all mortgages and other encumbrances registered on title of the DSZ Clarence Street Properties including the reasonable costs of discharge of the mortgagee/s, and any reasonable costs of the mortgagee of this proceeding; > > (d) in payment to DC Rd DC in the amount of $1,280,604.90 plus post-judgment interest; > > (e) payment of the balance, if any, to the Sixteenth Respondent (DSZ Accountants Pty Ltd).
(a) inform the mortgagee registered on title of the minimum price at which they propose to sell any property, at least 14 days before entering into a contract for sale; and > > (b) keep the mortgagee registered on title informed with respect to the entry into any contract for sale.
Note: Entry of orders is dealt with in Rule 39.32 of the Federal Court Rules 2011.
Delivered ex tempore, revised from transcript
(a) first, to pay the trustees' reasonable costs;
(b) second, in payment of any outstanding outgoings on the relevant property prior to sale;
(c) third, to discharge any registered mortgages on title, including a mortgagee's costs associated with discharge;
(d) fourth, in payment to DC Road of the judgment sum and pre-judgment interest which have been calculated by the solicitors for the applicant. DC Road also seeks payment of post-judgment interest from the relevant sale proceeds for each property, with such post-judgment interest to be calculated on the figures specified in annexure A to the proposed orders (being the judgment sum plus pre-judgment interest). This accords with the orders of 23 January 2026 pursuant to which I held that DC Road was entitled to either a constructive trust or an equitable charge to the extent of a specific amount and pre-judgment interest on that amount. The total sum constitutes the 'judgment debt' to which post-judgment interest is referable pursuant to s 52 of the Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth): see Jackson v Conway [2000] FCA 1530 at [12] to [15] (Branson J); and
(e) finally, with the exception of the Belrose Property, any remainder to be paid to the registered proprietor of the relevant property.
I certify that the preceding ten (10) numbered paragraphs are a true copy of the Reasons for Judgment of the Honourable Justice Jackman.
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