Background facts
4 Boka Beverages was registered as a company on 17 June 2014. Marko Franovic has been the sole director and secretary of the company since its incorporation. From around the time of its registration, the company operated a beverage bottling plant from premises at 23 Ash Road, Prestons, in the state of New South Wales (premises). The registered proprietor of the premises is another company of which Mr Franovic is a director and a shareholder, Boka Investments Pty Ltd (Boka Investments). Boka Investments leased the premises to Boka Beverages for a five year term ending in 2019.
5 Boka Beverages packaged beer brewed by Icon at the premises. Icon had established its business at the premises prior to Boka Beverage's registration.
6 For the purpose of its business, Icon used certain brewing equipment owned by Melhelm. Melhelm is a consulting and equipment holding company. The equipment that Melhelm claims to own includes the following four items:
(1) a Bright beer tank, serial number 13300;
(2) a Keg Boy, serial number K-89404316-103238969;
(3) laboratory equipment; and
(4) an earth filter, serial number 071534 (disputed brewing equipment).
7 Melhelm claims that, in late 2013 or early 2014, its sole director, Hanna Melhem, moved brewing equipment owned by Melhelm, including the disputed brewing equipment, to a section of the premises. According to Mr Melhem, Melhelm's brewing equipment was leased to Icon for the purposes of its beer brewing business. Brewing equipment, including the disputed brewing equipment, was sighted at the premises by a valuer who valued the equipment in September 2016.
8 There is a dispute between the plaintiffs and Mr Franovic as to the terms on which Icon occupied the premises and the terms on which Boka Beverages packaged beer brewed by Icon. The plaintiffs referred to an unsigned agreement, expressed to be between Icon and Boka Beverages. Mr Franovic agreed in cross-examination that the relationship between Icon and Boka Beverages was consistent with the terms of the unsigned agreement, except that no sub-lease was granted and there was some difference in the pricing charged by Boka Beverages. The unsigned agreement includes the following:
5. BB agree to supply contract filling, pasteurising and packing of Icon beer and related products. As a part of this agreement BB agree to provide the following:
i. All labour costs including loading and unloading of trucks, filling and packing, Quality Assurance for packing and filling, and production scheduling relating to filling and packing;
ii. All Consumables used in filling and packing, including but not limited to hair nets, jet coder ink, etc;
iii. Warehousing and production space for the brewery;
iv. Packaging savings through current discounted suppliers;
v. Storage of raw materials and packaging for up to 1 month;
vi. Storage of finished product for 2 week [sic], with a fee of $5.00 per pallet or part thereof per week to be applied after this 2 week period;
6. Icon agree to supply the following under the terms of this agreement:
i. Supply and access to all brewing equipment;
ii. All brewery related staff;
iii. All maintenance for the brewery plant and equipment.
7. Icon agree to pay BB the following rates for co-packing of Icon beer products:
…
13. Boka [Investments] by its execution hereof agrees to provide to Icon a right of entry to the premises in the event of default or otherwise by BB pursuant to the lease, in order that Icon may continue to operate its business;
…
15. Icon and BB acknowledge that this agreement shall be for a 5 year term, with further options for 2 further terms each of 5 years, such further terms to be at the option of Icon.
9 On 3 April 2017, Boka Beverages issued a statutory demand to Icon. The statutory demand claimed a debt due of $939,248.87 based on outstanding invoices dated from 24 October 2016 to 30 March 2017.
10 On 27 April 2017, Icon filed an originating process in the Supreme Court of New South Wales seeking to set aside the statutory demand (statutory demand proceeding). Icon claimed to be owed $1,735,708 by Boka Beverages for overcharging.
11 Mr Melhem gave evidence that, in about May 2017, Icon ceased brewing beer from the premises and vacated the premises, leaving the disputed brewing equipment.
12 In mid May 2017, Boka Beverages informed its customers that it was ceasing all production as of 16 May 2017. The evidence included a letter dated 16 May 2017 from Boka Beverages addressed "Dear Customer", which stated relevantly:
Please be advised that we are ceasing all production as of today 16th May 2017.
It was agreed with Icon Brewing that due to their outstanding debts they were to brew until April 2017 and then vacate the premises.
13 By letter dated 17 May 2017, from Mr Melhem to Mr Franovic and Bozo Franovic, Mr Melhem wrote, relevantly:
Melhelm Pty Ltd is the owner of Brewery Equipment situated at 23 Ash Road Prestons (Melhelm Equipment).
With the authority of Icon Brewing Company Pty Ltd, Melhelm will commence collecting the Melhelm Equipment from the week starting 31 May 2017.
14 According to Mr Franovic, when he received this letter, it was the first time that he learned of Melhelm and its interest in the brewing equipment situated at the premises.
15 There is evidence that Melhelm made unsuccessful attempts to collect its equipment from the premises in late May and June 2017.
16 By email sent on 7 June 2017, Peter Helene, solicitor acting for Boka Investments, wrote to Millie Garvin of Turks Legal, then acting for Melhelm, relevantly:
Boka Investments Pty Ltd, the registered proprietor of the premises occupied by your client, has instructed me to act on its behalf in relation to this matter. My client has terminated Boka Beverages Pty Ltd lease because of outstanding rent and wishes to obtain possession of the premises so that they can be leased.
…
We understand that your client is presently undertaking brewing operations and upon completion of those activities it will vacate the premises and then arrange for the equipment to be removed. To ensure that the premises are restored after the removal of brewing equipment my client requires security (a bank guarantee would be acceptable) of $100,000 to ensure the premises are not damaged and restored to their pre-occupation condition. Having regard to the totality of equipment I trust that you will agree that this this request is reasonable.
17 There is evidence that, around this time, the gate to the premises was damaged and could not be closed properly for a period of about three weeks until it was repaired, leaving open the possibility that the equipment might have been stolen. However, there is also evidence that the equipment was still at the premises as late as 20 July 2017, when Mr Helene wrote to Ms Garvin as follows:
My client Boka Investments Pty Ltd has instructed me to advise you that before your client can remove its equipment it must arrange for the removal of their bulk bags which are contained in 30 of those bags. Each bag weight is approximately 35kg making a total in excess of 1,000kg …
18 By email dated 24 July 2017, Ms Garvin asserted that Melhelm had attempted to remove its bulk bags on two occasions, but had been denied entry on each occasion. Ms Garvin asked when Boka Investments would provide access for Melhelm to remove its equipment.
19 There is conflicting evidence about when Boka Beverages vacated the premises. According to Mr Franovic, Boka Beverages had left the premises by 30 June 2017, although it had some of its own plant and equipment on the premises which was not removed until December 2017. According to Mr Franovic, Boka Beverages incurred a liability for rent to Boka Investments until December 2017.
20 On 11 August 2017, in a second proceeding in the Supreme Court (delivery up proceeding), the Supreme Court made orders including an interim injunction in the application of Melhelm and Icon restraining both Boka Investments and Boka Beverages from "selling … or otherwise dealing with the items of Beer Brewing or associated equipment identified in the schedule of equipment attached to the orders". The schedule of equipment listed, among other things, the four items specified above.
21 The liquidators concede that sometime between when Icon vacated the premises and 17 August 2017, when a Supreme Court ordered inspection by Mr Melhem took place, some items owned by Melhelm went missing.
22 In a statement of claim filed in the delivery up proceeding and dated 17 October 2017, Melhelm and Icon sought an order that Boka Investments and Boka Beverages deliver up to them "Equipment", being items of beer brewing equipment identified in the report of the September 2016 valuation. Melhelm and Icon also sought damages for the detention or conversion of the "Equipment". The statement of claim alleged, relevantly:
On 17 August 2017, pursuant to orders of Slattery J made in these proceedings on 15 August 2017, representatives of the first and second plaintiff attended the Property to inspect the Equipment. As at the date of that inspection, the following items of the Equipment had been removed from the Property:
(i) a Keg Boy;
(ii) all laboratory equipment; and
(iii) a diatomaceous earth filter (DE filter) …
23 Senior counsel for the defendants, Mr Marshall SC, noted that the statement of claim did not allege that the Bright beer tank, which was one of the four items of disputed brewing equipment, was missing.
24 The statutory demand proceeding was the subject of a contested hearing before Brereton J on 21 and 22 November 2017. Following the hearing, judgment was reserved.
25 Mr Franovic acknowledges that he sold the Bright beer tank to a third party, Brewpack Pty Ltd, although he says that he did this with the permission of Mr Melhem who had sold him the tank and another similar tank in return for a set off of $74,000 against a debt owed to Boka Beverages by Icon in 2014. Mr Cvitanovic reported that the company made a sale to Brewpack on 27 February 2018 in an amount of $6,750 (exclusive of GST), said to be a sale of the relevant tanks. The liquidators noted that, in a statement given by Mr Melhem to police in November 2017, Mr Melhem had said that he sold one of two Bright beer tanks to Mr Franovic but he could not remember which one.
26 According to Mr Franovic, in March 2018, plant and equipment owned by Melhelm was removed from the premises by contractors acting on behalf of the ANZ Bank pursuant to personal property securities that the bank held over the equipment.
27 Icon was placed into administration on 21 May 2018.
28 On 22 June 2018, Mr Franovic attended the Supreme Court for a directions hearing in relation to the statutory demand proceeding. According to him, he formed the view on that occasion that a judgment was not likely to be delivered within a short timeframe and, as Boka Beverages had ceased trading about 12 months earlier, Mr Franovic decided to appoint a liquidator to Boka Beverages.
29 The company went into liquidation on 5 July 2018, initially as a members' voluntary winding up.
30 On 30 July 2018, each of Melhelm and Icon lodged proofs of debt in the company's winding up. Melhelm's proof of debt was in an amount of $605,000. The particulars of the debt are stated as follows:
Damages for the detention of/conversion of:
• Fermentation Tank (2)
• Keg Boy
• DE Filter
• Lab Equip
• GEA Centrifuge
31 The proof of debt attached the statement of claim filed in the delivery up proceeding.
32 Icon's proof of debt was in an amount of $1,372,979. The particulars of the debt are as follows: "Loss and damages incurred due to being denied access to the plant and equipment and to the Prestons Premises."
33 In August 2018, Mr Cvitanovic requested further information to support the proofs of debt.
34 On 31 August 2018, Melhelm and Icon proposed to Mr Cvitanovic that the members' voluntary winding up be converted to a creditors' voluntary winding up on terms, relevantly, that the claims made by Melhelm and Icon be dealt with via the proof of debt process and the delivery up proceeding be discontinued.
35 On 20 September 2018, the winding up was converted to a creditors' voluntary winding up. The minutes of the meeting of the company's creditors that day record that the liquidator acknowledged Melhelm and Icon as "contingent creditors… but could not admit the whole amount on their proof of debts due to a lack of supporting documentation".
36 On 15 October 2018, Melhelm applied to ASIC for eligible applicant status with a view to an application for examination summonses and orders for production of documents in relation to the examinable affairs of Boka Beverages. A principal purpose of the proposed examinations was to determine whether Melhelm had a potential claim against the company for damages "for the detention/conversion of brewing equipment valued at at least $605,000".
37 Melhelm's application to ASIC also submitted that the following matters (said to have been identified by the liquidators in their 4 October 2018 report to creditors) require further investigation:
(1) that the company may have traded whilst insolvent for a period of time prior to the liquidators' appointment;
(2) the solvency of the company was highly dependent upon loan funds provided by a related entity, Boka Holdings (Aust) Pty Ltd (Boka Holdings);
(3) there are transactions of the company that appear to be in the nature of voidable transactions; and
(4) the company appears to have disposed of a significant amount of plant and equipment during the period from 1 July 2017 to 5 July 2018.
38 Melhelm's application to ASIC identified the following reasons for the proposed investigations:
(a) investigate the Company's solvency position, in particular to:
i. determine when the Company first became insolvent, or in the alternate, whether the presumption of insolvency is available in this liquidation due to deficiencies in the books and records;
ii. quantify the unpaid debts of the Company which were incurred after the Company became insolvent (or is presumed to have been insolvent), which would determine the value of any claim for insolvent trading;
iii. accordingly, determine whether there is a claim against Mr Franovic for insolvent trading pursuant to section 588M of the Act; and
iv. in the event it appears that there is a potential claim against Mr Franovic, determine whether he may be entitled to invoke the defences in section 588H of the Act,
(b) obtain the books and records of the Company;
(c) investigate the relationship and nature of the transactions between the Company and Boka Holdings;
(d) investigate whether there are any claims available with respect to voidable transactions;
(e) investigate the disposal of plant and equipment by the Company during the period after 1 July 2017 to the Appointment Date and investigate whether there are any claims with respect to the disposal of plant and equipment; and
(f) investigate whether any parties have knowledge or documents that will assist Melhelm to determine:
i. the circumstances surrounding the termination of the Licence Agreement by the Company and Icon being locked out of the Premises;
ii. whether the Brewing Equipment is at the Premises and, if not, the current location of the Brewing Equipment; and
iii. who currently has possession of the Brewing Equipment,
(g) investigate whether Melhelm has any claims against the Company, Mr Franovic, Boka Investments and/or BrewPack with respect to the Brewing equipment including for:
i. an order for possession of the Brewing Equipment; and/or
ii. damages for the detention of/conversion of the Brewing Equipment,
(h) if Melham [sic] has a claim against the Company, whether the Company and/or the Liquidators have a cross-claim against:
i. Mr Franovic for breach of his duties to the Company by causing it to carry out the Actions by which it became liable to Melham [sic]; and/or
ii. the Brewpack Entities and/or Boka Investments pursuant to s79 of the Act for being knowingly and directly or indirectly involved in Mr Franovic's breach of duty to the Company; and
(i) assist the Liquidators and/or Melhelm to form a view as to the capacity of the parties identified in paragraphs (g) and (h) above to satisfy any judgment that may be entered against them arising out of any legal proceeding the Liquidators and/or the Company and/or Melhelm may commence against them.
39 By letter dated 15 October 2018, Justin Ward of Macleay Partners, on behalf of Melhelm, asked Mr Cvitanovic to refrain from adjudicating on the proofs of debt until Melhelm's application to ASIC had been determined. The letter foreshadowed a request that, in the event that Melhelm (or Icon) was granted eligible applicant status, the liquidators refrain from adjudicating on the proofs of debt until the investigation process was completed.
40 On 31 October 2018, the liquidators rejected the two proofs of debt in their entirety.
41 On 3 December 2018, ASIC authorised Melhelm as an eligible applicant for the purposes of Div 1 of Pt 5.9 of the Act.
42 The liquidators issued a further report to creditors dated 6 February 2019. The report sets out additional steps taken in the liquidation and identifies the potential dividend to unsecured creditors as "0 cents/$".