[2020] WASC 388
General information, not legal advice.
Supreme Court of WA
2020-10-27
Hill J
Original judgment source is linked above.
(a) an order declaring that any act, matter or thing purporting to have been done, or any proceeding purporting to have been instituted or taken, under this Act or in relation to a corporation is not invalid by reason of any contravention of a provision of this Act or a provision of the constitution of a corporation;
(b) an order directing the rectification of any register kept by ASIC under this Act;
(c) an order relieving a person in whole or in part from any civil liability in respect of a contravention or failure of a kind referred to in paragraph (a);
(d) an order extending the period for doing any act, matter or thing or instituting or taking any proceeding under this Act or in relation to a corporation (including an order extending a period where the period concerned ended before the application for the order was made) or abridging the period for doing such an act, matter or thing or instituting or taking such a proceeding;
and may make such consequential or ancillary orders as the Court thinks fit.
...
(6) The Court must not make an order under this section unless it is satisfied:
(a) in the case of an order referred to in paragraph (4)(a):
(i) that the act, matter or thing, or the proceeding, referred to in that paragraph is essentially of a procedural nature;
(ii) that the person or persons concerned in or party to the contravention or failure acted honestly; or
(iii) that it is just and equitable that the order be made; and
(b) in the case of an order referred to in paragraph (4)(c) - that the person subject to the civil liability concerned acted honestly; and
(c) in every case - that no substantial injustice has been or is likely to be caused to any person.
(a) the prescriptive requirements of the wording in s 1322(4)(a) and the pre-conditions in s 1322(6) need to be satisfied;[35]
(b) the court retains a discretion under s 1322(4)(a) as to whether it makes the orders sought;
(c) the broad powers reflect a legislative policy that the law should not inflict unnecessary liability or inconvenience or invalidate transactions because of non-compliance with its requirements where such non-compliance is the product of honest error or inadvertence and where the court can avoid its effects without prejudice to third parties or to the public interest in compliance with the law;[36]
(d) implied limitations to the broad powers in s 1322 will not be readily implied.[37] Section 1322 is remedial in character and should be applied broadly;
(e) the court can make orders under s 1322(4)(a) on conditions and also make such consequential and ancillary orders as it thinks fit; and
(f) an order can be made under s 1322(4)(a) notwithstanding that the contravention or failure concerned resulted in the commission of an offence.[38]
Disposition Application by an 'interested party'
Extension of time under s 1322(4)(d)
As to s 1322(4)(d), I derived more guidance from the two-stage process embraced by Barker J in Blaze Asset Pty Ltd v Target Energy Ltd.
There Barker J stated:
'[T]he exercise of the power under s 1322(4) [referring to s 1322(4)(d)] involves in effect a two stage process. First, the Court needs to determine whether, having regard to the circumstances of the case and the general objects of the [Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)], it is appropriate to make an order extending a relevant period, or abridging a relevant period. Secondly, if those circumstances are made out, then the Court must address the question whether any substantial prejudice has been or is likely to be caused to any person by the making of such an order.'
Also, the power under s 1322(4)(d) must be exercised having regard to the general objects and purposes of the relevant statutory provision within the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) - here the statutory purpose evinced by s 723(3). The court's order must not undermine the reasons for the requirements of the Act. The power must be exercised having regard to the interests of all parties affected and the public interest in ensuring compliance with the Act. (footnotes omitted)
Pre-condition in s 1322(6)(a)
(a) when determining whether someone has acted honestly for the purposes of section 1322, the courts look to absence of evidence of dishonesty and prompt action to remedy the error;[48]
(b) the concept of acting honestly can embrace:[49]
(i) inadvertence or failure to turn one's mind to an issue;
(ii) active but incorrect consideration of a legal issue;
(iv) failure to understand or appreciate the significance of non-compliance; and
(c) when testing for honesty, the authorities reveal that the courts look at the company itself, the directors, the company secretary and others as may be concerned.[50]
No substantial injustice (s 1322(6)(c))
Orders under s 1322(4)(a)
(a) the proposed validation orders are framed in a declaratory form;
(b) the act, matter or thing, are the lodgement of the notice and the offers and sales of securities; and
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
WHITEHAWK LIMITED (ACN 620 459 823) First Plaintiff
UPON APPLICATION of the plaintiff by originating process dated 15 October 2020 AND UPON HEARING Mr A J Papamatheos and Mr S P Tomasich of counsel for the plaintiff IT IS ORDERED that:
(a) any failure of a notice under section 708A(5)(e) of the Corporations Act to exempt the sellers from the obligation of disclosure under the Corporations Act; and
(b) the sellers' consequent failure to comply with sections 707(3).
For a period of 28 days from the date of publication of a copy of these orders on the ASX website, any person who claims to have suffered substantial injustice or is likely to suffer substantial injustice by the making of any or all of these orders has liberty to apply to vary or to discharge them within that period.
I certify that the preceding paragraph(s) comprise the reasons for decision of the Supreme Court of Western Australia.
[2] Corporations Act, s 707(3). See also Re Golden Gate Petroleum Ltd [2010] FCA 40; (2010) 77 ACSR 17.
[3] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [10].
[4] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [14].
[5] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [15].
[6] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [19].
[7] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [20].
[8] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [22] - [24].
[9] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [25].
[10] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [28] - [29].
[11] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [32].
[12] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [33].
[13] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [35].
[14] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [37].
[15] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [38].
[16] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [40].
[17] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [41] - [45].
[18] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [46] - [47].
[19] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [48] - [49].
[20] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [50].
[21] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [51].
[22] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [53] - [54].
[23] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [54].
[24] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [54], 'KHK24'.
[25] Affidavit of Alexander Ritchie filed 19 October 2020 'AR5'.
[26] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [73], 'KHK30'.
[27] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [68] - [69].
[28] Affidavit of Teresa Williams Roberts filed 17 October 2020 [22] - [25].
[29] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [56] - [63].
[30] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [77] - [79], 'KHK33', 'KHK34'.
[31] Affidavit of Teresa Williams Roberts filed 17 October 2020 [17].
[32] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [75] - [76]; Affidavit of Teresa Williams Roberts filed 17 October 2020 [20].
[33] Affidavit of Teresa Williams Roberts filed 17 October 2020 [20].
[34] Re Helios Energy Ltd [2017] FCA 840; (2017) 122 ACSR 174.
[35] Weinstock v Beck [2013] HCA 14; (2013) 251 CLR 396 [43], [53] and [64].
[36] Re Wave Capital Ltd [2003] FCA 969; (2003) 47 ACSR 418, 426 [29].
[37] Weinstock v Beck [43], [55] - [56] and [64].
[39] Re Caeneus Minerals Ltd [2018] FCA 560 [38]; Re Classic Minerals Ltd [2018] FCA 2039 [34].
[40] Affidavit of Alexander Ritchie filed 19 October 2020 'AR2'.
[41] Affidavit of Alexander Ritchie filed 19 October 2020 'AR4'.
[42] Re Jaxsta Ltd; Ex parte Jaxsta Ltd [2018] WASC 390 [41] - [43].
[43] Re Austpac Resources NL [2010] NSWSC 1438.
[44] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [16] - [18] and [31].
[45] See Re Jaxsta Ltd; Ex parte Jaxsta Ltd [50].
[46] Blaze Asset Pty Ltd v Target Energy Ltd [2009] FCA 698; (2009) 177 FCR 488 [33].
[47] Re ICandy Interactive Ltd [2018] FCA 533, (2018) 125 ACSR 369 [54] - [104].
[48] Re ICandy Interactive Ltd [54], [106] - [107].
[50] Re ICandy Interactive Ltd [60] - [104].
[51] Re Poseidon Nickel Ltd [2018] FCA 1063; (2018) 129 ACSR 57, 67 [63].
[53] Affidavit of Kevin Hyungsuk Kye filed 16 October 2020 [74], 'KHK31', 'KHK32'; Affidavit of Alexander Ritchie filed 19 October 2020 [12] - [14], 'AR6' - 'AR10'.
[54] Re G8 Communications Ltd [2016] FCA 297; (2016) 112 ACSR 22, 34 [60].
[55] Re Caeneus Minerals Ltd [2018] FCA 560, [39] - [40]; Re Classic Minerals Ltd [2018] FCA 2039, [35] - [36].
[56] Re Charter Hall Ltd [2007] FCA 1316; Re Diversified United Investment Ltd [2008] FCA 720; Re RCR Tomlinson Ltd [2009] FCA 1130; Re Austpac Resources NL [2010] NSWSC 1438; Re Beadell Resources Ltd [2013] FCA 13 and Re Micro-X Limited [2019] FCA 1154.
[57] Re Imdex Ltd [2020] WASC 298 [55] - [58].
(2013) 251 CLR 396
(2009) 177 FCR 488