Weston in his capacity as liquidator of Starcom Group Pty Ltd (in liq) v Rajan [2018] FCA 1737

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Weston in his capacity as liquidator of Starcom Group Pty Ltd (in liq) v Rajan [2018] FCA 1737 File number: NSD 437 of 2017

Judge: LEE J

Date of judgment: 14 November 2018

Catchwords: PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – Application for permanent stay of proceeding – whether delay in liquidator commencing proceedings and delays during the course of the proceeding and loss of documents means a fair trial is unable to be conducted – whether the defendants are unfairly prejudiced and further conduct of the proceeding amounts to an abuse of process – application for permanent stay dismissed

Legislation: Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) – ss 95A, 180, 181, 206F, 286 588G, 530A, 588E, 588M(2), 588H(2), 588H(3), 1317H, 1317S and 1318 Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) – s 140(1) Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) – ss 23, 37M, 37N, 37P(6) and Pt VB

Cases cited: Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Adler [2002] NSWSC 483; (2002) 42 ACSR 80 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Hellicar [2012] HCA 17; (2012) 247 CLR 345 Batistatos v Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales [2006] HCA 27; 226 CLR 256 Blatch v Archer (1774) 1 Cowp 63 at 65; (1774) 98 ER 969 Dominion Insurance Co of Australia Ltd (in Liq) v Finn (1988) 7 ACLC 25 Herron v McGregor (1986) 6 NSWLR 246 Jago v District Court of New South Wales (1989) 168 CLR 23 Palavi v Queensland Newspapers Pty Ltd [2012] NSWCA 182; (2012) 84 NSWLR 523 R v Glennon (1992) 173 CLR 592 Reynolds & Co Pty Ltd v Australian Stock Exchange Ltd [2003] NSWSC 33; (2003) 44 ACSR 612 Ridgeway v The Queen (1995) 184 CLR 19 Sands v South Australia [2015] SASCFC 36; (2015) 122 SASR 195 Strickland (a pseudonym) v Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions [2018] HCA 53 Tolcher v Gordon [2005] NSWCA 135; (2005) 53 ACSR 442 Voth v Manildra Flour Mills Pty Ltd (1990) 171 CLR 538 Walton v Gardiner (1993) 177 CLR 378 Williams v Spautz (1992) 174 CLR 509