In the matter of Austral Bronze Pty Limited;; In the matter of John Darlington Pty Limited;; In the matter of John Darlington Pty Limited (No 2) [2020] NSWSC 1633

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: In the matter of Austral Bronze Pty Limited;; In the matter of John Darlington Pty Limited;; In the matter of John Darlington Pty Limited (No 2) [2020] NSWSC 1633 Hearing dates: 28 July 2020 Date of orders: 17 November 2020 Decision date: 17 November 2020 Jurisdiction: Equity - Corporations List Before: Rees J Decision: Companies reinstated; ancillary orders made to validate proceedings in Dust Diseases Tribunal nunc pro tunc. Catchwords: DUST DISEASES – proceedings commenced against deregistered company – claim for general damages –claimant died – s12B Dust Diseases Tribunal Act – proceedings not "commenced and pending before the Tribunal at the person's death" – Court can reinstate company and validate proceedings nunc pro tunc. CORPORATIONS – reinstatement – transitional provisions – company dissolved in 1997 under s509 Corporations Law – s571 and s574 Corporations Law repealed 1 July 1998 when section 601AH enacted – meaning of "ASIC's powers" in s1362CH Corporations Law – operation of s1439 Corporations Law – Shaw v Goodsmith preferred to City West Water – transitional provisions to Corporations Act – s1408 – have power to reinstate company under s601AH Corporations Act. CORPORATIONS – reinstatement – effect of reinstatement – s601AH(5) – caselaw review at [63]-[68] – proceedings against deregistered company not automatically validated on reinstatement – ANCILLARY ORDERS – differing statements on breadth of power reviewed at [70]-[76] – four considerations apparent from case law review at [77]-[85] – can validate proceedings nunc pro tunc at [92]. CORPORATIONS ACT and s79 Judiciary Act – exercising federal jurisdiction – s1337A, s1337B(2), s1337B(5) Corporations Act – no gap – Dust Diseases Tribunal Act not 'picked up. CORPORATIONS ACT – concurrent operation of State laws – s5E, s5F, s5G – Dust Diseases Tribunal Act has declared various Corporations Act provisions to be excluded, but not reinstatement powers – state and corporations legislation operated concurrently for 22 years – no direct inconsistency suggested. WORDS AND PHRASES – meaning of "pending" at [62] – meaning of "hear and determine" at [103]. Legislation Cited: Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth), ss 7(2), 13(2)(d) Amending Acts 1990 to 1999 Repeal Act 2016, Sch 1 Item 741 Civil Liability (Third Party Claims Against Insurers Act 2017 (NSW), ss 4, 5 Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), s 15B Companies Act 1961 (NSW) Company Law Review Act 1998 (Cth) Corporations Act 1989 (Cth) ("Corporations Law"), ss 9, 509, 571, 572, 573, 574, 1362CA, 1362CH, 1412, 1439 Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), ss 3, 5E, 5F, 5G, 459E, 601AD, 601AH, 601AG, 1337A , 1337B, 1370, 1371, 1408 Dust Diseases Tribunal Act 1989 (NSW), ss 10, 11, 12B Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (Cth) Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth), ss 39, 39B, 79 Jurisdiction of Court (Cross-vesting) Act 1987 (Cth) Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1944 (NSW), s 2 Limitation Act (and in particular s 63) Cases Cited: Amaca Pty Limited v Cremer (2006) 66 NSWLR 400; [2006] NSWCA 164 Anderson v Erik Anderson Radio & TV Pty Limited [1965] HCA 61; (1965) 114 CLR 20 Arab Monetary Fund v Hashim (No 4) [1992] 4 All ER 860; [1992] 1 WLR 1176 at 1180 Armitage v HXE Ltd [2010] NSWSC 1109 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Australian Securities and Investments Commission (2000) 34 ACSR 232; [2000] NSWSC 316 Baird v W J T Howes Investments Pty Ltd (2008) 68 ACSR 485; [2008] NSWSC 1232 Beck v Weinstock (2013) 251 CLR 425; [2013] HCA 15 Bell Group Ltd (in liq) v ASIC (2018) 358 ALR 624; (2018) 128 ACSR 247; [2018] FCA 884 BHP Billiton Limited v Schultz [2004] HCA 61 Bianchi v Crewe & Sons Pty Ltd (1996) 135 FLR 15; (1996) 22 ACSR 152 Bond v Murdoch (1921) 17 Tas LR 84 CGU Insurance Ltd v Blakeley (2016) 259 CLR 339; [2016] HCA 2 CGU v Rockwall Interiors [2006] NSWSC 690 CGU Workers Compensation (NSW) Limited v Rockwall Interiors Pty Limited (2006) 201 FLR 296; [2006] NSWSC 690 Chalker v Clark [2008] VSCA 92 City West Water Ltd v Mr D investments Pty Ltd (2002) 43 ACSR 622; [2002] VSC 553 Commissioner of Stamp Duties (NSW) v Owens (No 2) (1953) 88 CLR 168 Danich Pty Ltd Re Cenco Holdings Pty Ltd (2005) 53 ACSR 484; [2005] NSWSC 293 Deputy Commissioner of Taxation v Action Workwear Pty Ltd (deregistered) (1996) 20 ACSR 712 Deputy Commissioner of Taxation; Re James Hardie Australia Finance Pty Ltd (Deregistered) (2008) 170 FCR 545; [2008] FCA 1181 Deveigne v Askar (2007) 69 NSWLR 327; [2007] NSWCA 45 Drysdale v Australian Securities Commission (1992) 10 ACLC 1427 Foxman v Credex National Australian Trade Exchange Pty Limited (in liq) (2007) 65 ACSR 476; [2007] NSWSC 1422 Goliath Portland Cement Co Limited v Bengtell (1994) 33 NSWLR 414 Gordon v Tolcher in his capacity as liquidator of Senafield Pty Limited (in liq) (2006) 231 CLR 332; [2006] HCA 62 Green v Penzance (Lord) (1881) 6 AC 657 Immer v Girotto Precast Pty Ltd [2009] NSWSC 1019 In the marriage of Smith (1979) 35 FLR 12; (1979) 5 Fam LR 169 In the matter of Garfox 86 Pty Limited [2019] NSWSC 442 In the matter of McDonagh Management Pty Limited (2019) 139 ACSR 447; [2019] NSWSC 1099 In the matter of Viscount Caravans Pty Limited (unpublished ex tempore), 8 May 2020 International Bulk Shipping & Services Ltd v Minerals & Metals Trading Corporation of India [1996] 2 Ll R 474 John Francis Hall v Australian Securities and Investments Commission [2015] VSC 362 Lazard Bros & Co v Midland Bank Ltd [1932] All ER Rep 571; [1933] AC 289 Litmus Australia Pty Limited (in liq) v Canty (2006) 57 ACSR 71; [2006] NSWSC 196 MacFoy v United Africa Co Ltd [1961] 3 All ER 1169; [1962] AC 152 Morris v Harris [1926] All ER 15; [1927] AC 252 Norcal Pty Limited v D'Amato (1988) 15 NSWLR 376 Northern Territory v GPAO (1999) 196 CLR 553 at 588 Oates v Consolidated Capital Services Pty Limited [2007] NSWSC 680 Pagnon v Workcover Queensland [2001] 2 Qd R 492; [2000] QCA 421 Parker v Australian Asbestos Pty Ltd [2002] NSWSC 520; (2002) 42 ACSR 138 Pedersen v Young (1964) 110 CLR 162 Pilarinos v Australian Securities and Investments Commission (2006) 24 ACLC 775; [2006] VSC 301 Prior v Hannaford [1970] VR 772 Qantas Airways Limited v Lustig (2015) 323 ALR 374; [2015] FCA 253 R (Khadir) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2005] UKHL 39; [2006] 1 AC 207 R v Young (Trevor) [2003] EWCA Crim 3481; [2004] 1 WLR 1587 Ramantanis v G & M Excavations (2004) 22 ACLC 22; [2003] NSWSC 1250 Randall v City of Canada Bay Council (No 4) [2015] NSWSC 1759 Re ACN 063 346 708 (formerly known as South Passage Pty Ltd) [2018] NSWSC 1709 Re Bele & Co Pty Ltd [2017] NSWSC 1824 Re Donald Kenyon Limited [1956] 3 All ER 596; [1956] 1 WLR 1397 Re ERB International Pty Ltd (deregistered) (2014) 98 ACSR 124; [2014] NSWSC 200 Re European Metal Recyclers Pty Ltd (in liquidation) (deregistered) [2018] NSWSC 946 Re Huntingdon Poultry Ltd [1969] 1 All ER 328 Re Jury & Spiers Pty Ltd (2016) 114 ACSR 336; [2016] NSWSC 900 Re Kilkenny Engineering Pty Ltd (in liq) (1976) 1 ACLR 285; (1976) 13 SASR 258 Re Pritchard (dec'd); Prichard v Deacon [1963] 1 All ER 873; [1963] Ch 502 Re Regional Planners Developments Co Pty Limited (2015) 110 ACSR 457; [2015] NSWSC 1996 Re Rocha Pty Ltd (Deregistered) (2016) 114 ACSR 89; [2016] NSWSC 899 Re Steelmaster Pty Ltd (in liq) (1992) 6 ACSR 494 Re Stork ICM Australia Pty Ltd (Deregistered) (2010) 77 ACSR 517; [2010] FCA 53 Re Wakim; Ex parte McNally (1999) 198 CLR 511; [1999] HCA 27 Rizeq v Western Australia (2017) 262 CLR 1; [2017] HCA 23 Shaw v Goodsmith Industries Pty Ltd (2002) 41 ACSR 556; [2002] NSWSC 406 Smith v Australian Securities and Investments Commission [2018] NSWSC 1695 Smith v The Queen (1994) 181 CLR 338; (1994) 69 ALJR 24; [1994] HCA 60 Solla v Scott (1982) 7 ACLR 323; [1982] 2 NSWLR 832 Solomons v District Court of New South Wales (2002) 211 CLR 119; [2002] HCA 47 Stergiou v Citibank Savings Ltd [2005] ACTCA 15 Tan v Australian Securities and Investments Commission [2011] NSWSC 58 White v Baycorp Advantage Business Information Services Limited (2006) 200 FLR 125; [2006] NSWSC 441 Wigmans v AMP Ltd [2018] NSWSC 1118 Wileypark Pty Ltd v AMP Ltd (2018) 359 ALR 43; [2018] FCAFC 143 WorkCover Queensland v Amaca Pty Ltd (2010) 241 CLR 420; [2010] HCA 34 Texts Cited: Australian Commonwealth Constitution, s 51(xxxvii) Explanatory Memorandum to the Company Law Review Bill 1997 Perry Herzfeld and Thomas Prince, Interpretation, (2020, Thomson Reuters, 2nd edition) R. P. Austin, Austin & Black's Annotations to the Corporations Act (LexisNexis, looseleaf) Reg Bartley, The Modern Approach to Statutory Construction (2000, National Library of Australia, 1st edition) Second Reading Speech, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), New South Wales Legislative Assembly, 3 May 1989 Stroud's Judicial Dictionary (2016, revised online 31 July 2019, Thomas Reuters, 9th edition) Category: Principal judgment Parties: In proceedings 2020/86229: Kathleen Comerford (Plaintiff) Australian Securities and Investments Commission (Defendant)