Gillespie v Gillespie [2025] NSWCA 24

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Gillespie v Gillespie [2025] NSWCA 24 Hearing dates: 10 February 2025 Date of orders: 27 February 2025 Decision date: 27 February 2025 Before: Gleeson JA; Mitchelmore JA; Ball JA Decision: (1) Grant leave to appeal. (2) Appellant to file a notice of appeal in the form contained in the White Book within 7 days. (3) Appeal dismissed. (4) Appellant to pay the respondents' costs in this Court. Catchwords: CORPORATIONS – statutory derivative action – Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), s 237 – application to bring proceedings on behalf of company – where company is corporate trustee – leave sought by former director of company who is a discretionary object of trust – nature of good faith requirement – whether applies to application for leave and to the desire to bring the underlying proceedings – where impugned transaction occurred 11 years after applicant ceased to be a director and 19 years before applicant sought leave under s 237 – where unexplained delay APPEALS – nature of appeal – application for leave to bring statutory derivative action – standard of appellate review – correctness standard applies Legislation Cited: Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), ss 236, 237 Corporate Law Economic Reform Program Act 1999 (Cth) Real Property Act 1900 (NSW), s 42 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 42.1 Cases Cited: Alexander v Perpetual Trustees WA Ltd (2004) 216 CLR 109; [2004] HCA 7 Cemcon Re Hall Constructions Pty Ltd [2009] FCA 696 Chahwan v Euphoric Pty Ltd t/as Clay & Michel [2008] NSWCA 52; 227 FLR 43. Connective Services Pty Ltd (ACN 107 366 496) v Slea Pty Ltd (ACN 106 752 434) [2018] VSCA 229; 130 ACSR 321 Foss v Harbottle (1843) 2 Hare 461; 67 ER 189 Gillespie v Gillespies Cranes Nominees Pty Ltd [2022] NSWSC 1184; 162 ACSR 24 GLJ v The Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Diocese of Lismore [2023] HCA 32; 97 ALJR 857 Huang v Wang [2016] NSWCA 164; 114 ACSR 586 Mount Gilead Pty Ltd v Macarthur -Stanham (as executor of Estate of Late Lee Macarthur-Onslow) [2023] NSWCA 37; 168 ACSR 32 Oates v Consolidated Capital Services Pty Ltd (2009) 76 NSWLR 69; [2009] NSWCA 183 Re Gillespies Crane Nominees Pty Ltd [2024] NSWSC 1136 Swansson v RA Pratt Properties Pty Ltd [2002] NSWSC 583; 42 ACSR 313 Vlahos v Vlahos [2016] VSC 824 Texts Cited: Austin & Black's Annotations to the Corporations Act Corporate Law Economic Reform Program Bill 1998 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Robert Gillespie (Appellant) Peter Timothy Gillespie (First Respondent) Helen Ann Gillespie (as personal representative of the Estate of the Late John William Gillespie) (Second Respondent) JPD Equipment Pty Limited (Third Respondent) Ainley Pty Limited (Fourth Respondent) Gillespies Cranes Nominees Pty Ltd (Fifth Respondent) Representation: Counsel: