Australian Security Estates Pty Ltd v Bluecrest Holdings Pty Ltd (In Liq) & John Star; Bluecrest Holdings Pty Ltd v Karren Holdings Pty Ltd & Minskie Holdings Pty Ltd [2002] NSWSC 491

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Australian Security Estates Pty Ltd v Bluecrest Holdings Pty Ltd (In Liq) & John Star; Bluecrest Holdings Pty Ltd v Karren Holdings Pty Ltd & Minskie Holdings Pty Ltd [2002] NSWSC 491 CURRENT JURISDICTION: Equity Division FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 3978/98; 4639/98 HEARING DATE(S) : 7 May 2002 JUDGMENT DATE : 4 June 2002

Australian Security Estates Pty Ltd (Plaintiff in 3978/98) Bluecrest Holdings Pty Ltd (In Liq) (Defendant in 3978/98) PARTIES : John Star (Defendant in 3978/98) Bluecrest Holdings Pty Ltd (Plaintiff in 4639/98) Karren Holdings Pty Ltd (Defendant in 4639/98) Minskie Holdings Pty Ltd (Defendant in 4639/98) JUDGMENT OF : Bergin J

COUNSEL : M R Pesman (Plaintiff) F P Carnovale (Defendant) SOLICITORS : Watson Mangioni (Plaintiff) Gillis Delaney Brown (Defendant) CATCHWORDS : Whether leave should be granted to companies in liquidation to proceed against another company in liquidation for the sole purpose of seeking to obtain a costs order against a liquidator as a non-party in a voluntary winding up - Whether the applicant is required to call evidence to establish a reasonably arguable case that such an order should be made - "Officer of the Court" - definition in Part 1, r 8 of the Supreme Court Rules 1970 (NSW) excludes solicitors, barristers and liquidators - whether excluded from the term "its own officers" in Part 52A, r 4(5)(e) - whether liquidator in voluntary winding up is one of Court's "own officers". Corporations Act 2000 Corporations Law Corporations Law Rules 2000 (NSW) LEGISLATION CITED : Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) Home Building Act 1989 (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) Supreme Court Rules 1970 Australian Forest Managers v Bramley & Ors (1996) 19 ACSR 398 Bent v Gough (1992) 108 ALR 131 Biposo, Re; Condon v Rogers (No. 3) (1995) 17 ACSR 730 Bolton & Co, In Re; Salisbury-Jones & Dale's Case [1895] 1 Ch 333 City & Suburban Pty Ltd v Smith (Liq of Conpac) (Aust) Pty Ltd (In Liq), unreported, FedCt (Vic), 0933/98, Merkel J, 31 July 1998 Cresvale Far East Ltd (In Liq) v Cresvale Securities Lts & Ors (No. 2) (2001) 39 ACSR 622 David Lloyd & Co, In Re; Lloyd v David Lloyd (1877) 6 Ch D 339 Egankarra Pty Ltd v Vince (1990) 2 ACSR 463 Giant Resources Ltd, Re [1991] 1 Qd R 107 CASES CITED : J J Leonard Properties Pty Ltd v Leonard (WA) Pty Ltd (in liq) (1986) 11 ACLR 224 Knight v F P Special Assets Ltd (1992) 174 CLR 178 Leicester v Walton, unreported, 40354/95, NSWCA, Priestley, Sheller and Cole JJA, 22 November 1995 Meehan & Anor v Stockmans Australian Cafe (Holdings) Pty Ltd & Anor (1996) 22 ACSR 123 Ogilvie-Grant v East (1983) 7 ACLR 669 Renard Constructions (ME) Pty Ltd v Minister for Public Works (1996) 26 NSWLR 234 Wentworth v Wentworth (1999) 46 NSWLR 300 Wentworth v Wentworth (2001) 52 NSWLR 602 Wilson Lovatt & Sons Ltd, Re [1977] 1 All ER 274 Wridgemont Display Homes Pty Ltd, Re (1992) 117 ALR 479 DECISION : See para [66]