In the matter of Employ (No 96) Pty Limited (in liquidation) [2013] NSWSC 456

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: In the matter of Employ (No 96) Pty Limited (in liquidation) [2013] NSWSC 456 Hearing dates: 9 April 2013 Decision date: 01 May 2013 Jurisdiction: Equity Division - Corporations List Before: Black J Decision: Specified payments made by the second plaintiff to the third defendant declared unfair preferences pursuant to s 588FA(1) Corporations Act 2001 (Cth). Specified payments made by the second plaintiff to the third defendant declared uncommercial transactions pursuant to s 588FB Corporations Act. The unfair preferences and uncommercial transactions declared voidable transactions. Specified orders for payments, interest and costs. Catchwords: PROCEDURE - costs - apportionment of costs - 'rule of thumb' applicable where multiple plaintiffs and defendants and some successful and others unsuccessful - application for indemnity costs - whether an unaccepted offer of compromise supports award of indemnity costs - whether issues arising in conduct of proceedings warranted variation to costs orders. Legislation Cited: - Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) ss 98, 100 - Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) ss 588FA, 588FB, 588FE(2), 588FF, 588FF(1), 588FG(1)(a), 588FG(2) - Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) rr 20.26, 42.1, 42.14 Cases Cited: - Australian Prudential Regulation Authority v Holloway [2000] FCA 1245 - Calderbank v Calderbank [1975] 3 All ER 333 - Capolinguia v Phylum Pty Ltd (1991) 5 WAR 137 - Chen v Chan [2009] VSCA 233 - Coombes v Registrar of Aboriginal Corporations (No 2) [2008] FCA 1078 - Currabubula Holdings Pty Ltd v State Bank of New South Wales [2000] NSWSC 232 - Elite Protective Personnel Pty Ltd v Salmon (No 2) [2007] NSWCA 373 - Howard's Storage World Pty Ltd v Haviv Holdings Pty Ltd [2010] FCAFC 5; (2010) 182 FCR 84 - King Network Group Pty Ltd v Club of the Clubs Pty Ltd (No 2) [2009] NSWCA 204 - Korner v H Korner & Co Ltd [1951] Ch 10 - Milne v Attorney-General (Tasmania) (1956) 95 CLR 460 - Oschlack v Richmond River Council [1998] HCA 11; (1998) 193 CLR 72 - R v Hore; Ex parte Brisbane City Council [1969] Qd R 75 - Ruddock v Vardalis (No 2) [2001] FCA 1865; (2001) 115 FCR 229 - Wardle v Agricultural and Rural Finance Pty Ltd; Agricultural and Rural Finance Pty Ltd v Brakatselos (No 2) [2012] NSWCA 388 Category: Costs Parties: Timothy Paul Heesh and Terry Grant Van der Velde in their capacities as liquidators of Employ (No 96) Pty Limited (in liquidation) (First Plaintiffs) Employ (No 96) Pty Limited (in liquidation) (Second Plaintiff) Anthony de Vries (First Defendant) Raid Tayeh (Second Defendant) DVT Services (NSW) Pty Limited (Third Defendant) Representation: Counsel: M.S. Henry (Plaintiffs) S. Golledge (Defendants) Solicitors: Polczynski Lawyers (Plaintiffs) Somerset Ryckmans (Defendants) File Number(s): 10/279623