In the matters of Beechworth Land Estates Pty Ltd (Admin Apt) and Griffith Estates Pty Ltd (Admin Apt) No 2) [2015] NSWSC 336

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: In the matters of Beechworth Land Estates Pty Ltd (Admin Apt) and Griffith Estates Pty Ltd (Admin Apt) No 2) [2015] NSWSC 336 Hearing dates: 14, 15 and 16 October; 21, 22, 23 and 24 October; 3, 6 20, and 25 November; 9, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 December 2014 Date of orders: 02 April 2015 Decision date: 02 April 2015 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: Robb J Decision: Parties to bring in short minutes of order. Determination on questions is to be found in par 161 Catchwords: CORPORATIONS – whether appointment of administrators under s 436C of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) was ineffective because mortgage duty was payable under the Duties Act 1997 (NSW) on general security deeds granted and had not been paid – Court's power under s 447A to order appointment of administrators valid – whether s 211 of the Duties Act has the effect that general security deeds only became enforceable from the time of late payment of mortgage duty or whether became enforceable retrospectively from date of execution Legislation Cited: Corporate Law Reform Act 1992 (Cth) Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) Duties Act 1997 (NSW) Personal Property Securities Act 2009 (Cth) Real Property Act 1900 (NSW) Registered Clubs Act 1976 (NSW) Stamp Duties Act 1865 (NSW) Stamp Duties Act 1920 (NSW) Taxation (Administration) Act 1978 (NT) Taxation Administration Act 1996 (NSW) Transfer of Land Act 1958 (Vic) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules r 28.2 (NSW) Cases Cited: ACN 075 911 410 Pty Ltd v Almaty Pty Ltd [2011] NSWSC 333 Arnautivic & Sutherland t/as Jirsch Sutherland & Co Civitanovic (as trustee of the bankrupt estate of Adrian Lawrence Rosee) [2011] FCA 809; (2011) 199 FCR 1 Assetinsure Pty Ltd v New Cap Reinsurance Corporation Ltd (in liq) (2006) 225 CLR 331 Australian Innovation Ltd v Dean-Willcocks [2001] NSWSC 1204; (2001) 40 ACSR 531 [25] – [33] Bellissimo v JCL Investments Pty Ltd [2009] NSWSC 1260 Boral Recycling Pty Ltd v Wake [2009] NSWSC 712 C & L Cameron Pty Ltd – GB Gazzana v Nadalan Enterprises Pty Ltd [2012] NSWSC 676 Circuit Finance Australia Ltd v Bessounian [2006] NSWSC 1190 Commercial Banking Co of Sydney Ltd v Love (1975) 133 CLR 459 Complex Scaffolding Solutions Pty Ltd v Doueihi [2014] NSWSC 230 Correa v Whittingham [2013] NSWCA 263; (2013) 278 FLR 310 Dent v Moore 26 CLR 316 Electricity Meter Manufacturing Coy Ltd v Manufacturers' Products Proprietary Ltd (1930) 30 SR (NSW) 422, Felton v Mulligan (1971) 124 CLR 367 Haque v Haque (No 2) (1964-1965) 114 CLR 98 McCallum (aka Hain) v National In Australia Bank Ltd [2000] NSWCA 218 McKensey v Hewitt [2004] NSWSC 636; (2004) 61 NSWLR 54 National Australia Bank Limited v Horne [2011] VSCA 280; (211) 253 FLR 205 Neoform Developments & Interiors Pty Ltd v Town & Country Marketing Pty Ltd [2002] NSWSC 344 Official Trustee in Bankruptcy v D'Jamirze (1999) 48 NSWLR 416 Re Australian Property Custodian Holdings Ltd (admins apptd) (rcs and mgs apptd) [2010] VSC 492; (2010) 80 ACSR 114 Shepherd v Felt and Textiles of Australia Ltd (1931) 45 CLR 359 The Commissioner of Stamps (Queensland) v Weinholt 20 CLR 531 Wagga Finance Co Limited v Lever (1930) 30 SR (NSW) 76 Wagga Finance in Electricity Meter Manufacturing Coy Ltd v Manufacturers' Products Proprietary Ltd (1930) 30 SR (NSW) 422 Westpac Banking Corporation v Mousellis (1985) 37 NTR 1 Texts Cited: D G Hill, Duties Legislation NSW, (2012, Thomson Reuters Australia) M Davies, A Bell, P Brereton Nygh's Conflicts of Laws in Australia, (9th ed 2013, Butterworth Law) at [32.26] Category: Principal judgment Parties: James Photios (first plaintiff) Perri Investments No 3 Pty Ltd (second plaintiff) James Edward Spencer (third plaintiff) Cleary Corporation Pty Ltd (fourth plaintiff) Redhill Estate Developments Pty Ltd (fifth plaintiff) First Debenture Limited (sixth plaintiff) Neil Robert Cussen and Ezio Marco Sentore in their capacity as joint administrators of Beechworth Land Estates Pty Ltd (administrators appointed) (first defendant) Beechworth Land Estates Pty Ltd (administrators appointed) (second defendant) Neil Robert Cussen and Ezio Marco Sentore in their capacity as joint administrators of Griffith Land Estates Pty Ltd (administrators appointed) (third defendant) Griffith Land Estates Pty Ltd (administrators appointed) (fourth defendant) Vangory Holdings Pty Ltd (fifth defendant) Vangory Services Pty Ltd (sixth defendant) Representation: Counsel: R Glasson (plaintiffs) M Condon SC/B F Katekar (first – fourth defendants) R Dubler SC/JTG Gibson (fifth – sixth defendants)