In the matter of Maria’s Farm Veggies Pty Ltd (admins apptd) [2016] NSWSC 1899

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: In the matter of Maria's Farm Veggies Pty Ltd (admins apptd) [2016] NSWSC 1899 Hearing dates: 14 December 2016 Decision date: 15 December 2016 Jurisdiction: Equity - Corporations List Before: Black J Decision: Order validating appointment of administrator made Catchwords: CORPORATIONS – voluntary administration – administrator – where secured creditor appointed administrators without compliance with mediation requirement under Farm Debt Mediation Act 1994 (NSW) – whether order validating appointment should be made under s 447A of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth). Legislation Cited: - Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), ss 435A, 436C, 447A, 447C, 1322, Pt 5.3A - Duties Act 1997 (NSW), s 211 - Farm Debt Mediation Act 1994 (NSW), ss 4 - Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW), s 33 Cases Cited: - Ansett Australia Ground Staff Superannuation Plan Pty Ltd v Ansett Australia Ltd [2004] FCA 130; (2004) 49 ACSR 1 at 15, (2004) 430 - Australasian Memory Pty Ltd v Brien [2000] HCA 30; (2000) CLR 270 - Australian Cherry Exports Pty Ltd v Commonwealth Bank of Australia (1996) 39 NSWLR 537 - Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Plymin [2003] VSC 123; (2003) 46 ACSR 126 - Bass v Permanent Trustee Co Ltd (1999) 198 CLR 334 - Calabretta v Redpen Developments Pty Ltd (in liq) (recs & mgrs apptd) [2010] FCA 81; (2010) 183 FCR 47 - Correa v Whittingham [2013] NSWCA 263; (2013) 278 FLR 310 - Hayes v Doran (No 2) [2002] WASC 486 - HP Mercantile Pty Ltd v Hartnett [2016] NSWCA 342 - National Australia Bank v Horne [2011] VSCA 280; (2011) 85 ACSR 869 - Photios v Cussen (in their capacity as joint administrators of Beechworth Land Estates Pty Ltd (admins apptd)) - Re Maria's Farm Veggies Pty Ltd (admins apptd) [2016] NSWSC 1770 - Re Sundara Pty Ltd [2015] NSWSC 1694 - Varga v Commonwealth Bank of Australia (1997) NSWConvR 55-797 Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Rahul Goyal and David Winterbottom in their capacities as voluntary administrators of Maria's Farm Veggies Pty Limited (administrators appointed) (Plaintiffs) Australian-Dutch Glasshouse Systems Pty Limited (First Defendant) Cornelis Disselkoen (Second Defendant) Stefan Disselkoen (Third Defendant) Hortiagro Services Pty Limited (Fourth Defendant) Maria's Kitchen Gardens Pty Limited (Fifth Defendant) Horticulture & Energy Investment Company Australia No. 1 Pty Limited (Sixth Defendant) Representation: Counsel: C N Bova (Plaintiffs/Applicants) C. Cassimatis (Defendants/Respondents)