On 1 January 2021, a number of amendments to Chapter 5 of the Corporations Act (2001) (Cth) came into effect, establishing a new framework of Australian insolvency law to better serve small businesses as they try to cope with the economic impact of COVID-19.
Takeaways
- Businesses with liabilities of less than $1 million will be entitled to a new debt restructuring and liquidation process, aimed at providing faster and lower cost pathways for businesses in financial distress.
- The reforms introduce a debt restructuring process that allows business owners to retain control of their company while a restructuring practitioner develops a debt restructuring proposal.
- The small business insolvency reforms are aimed at increasing the rate of successful restructures as well as reducing the number of financially distressed businesses entering voluntary administration and liquidation.
Overview
Small businesses experiencing financial distress should note three key reforms to the Australian insolvency law that might be available to them:
- A new debt restructuring process to provide small businesses with a faster and less complex mechanism for financially distressed, but viable, companies to restructure their existing debts;
- A new simplified liquidation process for small businesses to allow faster and lower-cost liquidation, increasing returns for creditors and employees;
- Complementary measures to ensure the insolvency sector can respond effectively both in the short and long term to increased demand and to the needs of small businesses.
Small Business Debt Restructuring Process
The most significant insolvency law reform is the introduction of a new debt restructuring process for small businesses (Restructuring Process). Under the new debt restructuring model, eligible companies are able to approach a registered small business restructuring practitioner (Restructuring Practitioner) to assist in reviewing the business’ financial affairs and developing a restructuring plan to be put forward to the creditors within 20 days of their appointment.
Once the plan is put forward, creditors are given 15 days to vote on the plan, after which the plan is either implemented and distributions are made according to the plan’s terms, or the company may resolve to go into some other form of external administrations (voluntary administration or the small business liquidation process, as discussed below).
Eligibility
A company will be eligible for the Restructuring Process where:
- Its liabilities are than less than $1 million (any liability that is not contingent)
- It has not been the subject of a separate Restructuring Process in the past 7 years
- It is not currently the subject of other forms of external administration.
Additionally, before a Restructuring Practitioner may propose a restructuring plan to the company’s creditors, they must ensure the company:
- Has paid its employee entitlements due (including its employees’ superannuation); and
- Has its tax lodgements up to date (this includes returns, statements applications and any other documents required under the taxation law, but this does not require all tax debts to be paid where the lodgements are up to date).
Who May Act as a Restructuring Practitioner?
As the law currently stands only registered liquidators are permitted to consent to an appointment as a Restructuring Practitioner. However, it is the intention of the legislation to create a new class of registered small business Restructuring Practitioner, under the Insolvency Practice Rules, that solely focuses on small business restructuring.
Additionally, certain classes of persons are excluded from acting as a Restructuring Practitioner, including creditors of the company over the value of $5,000, related entities or auditors of the company.
Powers of the Restructuring Practitioner and the Company
The small business restructuring process allows the company to continue trading in the ordinary course of business under the control of its owners, which is overseen by the Restructuring Practitioner while a debt restructuring plan is developed and proposed to the Company’s creditors. Any trading outside the company’s ordinary course of business requires the prior approval of the Restructuring Practitioner.
The role and function of the Restructuring Practitioner include:
- Examining the company’s financial records and determining if the business is viable;
- Assisting the company in developing a debt restructuring plan to restructure its debts;
- Proposing the plan to the company’s creditors; and
- Managing the disbursements if the plan is approved.
It is the Restructuring Practitioner’s responsibility to remain as an independent third party and to ensure that the creditor’s rights are represented and protected, this includes preserving the rights of secured creditors and treating similarly ranking creditors consistently.
Only creditors who are not related entities may vote on the restructuring plan, and in order for it to be approved, the plan requires the majority of value of the creditors to vote in favour. If the proposal is successful it binds all creditors.
Once the plan is approved, the practitioner remains in his position and administers the plan according to its terms. If the plan is voted down, the process ends and the company may proceed in an alternative form of external administration – this may include the simplified liquidation process set out below.
New Small Business Simplified Liquidation Process
The second key reform which came in effect on 1 January 2021 is the new small business simplified liquidation process, which gives eligible companies access to a faster and cheaper alternative to the standard large scale, complex liquidation process.
Details of the Simplified Liquidation Process
Where a liquidator has been appointed pursuant to a creditor’s voluntary liquidation and they consider on reasonable grounds that the company meets the eligibility criteria, the liquidator may choose to adopt the small business liquidation process rather than the standard creditor’s voluntary liquidation process.
The simplified liquidation process is faster and simpler than the standard process, with the aim of a greater return to the company’s creditors and employees. Under the new process:
- the liquidator is not required to submit a section 533 report to ASIC on potential misconduct unless there are reasonable grounds that misconduct has occurred.
- the liquidator is not required to hold formal creditor’s meetings and can instead distribute information to creditors, and proposals for voting, electronically.
- The unfair preference voidable transaction provisions are restricted to prevent the liquidator pursuing claims against unrelated entities.
- The system of dividend distribution and proof of debt submission is simplified.
Eligibility
In order for a company to be eligible for the simplified liquidation it must satisfy a number of requirements under the legislation including:
- The company must already be in liquidation pursuant to a creditor’s voluntary liquidation.
- The company must have liabilities less than $1 million.
- The company must have its tax lodgements up to date (returns, notices, statements and applications as required by taxation laws).
Creditors may also request in writing that the liquidator not follow the simplified liquidation process within 20 days of the event triggering the simplified liquidation process, and the liquidator must cease the simplified liquidation process if the eligibility criteria are no longer met.
Complementary Provisions to Support the Insolvency Reforms
In addition to the debt restructuring process and the simplified liquidation process, a number of other amendments have been made to the Corporations Act to assist insolvency practitioners and distressed companies to transition into these reforms.
Temporary Relief for Companies Seeking a Restructuring Practitioner
To assist in the transition into the small business reforms and as insolvency practitioners become more familiar with the processes, from 1 January 2021 until 31 March 2021 eligible companies are able to declare their intention to utilize the small business restructuring process through ASIC’s published notices website.
If a company declares their intention to access the Restructuring Process with ASIC, the insolvency relief that applied in 2020 (extended compliance period for statutory demands and temporary protection from insolvent trading liability) will continue to apply until they are able to engage an eligible Restructuring Practitioner before 31 March 2021.
New Small Business Restructuring Practitioner
As the law currently stands, only registered liquidators are eligible to act as Restructuring Practitioners, however, under the insolvency practice rules a new classification of insolvency practitioner will be created that will solely focus on small business restructures.
To streamline the small business restructuring process, the new classification of practitioner will have their practice limited to small business restructurings only and will be offered to registered chartered accountants, in addition to insolvency professionals. It would seem the aim of this new classification is to try to increase accessibility and supply of available practitioners to meet potentially higher demand for small business debt restructuring.
More Reforms
Other complementary provisions include:
- Key sections of Chapter 5 of the Corporations Act have been made “technology neutral” so to allow external administrations to be carried out without a formal meeting of creditors.
- Fees associated with registration as a registered liquidator are waived until 30 June 2022.
Speak with one of our qualified restructuring and insolvency lawyers today, at:
QLD: 07 3009 8444
NSW: 02 9307 8900
Email: [email protected]
