Focus: Trustee insolvency - the Full Federal Court weighs in to the debate

We recently examined the implications of a Victorian Court of Appeal decision on trustee insolvency in the Amerind Appeal1. As we foreshadowed, the Full Federal Court has just released its decision on similar issues.2 It came to a similar position to the Victorian court in deciding that trust assets should be applied first in paying employees and other statutory preferred creditors (though for varied reasons). But it came to the opposite position in holding that trust assets could only go to trust creditors, not non-trust creditors. That finding will cheer lenders and others dealing with trusts, but leaves a confused landscape. Partner Philip Blaxill, Senior Finance Counsel Diccon Loxton and Associate Lucas Tan report.

from Allens Banking & Finance publications http://www.allens.com.au/pubs/insol/foinsol29mar18.htm