Bruce v LM Investment Management Limited (No 2) [2013] QSC 347
SUPREME COURT OF QUEENSLAND
CITATION: RE Bruce & Anor v LM Investment Management Limited &
Ors (No 2) [2013] QSC 347
PARTIES: RAYMOND EDWARD BRUCE AND VICKI PATRICIA
BRUCE
(Applicants)
v
LM INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LIMITED
(ADMINISTRATORS APPOINTED)
ACN 077 208 461 IN ITS CAPACITY AS
RESPONSIBLE ENTITY OF THE LM FIRST
MORTGAGE INCOME FUND
(First Respondent)
and
THE MEMBERS OF THE LM FIRST MORTGAGE
INCOME FUND ARSN 089 343 288
(Second Respondent)
and
ROGER SHOTTON
(Third Respondent)
and
AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES & INVESTMENTS
COMMISSION
(Intervener)
FILE NO/S: BS 3383 of 2013
DIVISION: Trial
PROCEEDING: Application
ORIGINATING
COURT: Supreme Court at Brisbane
DELIVERED ON: 20 December 2013
DELIVERED AT: Brisbane
HEARING DATE: 6 September 2013
JUDGE: Dalton J
ORDER: UPON THE UNDERTAKING of the first respondent that
it will not seek from the FMIF any remuneration, costs or
expenses (including legal fees) of or incidental to the
meeting convened by notice dated 26 April 2013
(including the adjournment thereof):
1. I vacate the order made at paragraph 2 of the orders
of Justice P Lyons of 7 May 2013.
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2. Trilogy Funds Management Ltd is to pay 7 per cent of
the first respondent’s costs (excluding reserved costs)
of this proceeding on a standard basis to be assessed
or agreed.
3. The first respondent is to be indemnified from the
FMIF only to the extent of 20 per cent of its costs of
and incidental to this proceeding, excluding any
reserved costs.
COUNSEL: B O’Donnell QC, with P Ahern, for the applicants
D Savage QC, with S Cooper, for the first respondent
GJ Litster (Solicitor) for a member of the second respondent
DR Tucker (Solicitor) for the third respondent
SJ Forrest for the intervener
SOLICITORS: Piper Alderman for the applicants
Russells for the first respondent
Synkronos Legal for a member of the second respondent
Tucker & Cowen for the third respondent
Australian Securities and Investments Commission for the
intervener
[1] This is a decision on applications for costs made consequent on a judgment I
delivered on 8 August 2013 in this matter. The substantive proceedings were three
applications together over three days in the civil list. Each concerned who ought to
manage the affairs of the financially stricken first respondent. The contest was
between (i) the then administrators of the first respondent; (ii) Trilogy Funds
Management Ltd (Trilogy), and (iii) a member, Shotton, and ASIC, intervening,
who both contended for an independent liquidator. There were no pleadings, but
the various issues were well enough defined, and success on them was somewhat
scattered amongst the various parties.
[2] The normal rule is that costs follow the event – r 681. Even before the introduction
of r 684, the approach of the Courts was, in appropriate cases, to make costs orders
which reflected parties’ success or failure on various parts of litigation.1 The fairest
way of determining the costs issues falling out of this litigation seems to me to
make orders in accordance with r 684 as to particular parts of the litigation. In
doing so the Court takes an impressionistic and pragmatic view as to what were the
real heads of controversy in the litigation, and strives to avoid assessment in a
complicated form according to issues in the technical sense.2 The general purpose
of an award of costs – indemnity to the successful party – and the effect of the costs
orders made, as compared to the extent of the parties’ success in litigation, must be
borne in mind.
[3] In litigation of any complexity, there will be various alternative possible ways to
divide the litigation into units for the purpose of allocating costs – see eg., the
various alternatives discussed in Thiess, a defamation case: imputations found
1 Thiess v TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd (No 5) [1994] 1 Qd R 156, 207-208.
2 Thiess (above) pp 208-210; Coomera Resort Pty Ltd v Kolback Securities Ltd & Ors [1998]
QSC 296; BHP Coal Pty Ltd v O & K Orenstein & Koppel AG (No 2) [2009] QSC 64.
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proved; occasions of publication, etc. Following the approach in Thiess, I have
looked to find a division which fairly represents “the true emphases of the
litigation” or “discrete areas of dispute” (p 208). In substance, there were three
heads of controversy3 in the substantive hearing before me:
(a) The legal point as to the competence of the originating application filed
15 April 2013. This was an application for Trilogy to be appointed as
temporary responsible entity of a managed investment scheme, FMIF, with
a view to its appointment as the responsible entity in the long term. Under
the Corporations Act 2001 (the Act), such an application was not available
to anyone but ASIC or a member of the scheme, so the Bruces were named
as applicants, but took on the litigation with an indemnity from Trilogy, and
Trilogy’s counsel at the hearing told me that he expressed Trilogy’s views
to the Court.4
There was a legal argument as to the competence of this application
pursuant to s 601FA of the Act or reg 5C.2.02 of the Corporations
Regulations. I found that the application was not competent – see my
judgment [9]-[20]. This legal point was a distinct part of the hearing. I
think it is fair to assume that while it may have accounted for say 15 per
cent of the hearing time, it accounted for a significantly less percentage of
overall costs incurred, for it was not the subject of factual dispute and did
not require lengthy affidavits or cross-examination of witnesses. In terms
of estimating what percentage of costs of the first respondent attached to
this separate part of the application, I put it at 7 per cent.
(b) On the assumption that the application referred to at (a) was competent in
law, there were discretionary arguments as to whether or not Trilogy ought
be appointed temporary responsible entity. These arguments were factual
and based on the suitability of Trilogy to have conduct of the affairs of
FMIF, and the unsuitability of the first respondent.
Associated with, and very similar to, the factual matters raised in support of
this discretionary argument, were arguments advanced by Trilogy resisting
both a winding-up order in relation to the first respondent and an order to
appoint an independent liquidator to supervise the winding-up and as
receiver of FMIF. These orders were sought by Shotton and ASIC by
separate applications filed 29 April 2013 and 3 May 2013 respectively.
Trilogy’s arguments were based on the asserted superiority of Trilogy as a
manager of the affairs of FMIF over a liquidator and receiver.
These two associated points were substantial factual disputes which took
Court time and involved considerable affidavit material and
cross-examination.
My judgment was that even if the application by Trilogy were competent, I
would not, for discretionary reasons, appoint it as temporary responsible
entity – [21]-[31] of my judgment. The applicant (Trilogy) was the only
party before me who contended that a winding-up order ought not be made.
It lost on that point. Trilogy and the first respondent both lost on the issue
about independent supervision by a liquidator and receiver.
3 This term is used in Thiess (above), p 208.
4 In my judgment of 8 August I call this the Trilogy application. I continue that reference here, and
refer to the applicants as Trilogy, rather than the Bruces.
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(c) The issue raised on the Shotton and ASIC applications was the subject of
considerable factual dispute entailing the need for affidavit material and
cross-examination of witnesses, as ASIC and Shotton demonstrated that the
then current administrators of the first respondent, Ms Muller and Mr Park,
were unsuitable to wind-up the managed investment scheme without
independent supervision. On this issue ASIC and Shotton were successful
and the first respondent unsuccessful.
As noted, Trilogy opposed any one other than itself controlling the affairs
of the first respondent. However, factual material and argument by Trilogy
as to why the first respondent was unsuitable to control the affairs of the
FMIF was substantial. It coincided with the interests ASIC and Shotton
had in demonstrating that same unsuitability.
[4] Dealing with costs according to the above division means that I will not deal with
the three separate applications qua application. But the above division better
reflects the reality of the way the litigation was conducted.5 Because Trilogy was
wholly unsuccessful on its application, there is an attraction in dealing with it
separately, and dealing with the ASIC and Shotton applications as representing the
remainder of the litigation. Like the approach taken by the primary judge in Thiess
(division according to occasions of publication), division of this litigation along the
lines of Trilogy application on the one hand, and ASIC/Shotton applications on the
other, has an initial simplicity and attraction but does not allow an allocation of
costs which fairly reflects the emphases and successes in the litigation.
[5] Dealing with the three heads of controversy identified at paragraph [3] above allows
a more nuanced approach which reflects the reality that much of the factual material
led by Trilogy was relevant to the questions on the ASIC and Shotton applications
and was important to my understanding of the conduct of the then administrators
appointed to the first respondent, and thus my decision. In particular, the issue as to
the propriety of those administrators’ actions in relation to the meeting of 13 June
2013 was one carried largely, although not exclusively, by Trilogy. A smaller, but
significant issue, about which the same observation can be made, is the behaviour of
the administrators in the conduct of the litigation about Trilogy’s financial worth
and the propriety of Trilogy’s conduct during the period of contention between it
and the first respondent surrounding this litigation.
[6] There were three uncontroversial matters. ASIC did not seek an order for its costs.
All parties agreed that Shotton should have his costs out of the managed investment
scheme, and I have already made an order in his favour. The first respondent
offered an undertaking not to charge FMIF with the costs of a meeting which it held
on 13 June 2013 and which I found was invalid. These were not strictly litigation
costs. The undertaking should nonetheless be recorded in the order.
[7] It seems to me that Trilogy ought to pay the costs of the first respondent of and
incidental to the legal point I identify at paragraph [3](a) above. I fix these at 7 per
cent of the first respondent’s costs of the proceeding. There were reserved costs; it
is not appropriate that they are included in this order.
[8] Next, as to the factual matters raised by the two associated points at [3](b) above,
Trilogy’s exposition of the conduct of the first respondent had a significant bearing
5 cf West & Ors v Blackgrove & Anor [2012] QCA 321 [52].
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on the making of the orders sought by ASIC and Shotton. Not only that, but as far
as the hearing was concerned, there was certainly an economy as, by and large,
counsel sensibly adopted an approach whereby Trilogy had primary carriage of the
13 June meeting issue; ASIC had primary carriage of points about conduct of the
litigation and interaction with ASIC, and Shotton of the conflict points. Trilogy was
ultimately unsuccessful on both its argument that it was the most suitable candidate
to take charge of the first respondent, and its argument that a liquidator and receiver
ought not be appointed to the first respondent. And there was no mistaking that any
support it had for an independent liquidator and receiver was a distant alternative to
its main position.6
[9] All things considered, it would be fairest to both Trilogy and the first respondent to
make no costs order as to this second head of controversy. Trilogy will bear its own
costs of that part of the litigation, but given the importance of the matters ventilated
to the orders I made, I do not think it should bear the first respondent’s costs as
well. The first respondent did succeed so far as the result of the Trilogy application
was concerned. However, in substance it lost the factual battle: the matters
demonstrated by Trilogy went a significant way to persuading me that the conduct
of the administrators of the first respondent was such that I ought to make the orders
sought by ASIC and Shotton.
[10] I turn to the third head of controversy, the ASIC/Shotton applications. As noted,
they were made individually some four or five days apart. They sought very similar
relief. In terms of both submissions at the hearing, and in affidavit material filed in
support of their applications, there was a difference in emphasis. ASIC relied
particularly on the conduct of the administrators of the first respondent in dealing
with ASIC, and in the litigation, whereas the Shotton interests put more emphasis
on the potential financial conflicts which the administrators of the first respondent
would face, were they to continue in control of the affairs of the first respondent.
[11] ASIC relied upon s 1101B of the Act to support its application. I did not act
pursuant to that section and did not think it appropriate to do so. Nonetheless, I had
power to act otherwise, and argument as to that legal point formed a very small part
of the hearing and, I would have thought, almost no part of the preparation. It is not
a point substantial enough to affect the costs orders I make. ASIC and Shotton
contended for different persons to be appointed as liquidator and receiver to the first
respondent. There was little in this point. Again, only a small fraction of the
material and the hearing time could be said to have been taken up with this issue.
The main controversy was whether or not someone independent ought to be
appointed.
[12] The first respondent was unsuccessful in relation to the substance of both
applications. ASIC does not seek its costs and Shotton’s costs are not opposed.
The only issue is that the first respondent contends it ought to have its costs of the
ASIC application. This was put on four different bases. The first was that ASIC’s
application was unnecessary because Mr Shotton had filed his some four or five
days earlier. As noted, there was a great similarity between the relief sought in the
applications. Nonetheless, in circumstances where the regulator had intervened to
revoke almost entirely the first respondent’s Australian Financial Services Licence;
had tried unsuccessfully to engage the administrators of the first respondent in a
6 See tt 3-16.30-3-18.10.
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co-operative effort to resolve the issues facing the first respondent short of litigation
and failed, and in circumstances where ASIC had intervened in this litigation, it
seems to me appropriate that ASIC made its own application. As discussed,
Shotton was a very small percentage unit-holder. He acted no doubt in his own
interests, rather than the public interest, and ASIC could have no assurance as to
how he might choose to conduct his application.
[13] The second point put forward by the first respondent as to why it should have its
costs of the ASIC application was that I appointed the liquidator advocated for by
Mr Shotton, rather than the liquidator advocated for by ASIC. As explained, there
was not sufficient in this point to warrant any effect on the costs orders I make. The
third point was the s 1101B point, again, I am not persuaded that ought to influence
my costs orders.
[14] The last point made by the first respondent was that ASIC did not identify the fact
that it relied on the first respondent’s conduct of these proceedings as a reason to
demonstrate that the administrators of the first respondent could not be relied upon
to act properly. The point was raised in submissions which were delivered in a
timely way. There were no pleadings. I think the point was a fair one and fairly
taken in a timely enough fashion. There is no suggestion that the first respondent
would have acted any differently had the point been taken earlier. It seemed
oblivious to the very clear warning it was given by P Lyons J on 7 May 2013 (see
below).
[15] I am not persuaded that the first respondent should have its costs of the ASIC
application.
Second Respondent
[16] I make no orders as to the costs of the second respondent. The second respondent
took the position that it supported the first respondent. It was clear enough on the
material that there was some historical connection between the second respondent
and the first respondent, and while I would not go so far as to say the second
respondent was not independent of the first respondent, there was something of that
flavour about the relationship. In any event, the submissions of the second
respondent added nothing, except to indicate the view of a tiny percentage
unit-holder in the FMIF. This could just as readily have been achieved by the
second respondent’s swearing an affidavit for the first respondent to read. The
views of unit-holders are relevant to issues such as those before me. The
unit-holder Shotton played a very significant role in the litigation, notwithstanding
his tiny percentage holding. But I would not encourage participation as a party
when there was no purpose but to indicate support for another party. For the same
reasons the second respondent should not have its costs from the FMIF.
Trilogy
[17] Trilogy was in substance, if not in name, a party to the litigation. As discussed,
senior counsel for the Bruce applicants made submissions to the Court in which he
expressed Trilogy’s views. A great deal of the Bruces’ evidence was sworn by
officers of Trilogy, and it was clear throughout the entire hearing, and indeed it has
been clear on the submissions made on this costs hearing, that the moving party on
the originating application is Trilogy, rather than the Bruces. I was told that Trilogy
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had given an indemnity to the Bruces as to their costs. At one point it became
controversial in the proceedings as to what the terms of this indemnity were. So far
as I am aware, it was never produced.
[18] Trilogy had a clear commercial interest in the relief sought in the Bruces’ name.
Had it been successful it would have been appointed as temporary responsible entity
of the first respondent with a view to becoming the responsible entity of the first
respondent. Its position was that a formal liquidation was not necessary; that it
would not operate the first respondent as a going concern, but wind its affairs up in
as orderly and commercial manner as possible. No doubt it would have charged
substantial fees for doing so.
[19] I note that the Bruces are residents of New Zealand and there is no evidence at all
that they have the means to pay any costs order made against them in this litigation.
[20] It is true that Trilogy was, via one of the three wholesale funds, a unit-holder of
about 20 per cent of the FMIF and thus its views were relevant and important to
what ought to happen to the first respondent. And indeed I took them into account
where appropriate. However, it would be wrong to characterise Trilogy’s
participation in the litigation as simply that of a concerned unit-holder expressing its
views. Counsel acting for ASIC described Trilogy as conducting the Trilogy
application as part of “an entrepreneurial frolic”. I do not think that there was
anything improper about Trilogy’s conduct of the application and would thus reject
the term “frolic”. However, I do think that Trilogy, like the administrators of the
first respondent, was engaged in this litigation in its own commercial interests, it
participated in a partisan and robust way.
[21] It seems to me that in accordance with the principles laid down in Knight v FP
Special Assets Ltd,7 the order I make as to payment of these costs should be made
against Trilogy. The first respondent made a formal application to this effect –
Court document 113. There was no submission to the contrary. Trilogy appeared at
the costs hearing, by the same counsel as the Bruces.8
[22] It is not appropriate that any of Trilogy’s costs be borne by the FMIF. It was
unsuccessful, and indeed its own application was not competent at law. Further, as
noted, it engaged in the litigation in its own commercial interests in my view.
First Respondent’s Right to be Indemnified from FMIF
[23] Rule 700 applies to a party who sues or is sued as a trustee. Rule 700(2) provides,
“Unless the court orders otherwise, the party is entitled to have costs of the
proceeding, that are not paid by someone else, paid out of the fund held by the
trustee.” The Trusts Act 1973, s 72, provides: “A trustee may reimburse himself or
herself for or pay or discharge out of the trust property all expenses reasonably
incurred in or about the execution of the trusts or powers.”
[24] This is in line with the common law rule that a trustee is entitled to be indemnified
from the trust estate when acting properly for the purposes of the trust. The rule is
stated by King CJ in In re Suco Gold Pty Ltd (in liq):9
7 (1992) 174 CLR 178.
8 See p 8-9 of the written submissions for the applicants and t 1-2.
9 (1983) 7 ACLR 873, 878-879.
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“The right of indemnity which a trustee possesses is therefore in
essence a right to resort to the trust property for the protection and
preservation of his personal estate against liabilities which he has
incurred in the proper performance of the trust.
… A trustee, however, has no legal right to use or apply the trust
property other than for the authorized purposes of the trust. In
particular he has no legal right to apply the trust property for his own
benefit or for the benefit of third parties, Keech v Sandford (1726) Eq
Cas Abr 741.”
[25] Bearing on the first respondent’s rights here are the terms of the constitution of
FMIF. At cl 18.5 it provides a right to be indemnified for liabilities or expenses in
relation to the performance of the responsible entity’s duties including legal fees,
and at cl 19:
“19.1 The following clauses apply to the extent permitted by law:
…
(c) In addition to any indemnity under any Law, the RE
has a right of indemnity out of the Scheme Property on
a full indemnity basis in respect of a matter unless, in
respect of that matter, the RE has acted negligently,
fraudulently or in breach of trust.”
[26] Bearing on the interpretation of cl 19.1 is s 601GA of the Act which makes
provision for the contents of the constitution of a registered scheme and provides:
“(2) [Responsible entity rights in constitution] If the responsible
entity is to have any rights to be paid fees out of scheme property, or
to be indemnified out of scheme property for liabilities or expenses
incurred in relation to the performance of its duties, those rights:
(a) must be specified in the scheme’s constitution; and
(b) must be available only in relation to the proper
performance of those duties;
and any other agreement or arrangement has no effect to the extent
that it purports to confer such a right.”
[27] If, and in so far as cl 19.1 purports to allow the responsible entity of the FMIF an
indemnity in circumstances where, short of negligence, fraud or breach of trust, it
has acted improperly, or not for the purpose of the trust,10 then my view is that
clause of the constitution does not so operate by reason of the provision at
s 601GA(2)(b).
[28] The words of s 601GA(2)(b) very much reflect the common law formulation of
costs being recovered when they are “proper”, or “not improper” – see Lindley LJ in
Re Beddoe.11 Costs will be improperly incurred if they are in furtherance of the
trustee’s own interests rather than in furtherance of the interests of the members:
Miller v Cameron.12 In Adsett v Berlouis13 the Full Court of the Federal Court said,
“In this context, [of a trustee’s indemnity] ‘properly’ means work reasonably and
10 As seemed to be implied by the written submissions on behalf of the first respondent at paragraph
21ff.
11 [1893] 1 Ch 547, 558.
12 (1936) 54 CLR 572.
13 (1992) 37 FCR 201.
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bona fide undertaken for the purpose of administering the estate or performing any
public duty imposed by the [Bankruptcy Act], conformably with the trustee’s duty to
perform the work with reasonable care and skill and in an efficient and economic
way.”
[29] In examining the propriety or otherwise of a trustee’s conduct it is relevant to have
regard to the nature of the trust, and trustee, in question. See for example the Full
Court in Adsett at the paragraph beginning, “A number of observations must be
made about these submissions.” The Court examined the nature and obligations
attaching to a trustee appointed to a bankrupt estate, contrasting that, for example,
with the duties of a gratuitous trustee, and referring to the public nature of the duty
of a trustee in bankruptcy.
[30] In my opinion, the administrators of the first respondent occupied a position of trust
which was distinct from a traditional trustee at general law because first, the trust of
which the responsible entity was trustee was established by the Corporations Act in
respect of a managed investment scheme that was essentially a vehicle for
commercial investment; second, because the responsible entity was
well-remunerated for its skill in performing the duties which amounted to
performing the trust, and thirdly, because the administrators appointed to this
responsible entity trustee were appointed to a fund which was financially stricken
and which is now being wound up. In Adsett the Court referred to the general law
duty that a trustee has to exercise judgment so as to save the estate unnecessary
expenditure of money and, in terms of the role of a trustee in bankruptcy,
emphasised that that duty was one to administer the estate in such a manner as to
maximise the return from estate assets. In my view that is very much applicable to
the current case. The FMIF differs from many other failed investment schemes in
that there does remain a large surplus of assets to be administered. The
administrators of the trustee responsible entity here should have squarely
understood that their role was to maximise the amount of assets available to
investors and creditors. Instead I found that, “the conduct of the first respondent in
this litigation was combative and partisan in a way which I see as reflective of the
administrators acting in their own interests to keep control of the winding-up of the
FMIF, rather than acting in the interests of the members.” – [89] and see also [82],
[86], [88], [92], [93], [94], [95], [114], [117] of my judgment.
[31] It was said on behalf of the first respondent that it acted on legal advice, but if costs
are otherwise improper, that is no excuse – see the statements in Re Beddoe at
p 562, extracted at Adsett.
[32] Counsel for Trilogy submitted that the first respondent’s resistance of the Trilogy
application (and I would add the ASIC and Shotton applications) went above and
beyond what would have been required had the administrators been acting solely in
the interests of the fund. I accept this submission. However, it entails a proposition
that some level of expenditure, and some level of representation in the litigation,
was justifiable and proper within the meaning of the cases. It seems to me that what
was reasonable and proper was well less than half of the costs incurred. I have in
mind matters such as the issuance of subpoenas and the applications and antagonism
between the first respondent and Trilogy concerning these; the expert report of
Mr Hellen; the extensive material that seemed irrelevant (or almost so) at the
hearing – for example [93]-[96] of my reasons for judgment; the unusual and
partisan attack on Trilogy’s solicitors both in correspondence and in affidavit
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material; challenges to Trilogy’s solvency; the refusal to co-operate with ASIC
which is detailed at [57] ff of my judgment in circumstances where ASIC was trying
to limit costs to the FMIF, and the linking of the 13 June 2013 meeting with the
litigation and the refusal to meaningfully respond to serious (and ultimately
well-founded) complaints that this meeting was invalid.
[33] That some costs incurred by the first respondent might have been reasonable and
proper was acknowledged in the submissions of ASIC. ASIC proposed that I order
that the first respondent not be indemnified from the assets of FMIF save with the
consent of the unit-holders. The difficulty with that is that the unit-holders are
never going to be informed in appropriate detail of the facts relevant to such an
apportionment. I think that a fair percentage of the first respondent’s own costs to
be paid out of the FMIF is 20 per cent, bearing in mind 7 per cent of its costs will be
paid by Trilogy, albeit on a standard basis. On the costs application the first
respondent pointed to its undertaking not to claim costs of the 13 June 2013 meeting
from the funds of the FMIF. That concession is appropriate, but does not go far
enough in my opinion.
[34] There were reserved costs from 7 May 2013. The matter was adjourned on that date
at the behest of the first respondent who sought an adjournment principally so that
the proceeding could be determined after the meeting of 13 May 2013. As I explain
in my reasons for judgment on the substantive matter, the first respondent’s thinking
in relation to that meeting was quite wrong-headed. For this reason I do not think
that the first respondent is entitled to any reserved costs and this is reflected in the
order I make as to indemnity from the FMIF.
Order Justice P Lyons 7 May 2013
[35] This matter came before Justice Peter Lyons on 7 May 2013. He was asked to
adjourn the matter to the civil list. There was discussion before Justice Lyons as to
the propriety of the administrators’ conduct of the litigation to that point and Justice
Lyons made an order that the “administrators not seek to exercise any right to be
indemnified out of the assets of [FMIF] for costs in relation to these proceedings
without leave of the Court, to be sought at the hearing.” The transcript shows that
his concerns were along the lines which came to be realised in my judgment after
the hearing. Justice Lyons said:
“I have a bit of a general impression that at this stage, that your fight
is about who’s going to control the fund after orders are made at this
hearing and who will earn the fees from it. Now, I could be wrong
about that. The judge who hears the matter may have a clearer view
about what’s really behind all this. That person may think my
suspicion is well-grounded and that might be a reason why the
ordinary right [to indemnity from the trust fund] shouldn’t be
exercised. In other words, the actions of the administrators aren’t
really to further the interests of the members of the fund but for some
other reason.”
[36] I will vacate Justice Lyons’ order as part of my orders dealing with costs.
[37] The orders I make are:
UPON THE UNDERTAKING of the first respondent that it will not seek from the
FMIF any remuneration, costs or expenses (including legal fees) of or incidental to
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the meeting convened by notice dated 26 April 2013 (including the adjournment
thereof):
1. I vacate the order made at paragraph 2 of the orders of Justice P Lyons of
7 May 2013.
2. Trilogy Funds Management Ltd is to pay 7 per cent of the first respondent’s
costs (excluding reserved costs) of this proceeding on a standard basis to be
assessed or agreed.
3. The first respondent is to be indemnified from the FMIF only to the extent of
20 per cent of its costs of and incidental to this proceeding, excluding any
reserved costs.
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Official source: https://www.sclqld.org.au/caselaw/QSC/2013/347