AFSA sharpens teeth as personal insolvency numbers rise – AccountantsDaily

The Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA) will sharpen its regulatory posture to maximise its impact as personal insolvencies head back towards pre-pandemic levels, chief executive Tim Beresford says. He said a modernisation program was underway that would make it simpler for most bankrupts typically consumers involving small amounts to go through administration so AFSA could…

GigSuper holding company, for gig workers and sole traders, enters voluntary liquidation – 7NEWS

The holding company of a superannuation fund created seven years ago to service gig economy and self-employed workers has entered voluntary liquidation. The GigSuper Group collapsed just over two years ago, reportedly owing creditors $2.7 million. Both the holding company, GigSuper Holdings Pty Ltd, and the subsidiary company, GigSuper Pty Ltd, entered voluntary administration in…

Online book giant on brink of collapse – The Australian

Beleaguered online book retailer Booktopia has announced it has entered voluntary administration after it failed to secure funding. The company posted it had appointed Keith Crawford, Matthew Caddy and Damien Pasfield from McGrathNicol to oversee a potential restructure or sale of the business. The Administrators are undertaking an urgent assessment of Booktopias business while options…

Insolvencies are rising. What precautions should leaders take? – Consultancy.com.au

The number of companies entering external administration has hit a ten-year record high last month, illustrating the mounting pressures on businesses. John Park, senior managing director at FTI Consulting, outlines why and how businesses of all sorts and sizes should be taking sensible precautions. For the nine-month period from 1 July 2023 to 31 March 2024,…

How Safe Harbour provisions work for startups facing insolvency – SmartCompany

The Australian startup ecosystem is facing its next wave of financial challenges. With a 54% decline in capital raised by Australian startups in 2023 and a 14.5% rise in insolvencies, Australian startups are financially strained. For those operating in the capital-intensive tech sector in particular, the time between funding rounds is harder than ever. Tech…

Insolvency and tech burning bright and fast: the cash runway challenge and navigating insolvency – Clayton Utz

There has been an increase in company insolvencies in Australia. Startups and early-stage technology companies have not been shielded from this, with recent high-profile collapses including Tritium and Milkrun. In this article we discuss insolvent trading risks, the state of the startup market, unique risks to startups and the protections offered by the “safe harbour”…