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Securities Commission policy in respect of section 6(1) of the Securities Amendment Act 1988. Discussion paper [2002] NZSecCom 3 (11 March 2002)
Last Updated: 7 November 2014
Securities Commission Policy in Respect of
Section 6(1) of the Securities Amendment Act 1988
A DISCUSSION PAPER
SECURITIES COMMISSION
The Securities Commission is an independent statutory body. One of the
Commission's functions, as provided by section 6(1) of the
Securities Amendment
Act 1988, is to designate a person or class of persons, as being a person whose
relevant interest in a voting
security should be disregarded in certain
circumstances. The Commission has decided to review aspects of its policy in
performing
this function. This discussion paper has been prepared to assist in
this review.
We invite comment on the matters raised in this paper. Any comments or
submissions received are subject to the Official Information
Act 1982. It is the
practice of the Commission to make submissions available on request and where
appropriate to draw attention to
them in any further paper.
If you would like us to withhold information included in comments on this
paper would you please let us know. Any request to withhold
information will be
considered in accordance with the Official Information Act 1982.
Securities Commission
12th Floor, Reserve Bank
Building
2 The Terrace
PO Box 1179
WELLINGTON
Ph (04) 472 9830
Fax (04) 472 8076
E mail seccom@seccom.govt.nz
Web site www.seccom.govt.nz
11 March 2002
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART I INTRODUCTION
Invitation to Comment
PART II COMMISSION'S POWER OF
DESIGNATION
Part II of the Securities Amendment Act 1988
Section 6(1) of the
Securities Amendment Act 1988
Other Legislation
Discussion Questions
PART III COMMISSION'S CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES FOR DESIGNATING
PERSONS
Nominee Companies
Undertakings
Discussion Questions
PART IV CLASS DESIGNATION
FOR REGISTERED BANKS
Discussion Questions
PART V NEED FOR AN ONGOING
REGULATORY ROLE
Discussion Questions
APPENDIX 1 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
APPENDIX 2 LEGISLATION
Section 5 Securities Amendment Act 1988
Section 6 Securities Amendment Act
1988
Section 147 Companies Act 1993
Section 609 Australian Corporations
Law
APPENDIX 3
PERSONS CURRENTLY DESIGNATED BY 23 THE COMMISSION
PART I
INTRODUCTION
- The
Commission is reviewing aspects of its policy and procedures in relation to its
power, pursuant to sections 6(1)(a), (b) and (e)
of the Securities Amendment Act
1988 ("the Amendment Act") , to designate a person as being a person whose
relevant interest in a
voting security should be disregarded for the purposes of
Part II of the Amendment Act.
- This
paper seeks comment as to what criteria and procedures should be applied by the
Commission in determining whether to designate
persons pursuant to section
6(1).
- In
broad terms, we have examined the following policy questions:
- Is
there a need for a power of designation in New Zealand's securities regulatory
system? Are there alternatives, without the need
for the Commission's
involvement, to ensure that the relevant interests of appropriate persons are
disregarded where appropriate
in accordance with the present general policy of
the law?
- Why
should the Commission be empowered to designate persons?
- Assuming
the Commission is to continue its role of designating persons, what criteria and
procedures should be applied by the Commission
in determining whether to
designate persons?
- Is
there a need for the Commission to have an ongoing regulatory role in respect of
designated persons?
and as a particular question:
- Should
the Commission designate all registered banks within the meaning of section 2 of
the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act 1989 on
a class
basis?
Invitation to Comment
- We
invite general comment on the role that the Commission has played to date in
administering its discretion under section 6 of the
Amendment Act and on any
suggestions for change. A number of discussion questions are set out at the end
of each Part and for convenience
these are repeated in Appendix 1. We would be
pleased to receive any views, observations or comments that you may wish to make
to
us about this paper generally, including submissions in respect of the
discussion questions.
- This
paper may be downloaded from the Commission's web site (www.seccom.govt.nz). Comments on this discussion
paper should be sent to the Commission by Friday 31 May 2002. They can be
e-mailed to tim.dolan@seccom.govt.nz or sent in hard
copy to:
Tim Dolan
Solicitor
Securities
Commission
Facsimile: (04) 472 8076
PO Box 1179
WELLINGTON
PART II
COMMISSION'S POWER OF
DESIGNATION
- Section
6(1) of the Amendment Act allows the Commission to designate a person as being a
person whose relevant interest in a voting
security should be disregarded for
the purposes of Part II of the Amendment Act.
Part II of the
Securities Amendment Act 1988
- When
introducing the Amendment Act the Right Honourable Geoffrey Palmer (as the then
Minister of Justice) discussed the significance
of Part II. He noted that ((21
July 1988) 490 NZPD 5282-5283):
Part II implements the 1982 report
of the Securities Commission on nominee shareholdings in public companies. In
that report the commission
recommended the implementation of legislation
requiring persons holding, through a nominee, 5 percent or more of the shares in
a
listed public company to disclose their interest to the company and to the
stock exchange. The Securities Commission believes that
such legislation would
promote an informed market and open dealings. Participants in the public market
should have equal access to
price-sensitive information, including information
about the identity of persons who are entitled to exercise, or control the
exercise
of, significant voting rights in a public company. A disclosure regime
is necessary to ensure that the public market remains what
it is intended to be
- a market to which members of the public have access, not as participants and
observers. In its insider trading
report the commission points out that there is
little point in providing remedies against insider trading if the transactions
themselves
are concealed. A nominee shareholding disclosure law will not only
complement remedies against insider trading, but will in itself
go a very long
way to inhibit that kind of trading.
- In
Brook Investments Ltd (in vol liq) v Paladin Ltd ((21 October 1989) High
Court Auckland M 1581/89) Sinclair J commented on the purpose of Part II. He
stated that it was designed
to (at page 18):
ensure that a public
issuer, its members, the Stock Exchange and the investing public at large are
kept informed as to the ownership
of voting securities in a public issuer and as
to the identity of those who are, or may be, in a position to control the
company.
In particular it is aimed at restricting secret dealing in shares for a
takeover advantage.
- Sections
20 to 36 form Part II of the Amendment Act. These sections relate to disclosure
of the identity and holdings of substantial
security holders in public issuers.
A substantial security holder is a person who has a relevant interest in five
percent or more
of the voting securities of a public issuer or body. Section 5
of the Amendment Act contains detailed provisions relating to the
meaning of
relevant interest. We have reproduced section 5 in Appendix 2 for convenience.
In broad terms section 5 provides that
a person has a relevant interest in a
voting security regardless of whether that person is the registered holder of
the security,
if that person is a beneficial owner of the voting security or has
the power to exercise, or control the exercise of, any right to
vote attached to
the security.
- Section
20 provides that every person who is a substantial security holder in a public
issuer shall give notice that the person is
a substantial security holder to the
public issuer and any stock exchange on which the securities are listed. Section
21 states that
substantial security holders shall also notify the public issuer,
and any stock exchange on which the securities are listed, of changes
of one
percent or more of the total number of issued voting securities of the public
issuer. Substantial security holders are also
required to notify changes in the
nature of relevant interests held pursuant to section 22. Sections 23(2) and (3)
provide exceptions
from these provisions in certain circumstances where another
person complies with the sections on behalf of the holder of the relevant
interest.
- Part
II also provides for a wide range of court orders. Under section 30 the Court
has jurisdiction to make certain orders where it
has reasonable grounds to
suspect that a substantial security holder has not complied with Part II.
Section 32 details the orders
that the Court can make. These include directions
requiring compliance with Part II, prohibiting the exercise of voting rights,
suspending
registration of share transfers, or ordering the forfeiture of any
voting securities of the public issuer.
Section 6(1) of the
Securities Amendment Act 1988
- Section
6(1) of the Amendment Act provides that relevant interests should be disregarded
in certain circumstances. We have reproduced
section 6 in Appendix 2 for
convenience. The section recognises that where certain persons do not have or do
not wish to exercise
all the rights of beneficial ownership attached to such
securities, it may not be necessary for them to comply with Part II.
- Designation
does not entitle the designated person to have all its relevant interests
disregarded. The designation applies only where
a relevant interest is held in
the ordinary course of the designated person's business as a lender of money for
the provision of
financial services, a sharebroker, trustee corporation or
nominee company.
- Section
6(1)(a) empowers the Commission to designate persons whose ordinary business
consists of, or includes, the lending of money
or the provision of financial
services and who hold shares as security in the ordinary course of business. The
designated person
does not have to be a registered bank.
- In
the Australian case of Haughton Properties Pty Ltd (rec and mgr appointed) v
Sandridge City Development Company Pty Ltd ((1995) [1995] FCA 1469; 13 ACLC 1), the Supreme
Court of Victoria held that the Australian equivalent of section 6(1)(a) (then
section 38, now section 609(1) of the
Corporations Law) is to be interpreted
liberally to include not only financiers but also receivers appointed by
financiers in respect
of a company. The principal reason in the Australian
context for finding that a receiver appointed in respect of company A, which
held shares in company B, did not acquire a relevant interest in the shares of
company B was that holding otherwise would mean that
a receiver could never be
appointed to a company that held more than 20 percent of the voting shares of
another company as this would
result in the receiver acquiring more than the
prescribed percentage of shares permitted by the Corporations Law without a
formal
takeover bid. The Court noted (at page 6) that such an interpretation
would also lead to the conclusion that a receiver in such an
instance would be
bound to give a substantial shareholder notice pursuant to the Australian law.
- Section
6(1)(b) provides that no account shall be taken of a relevant interest where a
person has that relevant interest only by reason
of acting for another person to
acquire or dispose of that security in the ordinary course of their broking
business and the person
is a member of a stock exchange. In addition the section
empowers the Commission to designate persons who are not members of a stock
exchange, but who are buying or selling securities on behalf of clients in the
ordinary course of their business as a sharebroker.
As noted in Appendix 3, only
one person has been designated by the Commission pursuant to section 6(1)(b).
- Section
6(1)(c) provides for a relevant interest to be disregarded where a person holds
the relevant interest by reason only of that
person being authorised to act as
the representative of a body corporate at a particular meeting of members of a
public issuer. The
section requires a copy of the resolution appointing the
person as the body corporate's representatives at the meeting to be deposited
with the public issuer at least 48 hours before the meeting. Section 6(1)(c)
does not provide for the Commission to have designated
such a person. Such a
requirement would appear to be impractical and difficult to administer.
- Section
6(1)(d) provides that a relevant interest should be disregarded where the
relevant interest is held solely by reason of the
person being appointed as
proxy to vote at a particular meeting of members of a public issuer. A copy of
the instrument of appointment
must be deposited with the public issuer at least
48 hours before the meeting. As with section 6(1)(c) this section does not
provide
for the Commission to have designated such a person. Such a requirement
would again appear to be impractical and difficult to administer.
- Section
6(1)(e) empowers the Commission to designate a person who is either a trustee
corporation or a nominee company and who has
a relevant interest by reason only
of acting for another person in the ordinary course of business as a trustee
corporation or nominee
company.
- Section
6(1)(f) provides that a relevant interest should be disregarded where it is held
by reason only that the person is a bare
trustee of a trust to which the voting
security is subject. This section, as with section 6(1)(c) and (d), does not
provide for the
Commission to have designated such a person. Such a requirement
would appear to be unnecessary.
- By
empowering the Commission to designate persons as coming within either section
6(1)(a), (b) or (e) of the Amendment Act the legislature
has allowed the
Commission discretion when considering whether to designate persons. As
discussed in Part III of this paper, the
Commission uses its discretion when
administering this function.
Other Legislation
- Both
the Companies Act 1993 and the Australian Corporations Law provide that the
relevant interests of certain persons should be disregarded
in certain cases.
Both provisions allow for interests similar to those described in section
6(1)(a),(b) and (e) of the Amendment
Act to be disregarded. Neither provision
requires that another body or organisation must first designate such persons. Is
it necessary
for the Commission to continue to designate such persons for the
purposes of the Amendment Act?
- Section
147(1) of the Companies Act 1993 provides that for the purpose of disclosure of
shareholdings by directors, no account shall
be taken of a relevant interest in
certain circumstances. We have reproduced section 147 in Appendix 2 for
convenience.
- Section
147(1)(a), (b) and (d) of the Companies Act 1993 are similar to sections
6(1)(a), (b) and (e) of the Amendment Act. There
is no provision in section 147
for any body or organisation to designate a person as being a person to whom the
provision applies.
Section 147(1)(a) applies to persons whose ordinary business
consists of or includes the lending of money or the provision of financial
services, or both, where that person has the relevant interest only as security
given for the purposes of a transaction entered into
in the ordinary course of
the business of that person. Section 147(1)(b) applies to persons who have a
relevant interest by reason
only of acting for another person to acquire or
dispose of that share on behalf of the other person in the ordinary course of
business
as a sharebroker where that person is a member of the stock exchange.
Section 147(1)(d) applies to persons who are either a trustee
corporation or a
nominee company and who have a relevant interest by reason only of acting for
another person in the ordinary course
of business of that trustee corporation or
nominee company. A similar provision was included in section 199B of the
Companies Act 1955, now revoked.
- Section
609 of the Australian Corporations Law also prescribes a number of situations
which do not give rise to relevant interests
for the purposes of the
Corporations Law. We have reproduced section 609 in Appendix 2 for convenience.
Section 609(1) is somewhat
similar to section 6(1)(a) of the Amendment Act.
There is however, no provision in section 609 empowering the Australian
Securities
and Investments Commission or any other body or organisation, to
designate persons as being persons to whom the provision applies.
The section
applies to persons who have an interest in securities taken for the purpose of a
transaction entered into by the person
in the ordinary course of their business
of providing financial services. The financial services must be provided on
ordinary commercial
terms and the person whose property is subject to the
security must not be an associate of the person taking the security. Section
609(3) is somewhat similar to section 6(1)(b) of the Amendment Act. The section
excludes securities dealers who have a relevant interest
in securities merely
because they hold securities on behalf of someone else in the ordinary course of
their securities business.
There is no direct equivalent of section 6(1)(e) of
the Amendment Act in the Corporations Law.
Discussion
Questions
- Are
statutory provisions providing for certain relevant interests to be disregarded
for the purpose of Part II of the Amendment Act
desirable?
- If
yes, in respect of question I, are the types of relevant interest to be
disregarded by virtue of section 6(1) appropriate?
- Is
there a need for persons to be designated as persons in respect of whom sections
6(1)(a), (b) or (e) apply? If so, what does the
power of designation in respect
of such persons add?
- If
yes, in respect of question III, is the Commission the appropriate body to
designate persons pursuant to section 6(1)?
PART III
COMMISSION'S CRITERIA
AND PROCEDURES
FOR DESIGNATING PERSONS
- The
Commission currently requires all persons applying to be designated to provide
the following information about themselves:
- shareholders;
- directors;
- Chief
Executive Officer, senior management team and secretary (if
applicable);
- registered
office;
- issued
capital;
- their
most recent annual report;
- a
description of their complete business; and
- a
statement of their reasons for seeking designation and the advantages to the
applicant of obtaining designation.
- The
Commission has, aside from a class designation for wholly owned subsidiaries of
registered banks within the meaning of section
2 of the Reserve Bank of New
Zealand Act 1989 who are themselves designated under section 6(1)(a), only
designated individual persons.
In the past, the Commission has not designated
subsidiaries of companies on a class basis. We have considered it appropriate
for
the Commission to assess whether persons should be designated on an
individual basis.
- There
is no provision in section 6(1) of the Amendment Act for the Commission to set
terms and conditions of designation. As discussed
in paragraphs 30 to 34 of this
paper however, the Commission has required some of the persons designated
pursuant to section 6(1)(e)
to provide the Commission with certain undertakings,
others it has not.
Nominee Companies
- Where
the applicant is a nominee company, we wish to receive information about its
directors and key personnel including curriculum
vitae disclosing their relevant
qualifications and experience. We also think that they should disclose to us
whether they have been
convicted of a crime involving dishonesty, if they have
been prevented from acting as a director pursuant to the Companies Act 1993,
or
if they have been a bankrupt during the last five years. We consider that it may
be necessary for the Commission to meet with
representatives of nominee
companies to assess whether they should be designated. We consider that banks,
broking firms and trustee
corporations often have more effective means of
demonstrating quality control.
Undertakings
- The
Commission has since July 1990 required applicants for designation under section
6(1)(e), who are nominee companies, to provide
certain undertakings.
- Before
granting a designation for a nominee company pursuant to section 6(1)(e) the
Commission currently requires undertakings:
- that
the nominee company will keep under continuing review the transactions of all
persons who hold, in the name of the nominee company,
securities listed on the
New Zealand Stock Exchange ("NZSE"), and will inform the public issuer of the
securities and the NZSE if
any such person has become or has ceased to be a
holder of a relevant interest in 5% or more of the voting securities of the
public
issuer;
- that
the nominee company will inform the NZSE if it exercises, or proposes to
exercise, in its own right any voting rights in respect
of 5% or more of the
voting securities of a public issuer; and
- that
the nominee company will produce documentation relating to any shareholding in a
public issuer registered in its name immediately
on request by the public issuer
or the Commission.
- We
consider that the section 6(1)(e) undertakings are necessary in respect of
nominee companies. They reduce the potential for nominee
holdings to be used to
hide substantial interests in a company. They help to ensure that the NZSE and
the market generally are informed
if a nominee decides to exercise its rights as
a substantial security holder. They provide a degree of assurance, especially in
respect
of overseas nominees, who may be beyond the reach of the Commission's
powers.
- The
majority of persons designated pursuant to section 6(1)(e) were designated prior
to July 1990. The undertakings required from
applicants have since July 1990
been further amended. We wish to ensure that all persons designated pursuant to
section 6(1)(e) be
subject to the same undertakings.
- We
do not require undertakings from persons applying for designation pursuant to
section 6(1)(a) or (b). It may be possible however
for a person who is
designated pursuant to section 6(1)(a) or (b) to avoid the general policy of the
Amendment Act while acting as
a lender of money or sharebroker and technically
complying with the terms of section 6(1)(a) or (b). It may be desirable for all
designated persons to be subject to the same requirement to give
undertakings.
Discussion Questions
- Are
the Commission's current requirements and procedures for designating persons
adequate?
- Should
the Commission designate subsidiaries of applicants on an individual basis?
- Should
directors of nominee companies applying for designation be required to provide
additional information about their directors
and key personnel?
- Should
representatives of nominee companies applying for designation be required to
meet with the Commission in relation to their
application?
- Are
the undertakings for persons seeking designation pursuant to section 6(1)(e)
satisfactory?
- Should
persons seeking designation pursuant to section 6(1)(a) or (b) be required to
provide undertakings to the Commission?
- If
yes, in respect of question X, should the undertakings be similar to those
required from applicants for designation pursuant to
section
6(1)(e)?
PART IV
CLASS DESIGNATION FOR
REGISTERED BANKS
- On
28 July 1989 the Commission, pursuant to section 6(1)(a) of the Amendment Act,
designated on a class basis, all wholly owned subsidiaries
of registered banks
within the meaning of section 2 of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act 1989,
provided that the registered bank
has itself been designated under section
6(1)(a).
- We
propose a further wider class designation, to include all registered banks
themselves, within the meaning of section 2 of the Reserve
Bank of New Zealand
Act 1989. It appears that the reporting and financial requirements imposed on
registered banks are such that
application to the Commission for designation and
the provision of undertakings to the Commission should not be necessary. Such a
designation would enable newly registered banks to be automatically designated.
At the same time it would ensure that banks which
cease to be registered are no
longer able to take advantage of section 6(1)(a).
- If
such a class designation is created, we propose revoking the individual
designations in respect of registered banks and banks which
have ceased to
exist.
Discussion Questions
- Should
the Commission designate on a class basis, all registered banks within the
meaning of section 2 of the Reserve Bank of New
Zealand Act
1989?
PART V
NEED FOR AN ONGOING
REGULATORY ROLE
- We
consider that there is a need for the Commission to have an ongoing regulatory
role in respect of designated persons. Given that
designations do not have an
expiry date, a designated person may change its principal officers and its
geographical location, possibly
also its corporate purpose, to the point where
the matters which the Commission took into account in deciding to approve a
designation
may no longer apply. This is what appears to have happened over the
last decade.
- We
consider that the applicant should be required to provide an undertaking that it
will advise the Commission on an ongoing basis
if any of the information
provided to the Commission has changed in a material respect. The applicant
should, we consider, also be
required to provide the Commission with an annual
statement on 1 March every year noting whether there has been a change in the
information
provided to the Commission.
- The
Commission would hold a meeting to consider revoking a person's designation in
circumstances including, but not limited to those:
- where
that person had not provided an annual statement to the Commission;
- where
the Commission had received a complaint in respect of any of its actions as a
designated person;
- where
the designated person's purpose and nature had changed substantially since the
granting of the designation.
- where
the directors, control or ownership had changed in a fundamental respect (in
particular, by 50% or more).
Discussion Questions
- Is
there a need for ongoing oversight of designated persons?
- If
yes, in respect of question XIII, is the Commission the appropriate body to
conduct this role?
- If
yes, in respect of question XIV, should the designated person be required to
provide an undertaking to report to the Commission
on the occurrence of any
change in matters material to the Commission's designation of that person and in
any event, on an annual
basis?
- If
yes, in respect of question XV, should such an annual report be made available
to investors on request?
APPENDIX 1
DISCUSSION
QUESTIONS
We would be pleased to receive any views, observations or comments that you
may wish to express to us about this paper and would be
grateful to have our
attention drawn to any important considerations that we may have overlooked. We
would also appreciate it if
responses were to include views in respect of the
questions set out in the paper (repeated below). We ask that responses reach the
Commission by Friday 31 May 2002.
Part II
- Are
statutory provisions providing for certain relevant interests to be disregarded
for the purpose of Part II of the Amendment Act
desirable?
- If
yes, in respect of question I, are the types of relevant interest to be
disregarded by virtue of section 6(1) appropriate?
- Is
there a need for persons to be designated as persons in respect of whom sections
6(1)(a), (b) or (e) apply? If so, what does the
power of designation in respect
of such persons add?
- If
yes, in respect of question III, is the Commission the appropriate body to
designate persons pursuant to section 6(1)?
Part III
- Are
the Commission's current requirements and procedures for designating persons
adequate?
- Should
the Commission designate subsidiaries of applicants on an individual basis?
- Should
directors of nominee companies applying for designation be required to provide
additional information about their directors
and key personnel?
- Should
representatives of nominee companies applying for designation be required to
meet with the Commission in relation to their
application?
- Are
the undertakings for persons seeking designation pursuant to section 6(1)(e)
satisfactory?
- Should
persons seeking designation pursuant to section 6(1)(a) or (b) be required to
provide undertakings to the Commission?
- If
yes, in respect of question X, should the undertakings be similar to those
required from applicants for designation pursuant to
section
6(1)(e)?
Part IV
- Should
the Commission designate on a class basis, all registered banks within the
meaning of section 2 of the Reserve Bank of New
Zealand Act
1989?
Part V
- Is
there a need for ongoing oversight of designated persons?
- If
yes, in respect of question XIII, is the Commission the appropriate body to
conduct this role?
- If
yes, in respect of question XIV, should the designated person be required to
provide an undertaking to report to the Commission
on the occurrence of any
change in matters material to the Commission's designation of that person and in
any event, on an annual
basis?
- If
yes, in respect of question XV, should such an annual report be made available
to investors on request?
APPENDIX 2
LEGISLATION
Section 5 Securities Amendment Act 1988
Meaning of "relevant
interest"-
- For
the purposes of this Act a person has a relevant interest in a voting security
(whether or not that person is the registered holder
of it) if that person-
- Is a
beneficial owner of the voting security; or
- Has
the power to exercise any right to vote attached to the voting security;
or
- Has
the power to control the exercise of any right to vote attached to the voting
security; or
- Has
the power to acquire or dispose of the voting security; or
- Has
the power to control the acquisition or disposition of the voting security by
another person; or
- Under,
or by virtue of, any trust, agreement, arrangement, or understanding relating to
the voting security (whether or not that person
is a party to it)-
- May
at any time have the power to exercise any right to vote attached to the voting
security; or
- May
at any time have the power to control the exercise of any right to vote attached
to the voting security; or
- May
at any time have the power to acquire or dispose of, the voting security;
or
- May
at any time have the power to control the acquisition or disposition of the
voting security by another person.
- Where
a person has a relevant interest in a voting security by virtue of subsection
(1) of this section and-
- That
person or its directors are accustomed or under an obligation, whether legally
enforceable or not, to act in accordance with
the directions, instructions, or
wishes of any other person in relation to-
- The
exercise of the right to vote attached to the voting security; or
- The
control of the exercise of any right to vote attached to the voting security;
or
- The
acquisition or disposition of the voting security; or
- The
exercise of the power to control the acquisition or disposition of the voting
security by another person; or
- Another
person has the power to exercise the right to vote attached to 20 percent or
more of the voting securities of that person;
or
- Another
person has the power to control the exercise of the right to vote attached to 20
percent or more of the voting securities
of that person;
or
- Another
person has the power to acquire or dispose of 20 percent or more of the voting
securities of that person; or
- Another
person has the power to control the acquisition or disposition of 20 percent or
more of the voting securities of that person-
that other
person also has a relevant interest in the voting security.
- A
body corporate or other body has a relevant interest in a voting security in
which another body corporate that is related to that
body corporate or other
body has a relevant interest.
- A
person who has, or may have, a power referred to in any of paragraphs (b) to (f)
of subsection (1) of this section, has a relevant
interest in a voting security
regardless of whether the power-
- Is
expressed or implied:
- Is
direct or indirect:
- Is
legally enforceable or not:
- Is
related to a particular voting security or not:
- Is
subject to restraint or restriction or is capable of being made subject to
restraint or restriction:
- Is
exercisable presently or in the future:
- Is
exercisable only on the fulfilment of a condition:
- Is
exercisable alone or jointly with another person or persons.
- A
power referred to in subsection (1) of this section exercisable jointly with
another person or persons is deemed to be exercisable
by either or any of those
persons.
- A
reference to a power includes a reference to a power that arises from, or is
capable of being exercised as the result of, a breach
of any trust, agreement,
arrangement, or understanding, or any of them, whether or not it is legally
enforceable.
- For
the purposes of this Act, a body corporate is related to another body corporate
if-
- The
other body corporate is its holding company or subsidiary within the meaning of-
- Sections
158 and 158A of the Companies Act 1955, in relation to any company registered
under that Act; or
- Sections
5 and 6 of the Companies Act 1993, in relation to any other body corporate;
or
- More
than half-
- In
nominal value of its equity share capital (as defined in section 158(5) of the
Companies Act 1955) in relation to any company registered under that Act;
or
- Of
its issued shares (other than shares that carry no right to participate beyond a
specified amount in a distribution of either profits
or capital) in relation to
any other body corporate,- is held by the other body corporate and bodies
corporate related to that other
body corporate (whether directly or indirectly,
but other than in a fiduciary capacity); or
- More
than half-
- In
nominal value of the equity share capital (as defined in section 158(5) of the
Companies Act 1955), in relation to any company registered under that Act;
or
- Of
the issued shares (other than shares that carry no right to participate beyond a
specified amount in a distribution of either profits
or capital), in relation to
any other body corporate,- of each of them is held by members of the other
(whether directly or indirectly,
but other than in a fiduciary capacity);
or
- The
businesses of the bodies corporate have been so carried on that the separate
business of each body corporate, or a substantial
part thereof, is not readily
identifiable; or
- There
is another body corporate to which both bodies corporate are
related.
Section 6 Securities Amendment Act 1988
Relevant interests to be disregarded in certain cases-
- For
the purposes of Part II of this Act, notwithstanding section 5 of this Act, no
account shall be taken of a relevant interest of
a person in a voting security
if-
- The
ordinary business of the person who has the relevant interest consists of, or
includes, the lending of money or the provision
of financial services, or both,
and that person-
- Has
the relevant interest only as security given for the purposes of a transaction
entered into in the ordinary course of the business
of that person; and
- Has
been designated by the Commission, by notice in the Gazette, as a person to whom
this paragraph applies or is a member of a class
of persons designated by the
Commission, by notice in the Gazette, as a class of persons to which this
paragraph applies, as the
case may be, and that designation has not been revoked
by the Commission; or
- That
person has the relevant interest by reason only of acting for another person to
acquire or dispose of that security on behalf
of the other person in the
ordinary course of business of a sharebroker and that person-
- Is a
member of a stock exchange; or
- Has
been designated by the Commission, by notice in the Gazette, as a person to whom
this paragraph applies and that designation has
not been revoked by the
Commission; or
- That
person has the relevant interest by reason only that he or she has been
authorised by resolution of the directors or other governing
body of a body
corporate to act as its representative at a particular meeting of members, or
class of members, of a public issuer,
and a copy of the resolution is deposited
with the public issuer not less than 48 hours before the meeting;
or
- That
person has the relevant interest solely by reason of being appointed as a proxy
to vote at a particular meeting of members, or
of a class of members, of the
public issuer and the instrument of that person's appointment is deposited with
the public issuer not
less than 48 hours before the meeting; or
- That
person-
- Is a
trustee corporation or a nominee company; and
- Has
the relevant interest by reason only of acting for another person in the
ordinary course of business of that trustee corporation
or nominee company;
and
- Has
been designated by the Commission, by notice in the Gazette, as a person to whom
this paragraph applies and that designation has
not been revoked by the
Commission; or
- The
person has the relevant interest by reason only that the person is a bare
trustee of a trust to which the voting security is subject.
- For
the purposes of subsection (1)(f) of this section, a trustee may be a bare
trustee notwithstanding that he or she is entitled
as a trustee to be
remunerated out of the income or property of the trust.
Section
147 Companies Act 1993
Relevant interests to be disregarded in certain cases-
- For
the purposes of section 148 of this Act, no account shall be taken of a relevant
interest of a person in a share if-
- The
ordinary business of the person who has the relevant interest consists of, or
includes, the lending of money or the provision
of financial services, or both,
and that person has the relevant interest only as security given for the
purposes of a transaction
entered into in the ordinary course of the business of
that person; or
- That
person has the relevant interest by reason only of acting for another person to
acquire or dispose of that share on behalf of
the other person in the ordinary
course of business of a sharebroker and that person is a member of a stock
exchange; or
- That
person has the relevant interest solely by reason of being appointed as a proxy
to vote at a particular meeting of members, or
of a class of members, of the
company and the instrument of that person's appointment is produced before the
start of the meeting
in accordance with clause 6(4) of the First Schedule to
this Act or by a time specified in the company's constitution, as the case
may
be; or
- That
person-
- Is a
trustee corporation or a nominee company; and
- Has
the relevant interest by reason only of acting for another person in the
ordinary course of business of that trustee corporation
or nominee company;
or
- The
person has the relevant interest by reason only that the person is a bare
trustee of a trust to which the share is subject.
- For
the purposes of subsection (1)(e) of this section, a trustee may be a bare
trustee notwithstanding that he or she is entitled
as a trustee to be
remunerated out of the income or property of the trust.
Section
609 Australian Corporations Law
Situations Not Giving Rise to Relevant Interests
609(1) Money lending and financial accommodation. A person does not
have a relevant interest in securities merely because of a mortgage, charge or
other security taken for the purpose
of a transaction entered into by the person
if:
- the
mortgage, charge or security is taken or acquired in the ordinary course of the
person's business of providing financial services
and on ordinary commercial
terms; and
- the
person whose property is subject to the mortgage, charge or security is not an
associate of the person.
609(2) Nominees and other trustees.
A person who would otherwise have a relevant interest in securities as a bare
trustee does not have a relevant interest in the securities
if a beneficiary
under the trust has a relevant interest in the securities because of a presently
enforceable and unconditional right
of the kind referred to in subsection
608(8).
609(3) Holding of securities by securities dealer. A securities dealer
does not have a relevant interest in securities merely because they hold
securities on behalf of someone else
in the ordinary course of their securities
business.
609(4) Shares covered by buy-backs. A person does not have a relevant
interest in a company's shares if the relevant interest would arise merely
because the company
has entered into an agreement to buy back the shares.
609(5) Proxies. A person does not have a relevant interest in
securities merely because the person has been appointed to vote as a proxy or
representative
at a meeting of members, or of a class of members, of the
company, body or managed investment scheme if:
- the
appointment is for one meting only; and
- neither
the person nor any associate gives valuable consideration for the
appointment.
609(6) Exchange traded options and futures
contracts. A person does not have a relevant interest in securities merely
because of:
- an
exchange traded option over the securities; or
- a
right to acquire the securities given by a futures contract.
This
subsection stops applying to the relevant interest when the obligation to make
or take delivery of the securities arises.
609(7) Conditional agreements. A person does not have a relevant
interest in securities merely because of an agreement if the agreement:
- is
conditional on:
- a
resolution under item 7 in the table in section 611 being passed; or
- ASIC
exempting the acquisition under the agreement from the provisions of this
Chapter under section 655A; and
- does
not confer any control over, or power to substantially influence, the exercise
of a voting right attached to the securities;
and
- does
not restrict disposal of the securities for more than 3 months from the date
when the agreement is entered into.
The person acquires a relevant
interest in the securities when the condition referred to in paragraph (a) is
satisfied.
609(8) Pre-emptive rights. A member of a company, body or managed
investment scheme does not have a relevant interest in securities of the
company, body or
scheme merely because the company's, body's or scheme's
constitution gives members pre-emptive rights on the transfer of the securities
if all members have pre-emptive rights on the same terms.
609(9) Director of body corporate holding securities. A person does
not have a relevant interest in securities merely because:
- the
person is a director of a body corporate; and
- the
body corporate has a relevant interest in those
securities.
609(10) Prescribed exclusions. A person does not
have a relevant interest in securities in the circumstances specified in the
regulations. The regulations may provide
that interests in securities are not
relevant interests subject to specified conditions.
APPENDIX 3
PERSONS CURRENTLY
DESIGNATED BY THE COMMISSION
|
Date of Designation
|
Date of Gazettal
|
Section 6(1)(a)
|
Westpac Banking Corporation
|
20.6.89
|
22.6.89
|
Trust Bank New Zealand Limited
|
"
|
"
|
The National Bank of New Zealand Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Taranaki Savings Bank Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Post Office Bank Limited
|
"
|
"
|
NZI Bank Limited
|
"
|
"
|
National Australia Bank (NZ) Limited
|
"
|
"
|
DFC New Zealand Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Countrywide Banking Corporation Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Citibank NA
|
"
|
"
|
Bank of New Zealand Limited
|
"
|
"
|
ASB Bank Limited
|
"
|
"
|
ANZ Banking Group (New Zealand) Limited
|
"
|
"
|
BNZ Finance Limited
|
29.6.89
|
30.6.89
|
BNZ Finance Deposits Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Bank Indosuez New Zealand Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Wholly owned subsidiaries of registered banks within the meaning of section
2 of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act 1989, provided
that the registered bank
has itself been designated under section 6
|
(1)(a)28.7.89
|
3.8.89
|
Bage Investments Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Elderbank Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Government Life Insurance Corporation
|
"
|
"
|
National Provident Fund Holdings Limited
|
"
|
"
|
National Provident Fund Board
|
"
|
"
|
NZI Investment Services Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Corporate Financial Management (NZ) Limited
|
"
|
"
|
The Rural and Industries Bank of Western Australia
|
"
|
"
|
Trust Bank Auckland Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Trust Bank Bay of Plenty Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Trust Bank Canterbury Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Trust Bank Central Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Trust Bank Otago Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Trust Bank South Canterbury Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Trust Bank Southland Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Trust Bank Waikato Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Trust Bank Wellington Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Australian Guarantee Corporation (NZ)
|
18.8.89
|
24.8.89
|
AGC Merchant Securities Limited
|
"
|
"
|
AGC Flexiloan Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Bancorp Acceptances Limited
|
26.10.89
|
26.10.89
|
Bancorp Securities Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited
|
"
|
"
|
State Bank of South Australia
|
"
|
"
|
Rothschild Australia Limited
|
21.3.90
|
5.4.90
|
AMP Financial Corporation (NZ) Limited
|
26.6.90
|
28.6.90
|
Banque Indosuez
|
3.4.9
|
14.4.91
|
Fisher & Paykel Finance Limited
|
7.7.93
|
2.8.93
|
Consumer Finance Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Commercial Finance Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Equipment Finance Limited
|
"
|
"
|
United Overseas Bank Limited
|
17.5.96
|
23.5.96
|
Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Bank of America National Trust & Savings Association
|
24.8.98
|
27.8.98
|
Elders Finance Limited
|
11.6.01
|
14.6.01
|
Section 6(1)(b)
|
Fay Richwhite Equities Limited
|
29.6.89
|
4.5.89
|
Section 6(1)(e)
|
AMP Perpetual Trustee Company (NZ) Limited
|
26.4.89
|
4.5.89
|
The Public Trustee
|
"
|
"
|
Southpac Custodians Limited
|
20.6.89
|
22.6.89
|
Westpac Nominees-NZ-Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Perpetual Nominees (Wellington) Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Perpetual Nominees (Christchurch) Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Perpetual Nominees (Auckland) Limited
|
"
|
"
|
National Bank of New Zealand (Nominees) Limited
|
"
|
"
|
National Australia Nominees Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Marac Nominees Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Countrywide Nominees Limited
|
"
|
"
|
BNZ Nominees Limited
|
"
|
"
|
ANZ Nominees Limited
|
"
|
"
|
BNZ Nominees Australia Limited
|
"
|
"
|
ANZ Custodians Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Trustee and Executors Agency Company of New Zealand Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Warspite Nominees Limited
|
"
|
"
|
East Coast Permanent Trustees Limited
|
29.6.89
|
30.6.89
|
Indosuez New Zealand Nominees Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Discontent Nominees Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Grafton Nominees Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Cambridge Nominees Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Debenture Nominees Limited
|
28.7.89
|
3.8.89
|
Eltub Nominees Limited
|
"
|
"
|
East Coast Permanent Trustees Limited
|
"
|
"
|
FAS Nominees Limited
|
"
|
"
|
ELFIC Nominees Limited
|
"
|
"
|
NZI Investment Nominees Limited
|
31.7.89
|
3.8.89
|
Siva Nominees Limited
|
"
|
"
|
NZI Staff Superannuation Fund Nominees Limited
|
"
|
"
|
NZI Staff Provident Fund Nominees Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Gaflac Nominees Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Arawata Investments Limited
|
18.8.89
|
24.8.89
|
Southpac Nominees Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Fay Richwhite Equities Nominees Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Culverwell Nominees Limited
|
"
|
"
|
TEA Nominees Limited
|
22.9.89
|
28.9.89
|
TEA Custodians Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Unitholder Nominees Limited
|
"
|
"
|
AMP Property Trust Nominees Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Fide Enterprises Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Bancorp Nominees Limited
|
26.10.89
|
2.11.89
|
Citibank Nominees (New Zealand) Limited
|
"
|
"
|
SBSA (NZ) Investments Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Tower Nominees Limited
|
24.11.89
|
30.11.89
|
National Nominees Limited
|
18.1.90
|
25.1.90
|
Gildor Nominees Limited
|
30.10.90
|
1.11.90
|
Elrond Nominees Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Hongkongbank Nominees (New Zealand) Limited
|
3.4.91
|
11.4.91
|
Citibank Global Asset Management Limited
|
11.10.93
|
14.10.93
|
Citibank Nominees New Zealand Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Citibank Nominees Pty Limited
|
3.2.94
|
10.2.94
|
Margaret Street Nominees Pty Limited
|
"
|
"
|
Citicorp Investments Limited
|
"
|
"
|
PCS Investment Nominees Limited
|
13.12.99
|
16.12.99
|
Credit Suisse First Boston NZ Custodians Limited
|
10.10.00
|
12.10.00
|
First NZ Securities Nominees Limited
|
25.02.02
|
28.02.02
|
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