ASIC has accepted voluntary undertakings (VUs) from WA-based registered liquidators, Mr George Lopez and Mr Evan Verge, both of Melsom Robson, Chartered Accountants.
ASIC’s ongoing industry-wide project to test compliance with registered liquidators’ obligations to lodge documents and publish notices required under the law continues to identify practitioners not complying with basic obligations. Mr Lopez and Mr Verge acknowledge the non-compliance and have taken the necessary steps to rectify it.
The VUs require the liquidators to:
- engage an independent expert to provide training to Mr Lopez and Mr Verge and to their firm’s professional staff, with an emphasis on promoting an improved compliance culture; and
- engage a suitably qualified independent quality reviewer to undertake a review of three external administrations selected by ASIC. The reviewer must assess compliance with the duties and obligations imposed upon registered liquidators and report his/her findings to ASIC.