Ex-Rex chairman admits hiding news of airline’s financial woes

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Chris Zappone

The former executive chairman of Rex Airlines has capitulated just days into a major trial and admitted to failing to disclose the airline’s true financial state in 2023 before its ultimate collapse a year later.

Former Rex executive chair Lim Kim Hai admitted “to all alleged contraventions against him,” the Australian Securities and Investments Commission said on the third day of a trial brought by the corporate regulator against the company and four former directors.

Rex’s one-time executive chairman, Lim Kim Hai.Louie Douvis

Lim was aware Rex faced an operating loss in February 2023 but instead signed off on a statement from Rex saying it was “optimistic the group will have positive operating profits” for the fiscal year.

The airline later recorded a major loss for the year, and was placed into administration with $500 million in debts. It continues to fly its planes under new ownership.

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“Former Rex executive chair Lim Kim Hai admitted, in the Supreme Court of New South Wales, to all alleged contraventions against him,” ASIC said in a statement.

Lim’s admissions do not cover any of the other directors, who are defending the allegations against them.

More to come.

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Chris ZapponeChris Zappone is a senior reporter covering aviation and business. He is former digital foreign editor.Connect via X, Facebook or email.

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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au