THE BYRON SHIRE Volume 26 #16 Tuesday, September 27, 2011 Mullumbimby 02 6684 1777 Byron Bay 02 6685 5222 Fax 02 6684 1719 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au www.echo.net.au 23,200 copies every week
AUDIT
GJ Gardner collapse leaves trail of debt Simeon Michaels
p17–19
T H E P S Y C H O PAT H S C O U L D N ’ T R U L E I F I T WA S N ’ T F O R T H E Z O M B I E S
CAB
Night markets go ahead
The Echo contacted Michael Hodgkinson who said he was unable to comment due to a gag-order placed on him by the Gardner head office. He did say, however, that they are assessing the company’s position and would be doing no further construction until they had established whether they were still solvent. He agreed to speak with The Echo when the gag order is lifted. Glen Eagles has not responded to several messages and requests for an interview. The Ballina office contact numbers have been disconnected.
Frustration surrounding the defunct Ballina franchise of GJ Gardner deepens this week as The Echo learns of unpaid bills to subcontractors, exemployees and customers. It is estimated that $500,000 is owed by C and E Structures whose franchise was recently terminated by the state-wide GJ Gardner office. With their builder’s licence recently expired, further trading by C and E Structures is in serious doubt. Additionally, GJ Gardner head-office has told The Echo that they were Employee conflict misled the whole time, and are owed Some of the worst affected have been perhaps the largest sum of unpaid ex-employees of the company. Ms Jenmonies. na Munro-Argent was C and E Structure’s new-homes salesperson for two Who’s in charge? years. ‘I began as a full-time employee While Mr Glen Eagles is commonly but after a year and half they made me a thought of as the manager, an ASIC contractor on a commission-only basis. ‘I completed my last sale three company search has shown that Michael Hodgkinson is the sole director and sec- months before giving birth to my secretary of C and E Structures and a 50 ond child and was owed $48,000 in per cent share holder. The remaining outstanding commissions,’ she says, ‘Six weeks after I left they told me shares are held by Jacqueline Cannon, that I had misquoted on jobs and cost believed to be Mr Glen Eagles’s wife. them thousands, and they wouldn’t be ‘Whatever the books say, he (Mr Ea- paying my commissions.’ gles) was the one with the chequebook,’ Ms Munro-Argent has since unsays an ex-employee of the company. continued on page 5
Marketeers Rebecca Rali, Adelaide Friday, Jupiter and Sean de Hora celebrate their temporary win for the artisan night markets to operate in Railway Park, Byron Bay, over summer. Byron market and Community Centre manager Paul Spooner told The Echo, ‘Sanity, some decent legal advice and a dose of good Council democracy have ensured that the market lives for another year. Congratulations to Cr Simon Richardson for having the foresight to press on and make this happen.’ The market will kick off on Saturday October 1 and run through to Easter next year, every Saturday from 5 to 9pm. The Byron Main Beach markets that are held over Christmas are still to be decided. ‘We’ll know once we put the application in,’ Mr Spooner said. Photo Eve Jeffery.
No Bayside shopping centre plans for Bruns
Council letter threatens Buck$ resident
The Echo erred last week in stating that a shopping centre was part of the residential subdivision proposal for Bayside Brunswick Heads. The application by Codlea P/L is for 175 residential lots and parkland. The reference to a shopping centre was part of an historical document held on the majorprojects.planning. nsw.gov.au website. The application, which is being considered under the repealed Part3A legislation, is on exhibition until October 31 at Byron Shire Council’s Mullumbimby office, Byron Bay library and at the major projects website.
Council compliance staff have threatened an alleged tenant of John Anderson, aka Fast Buck$, with legal action unless he provides detailed information and/or records of his tenancy. The extraordinary move comes after Council staff, assisted by police, executed a search warrant on Mr Anderson’s Coorabell property for unapproved dwellings last week. A four-page letter sent by compliance officer David Murray on July 27 claims that, ‘Council has obtained information that indicates the above premises are being
Hans Lovejoy
a complete abuse of power. ‘This reminds me of Nazi Gestapo,’ he told The Echo. ‘They have no evidence of my tenancy – I am completely innocent and cannot provide the information they request because I honestly don’t know.’ Now forced to seek legal advice, he says he can ill afford the time and expenses of defending himself. ‘Council staff are ganging up on tenants – everyone who pays rent in the Shire should be asking themselves Nazi Gestapo if they will be next.’ While acknowledging that Mr AnThe alleged tenant, however, has told The Echo that it is Council staff derson is a thorn in Council’s side, that should be investigated, calling it he claims that his predicament is a
used without development consent.’ It also says, ‘Council has formed the opinion that [name omitted] is a tenant and/or occupier on the premises,’ and that Council is, ‘undertaking an investigation’. The most recent letter sent this week says, ‘Council contends that you have not provided a reasonable excuse‌ Council will consider commencement of enforcement action including a court attendance notice.’
completely different issue. ‘Why don’t Council staff go after unregulated holiday letting? I can’t afford to live in Byron because of holiday letting,’ he says. ‘Most of the owners of these properties don’t even live in the Shire.’
Councillors not informed of compliance activity When The Echo asked mayor Jan Barham if councillors are advised of the activity of compliance officers, she said of this case, ‘It is deemed operational – ie a staff matter, as when there are legal breaches, complaints continued on page 2
T U O S S I M T ’ N DOthe stamp duty exemption on existing homes disappears on 1 Jan 2012
Terms and conditions, fees and charges apply. See us for details.
Ă&#x20AC;UVW KRPH EX\HUV DVN XV DERXW RXU VSHFLDO RIIHU call or visit us <echowebsection=Local News>
banking on people. 1300 802 222 Â&#x2021; summerland.com.au