Prestige Staffing Solutions in liquidation with debts of $1.5m, clients in limbo, staff let go

Staff of a Gold Coast job agency found themselves unemployed before Christmas when the company collapsed owing more than $1.5m. READ WHAT HAPPENED

Staff and clients of a Gold Coast job agency have been left in the lurch days before Christmas, it can be revealed, when it collapsed owing more than $1.5m.

Registered charity Prestige Staffing Solutions provided pre-employment coaching, job search and educational support services to families in need and unemployed youth.

The Southport-based group had 78 staff for its programs in Beenleigh, Brisbane, Bundaberg and the Sunshine Coast, as well as on the Gold Coast.

Financial reports lodged with ASIC show the company suffered consecutive losses totalling more than $1.5m over the past two financial years, despite reaping more than $2.2m a year in government funding.

Tracy Kearney, founder and CEO of Prestige Service Training and Prestige Staffing Solutions.

A report from liquidator James Robba of Worrells said the company owed $949,00 in tax as well as $127,417 to staff, when it went into liquidation on December 13.

The company is solely directed by Tracy-Lee Kearney, 57, whose husband Bernard Kearney resigned as a director and company secretary on August 21 and the company approached insolvency experts five days later.

Prestige Staffing client Jade Weatherill said she had been required to report regularly to the organisation about the status of her small face painting and art business in order to maintain a fortnightly Federal Government allowance.

“Last week I was sending emails and they bounced back, and when I phoned their phone was cut off,” she said.

“I’ve been ghosted – I didn’t know who to contact or what to do – I panicked.”

The Sunshine Coast artist, who has been using the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme to get her business off the ground, is hopeful her case could be transferred to another provider.

“It’s been an amazing program, I work part-time as well but it’s allowed me to pay for a market stall and buy a domain name – it’s a great program to allow people to set their business up.”

Sunshine Coast artist Jade Weatherill was a client of Prestige Staffing Solutions.

A staff member said the news came as a shock to the team, some of whom who were told to leave their company cars at the office and find their own way home.

Adding to the sting was a social media post of Mr and Ms Kearney enjoying a family trip in Taiwan just days after the company folded.

Ms Kearney said: “The decision to proceed with the liquidation of Prestige Staffing Solutions was difficult but ultimately in the best interest of the company’s members and creditors.

“I will continue to provide the liquidator with any and all assistance I can, so that former clients, and creditors, are fully informed throughout the liquidation process. As to the reference to the international holiday, I did take a cruise over the Christmas and New Year holiday which had been pre-booked since early 2023 and fully paid for (personally) in advance of the liquidation of PSS.”

Ms Kearney’s registered training business, Prestige Service Training, is still operational via her company Flossink. It operates from the same Southport address as the collapsed company.

A statement from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations said it assessed providers for financial stability as part of its contract negotiations.

“Departmental staff regularly engage with Providers on all aspects of Deed management and administration,” the statement said.

“The department contacted all participants engaged in the Self-Employment Assistant Program with Prestige Staffing Solutions via text message and email on Friday 20 December 2024.

“Any person concerned about their participation in programs can contact the department’s National Customer Service Line via email ([e-mail]), phone on 1800 805 260, or through the contact form on the Workforce Australia website (www.workforceaustralia.gov.au).”

Originally published as Prestige Staffing Solutions in liquidation with debts of $1.5m, clients in limbo, staff let go