Final demands for debts of more than $100,000 have been lodged against Senator Bob Day’s building company Homestead Homes
FINAL demands for debts of more than $100,000 have been lodged against Senator Bob Day’s building company, Homestead Homes.
FINAL demands for debts of more than $100,000 have been lodged against Senator Bob Day’s building company, Homestead Homes.
Sources have also told The Advertiser that construction has halted work on some homes being built by the company, of which Senator Day is the sole director.
Mr Day’s media spokesman on Friday did not respond to questions on the debt and construction issues put forward by The Advertiser, saying only that “Senator Day is sorry but he cannot possibly provide comment so close to your deadline’’.
One customer who contacted The Advertiser received an email which said the company “currently have a backlog of trade and supplier difficulties and once the problem has been resolved advice will be provided when work will recommence”.
On Wednesday, a report which details debts under final demand in South Australia reported a $95,817 claim against Homestead. A claim for $6085 was lodged in September.
Having a debt under final demand does not necessarily signify financial problems within a business, as debts can be, and regularly are, disputed — for example for work not carried out to the satisfaction of the debtor.
Mr Day’s Home Australia group has been under fire this week, with reports of angry customers in Melbourne and Sydney complaining about long delays in construction.
The most recent annual report filed by Senator Day’s company Home Australia, which owns Homestead, showed it turned over $102 million in both the 2013 and 2014 financial years, and made a $1.2 million loss and a $3.03 million loss in those years respectively.
Homestead Homes’s website says the company was founded by Senator Day and John Smith in 1983.
“Homestead Homes built its first home in 1979 and in 1983 built its first display home.
“By 1989 Homestead Homes was the State’s largest home builder with sales approaching 1000 new homes per year and a turnover in excess of $50 million per annum.
“The company has been a consistent winner in the Homes of the Year Awards and has been acclaimed as the market leader in the homebuilding industry in South Australia.’’
Labor Senator Alex Gallacher questioned this week whether Senator Day had missed a number of sitting days since the Federal election due to concerns about the building business.
Senator Day has repeatedly been granted a leave of absence for “personal reasons” and has only been in Parliament for three of the 11 sitting days.
“The Senate has given me leave to be absent for personal reasons,’’ Senator Day said in a statement earlier this week.
“Almost every sitting day, senators are excused for personal reasons. Nobody asks them to divulge the personal reasons for their absence.”
Senator Day scraped back into Parliament at the election, winning the 12th of South Australia’s 12 Senate seats.
Housing Industry Association executive Director for SA Brenton Gardener said he was not aware of any complaints raised with his organisation about Homestead.