Where’s George? The missing builder, the dumped waste and the $200,000 fine

A builder who dumped 10 tonnes of asbestos-riddled construction waste in a pristine Southern Highlands property that his wife had earlier cleared of native trees has been fined $200,000 – but he never showed up to court to defend himself.

George Khouzame is a deregistered Sydney builder who first came to national attention when a home he had built suddenly collapsed in 2023. A year later, he was prosecuted by NSW Police and the state’s Building Commission, and later convicted of fraudulently lodging insurance applications.

George Khouzame and Chaza Khouzame.

An investigation by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) found his wife, Chaza Khouzame, had purchased land at Canyonleigh in the Southern Highlands, cleared five hectares of native vegetation, and that he had then dumped the waste on that land.

On Friday, Khouzame did not attend court and, in his absence, was convicted along with his in-administration company – of which he was the sole director – of misleading the EPA’s investigation at the site.

After earlier informing the EPA’s legal team he would represent himself in the matter, Khouzame did not respond to the lawyers and had not communicated with them for more than a week before the hearing, the agency’s prosecutor, Stephanie Erian, told the court.

The Canyonleigh property, pictured after it was cleared of trees, was home to a koala habitat.

A similar pattern of behaviour occurred in the EPA’s earlier investigations: in February 2023, Khouzame’s company was asked if it had in any way been associated with the property in Canyonleigh. Khouzame gave the EPA a one-word response: “No.”

“It wasn’t detailed, and it was not an accurate response,” Erian said. “The EPA received evidence from other sources that indicated the information provided was false and misleading, not just pithy.”

Magistrate David Price said Khouzame’s criminal history was “poor and lengthy”.

“Mr Khouzame needs to be specifically deterred,” he said in his decision. “There’s been no remorse or contrition demonstrated by either the company or the individual.

“He needs to be reminded that the laws of NSW apply to him.”

In addition to having to pay $25,000 in costs, Khouzame was ordered to place a notice about the incident in the Southern Highland News.

EPA director of operations Adam Gilligan said the result was “one of the largest fines ever secured for providing false or misleading information to the EPA”.

“[It] reflects the seriousness of Mr Khouzame’s actions, which could have hindered a major investigation into serious environmental offences,” he said.

Cleared land still a ‘dust bowl’

In addition to the fines Khouzame will have to pay, his wife was in December fined $50,000 and $10,000 in costs over failing to comply with a clean-up notice for the site, in addition to being fined $135,000 for clearing native bushland.

Despite the couple being fined more than $425,000 across cases and investigations and legal proceedings extending beyond two years, the Canyonleigh site looks exactly as it did when the EPA began its investigations. One neighbour described it as a “dust bowl”.

A close-up view of the site previously owned by Chaza Khouzame in Canyonleigh, taken in February 2025.

“There’s been multiple returns to do sporadic work, but the land never really has the chance to recover … there’s still barren ground, it’s lost all its topsoil,” they said, seeking anonymity out of fear of retribution.

Other residents said Khouzame had been spotted at the site occasionally, most recently in October last year.

When strong winds sweep through the valley, it whips across the dry land and spreads dust – potentially asbestos-riddled – across nearby homes, they said.

Another neighbour said locals were frustrated about how long it was taking to remediate the site.

“Even though the original owners have been heavily fined by EPA for the damage to the site and asbestos contamination, the locals want to know: who is responsible for the site’s rejuvenation?”

Khouzame facing financial struggles

In communications before court proceedings this year, Khouzame told the EPA he could not afford legal representation. It is unclear whether earlier fines have been paid.

The new fines came less than a week after the couple listed their South Hurstville home for sale.

Their home, which was purchased for $2 million in 2019, boasts “sweeping district views”, six bedrooms, four bathrooms, a pool, a cinema room and a large walk-in closet, according to the online listing.

“Upon entry through the bespoke front door, the grandeur of the huge formal lounge room is breathtaking including seven-metre-high ceilings and a sweeping staircase, setting the tone for the exceptional living spaces beyond,” the listing reads.

The listing of their home comes after Chaza Khouzame in February 2024 sold the Canyonleigh site at a $150,000 loss to Caroline Joseph Abu Abara, who could not be reached for comment. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by the new owner.

The Khouzames did not respond to a request for comment.