ASIC disqualifies Miroslav Jack Samardzija from managing corporations for five years

The director of three construction companies that collapsed owing more than $2m has been disqualified from managing businesses for five years by the corporate watchdog.

The corporate watchdog has disqualified Miroslav Jack Samardzija from managing corporations for the maximum period of five years due to his “dishonest conduct and flagrant disregard” for his duties as a director of the failure of three construction related companies.

The Australian Securities & Investments Commission says Samardzija, from the small town of Wamuran just north of Brisbane, was the director or officer of three companies that entered liquidation – Caboolture Developments Pty Ltd, Sinopacific Constructions Pty Ltd and Land Invest Pty Ltd

ASIC found that Mr Samardzija should be restrained from being a director after he used the corporate structure to his own ends and acted dishonestly, when he failed to comply with statutory obligations to lodge tax returns and; provide books and records to a liquidator.

The commission also said he behaved dishonestly by claiming GST refunds using false invoices and bank statements and transferring company funds to the benefit of other companies or related parties.

At the time of ASIC’s decision, the three companies owed the combined amount of $2.34m to unsecured creditors, including about $1.03m to the ATO

In disqualifying Samardzija, the commission relied on supplementary report lodged by liquidator, Samuel Lam of Vincent’s Chartered Accountants.

Samardzija is disqualified from managing corporations until 15 April 2029 but has the right to seek a review of ASIC’s decision by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

He was previously convicted and fined $4000 plus costs for failing to assist the liquidator of Sinopacific Constructions and Caboolture Developments.

Playing By The Rules

At just 23, Zoe Genrich is stickler for the rules.

She was recently promoted to senior consultant in governance, risk and compliance at KPMG’s Brisbane office and on the field she’s still kicking serious goals.

Genrich is ranked Australia’s top female touch football referee and is heading off to Nottingham in Britain to officiate in the Touch Football World Cup in July where she also has her sights set on reaching the top in the men’s game too where she’s currently ranked 9th.

Born and bred in Brisbane and educated at Lourdes Hill College Genrich first stumbled onto the football field aged seven, when she started playing touch with a group of friends from school.

Zoe Genrich in action on the touch football field.

By 14, she was the one running the show when she turned to refereeing as way of earning money through school and university which kicked off her career as a whistleblower.

But it hasn’t been easy. On top of refereeing games three or four nights during the season, she goes to the gym five mornings a week and does lots of running on nights off.

Genrich reckons she feels a bit of pressure but mostly she’s just looking forward to being a part of the game.

Apart from the World Cup, she says the pinnacle of refereeing touch football in Australia is the Men’s Open State of Origin.

And the secret to being a good ref is working well with others to get the best outcome for the game, which by the way also harks back to her work.