Bundaberg farming identity Giatano Barbera banned

A Queensland farming identity has been banned from managing companies for five years following his involvement in nine failed firms that collapsed owing more than $53m.

The corporate watchdog has banned Bundaberg farming identity Giatano ‘Guy’ Barbera from managing companies for five years following his involvement in a string of failed firms that collapsed owing more than $53m.

ASIC found that Barbera was a director of nine companies that entered liquidation between 2012 and 2018, including Barbera Properties, Barbera Transport, Barbera Fresh, Old Saddleback Road and Barbera Farms.

ASIC found that Barbera had allowed Barbera Transport to trade whilst insolvent; failed to ensure that the companies paid their taxation liabilities, superannuation and payroll tax and failed to ensure that the companies kept proper records.

At the time of ASIC’s decision, the nine companies owed unsecured creditors a total of $53,100,557.75, with at least $3,928,771.45 owed to the Australian Taxation Office.

Barbera Properties was an asset holding company for the Barbera Group, while the remaining companies were involved in agriculture, farming and property development.

Barbera is disqualified from managing corporations until 9 November 2026.

Barbera, who headed the Barbera family farming empire for years, was made a bankrupt in the Federal Circuit Court in March following an application by several creditors including the liquidator of one of the failed companies.

The family have been farming zucchinis, capsicums and tomatoes in the region for almost 50 years and at one stage employed hundreds of workers across the state’s salad bowl,

Comment has been sought from Barbera.

Giatano ‘Guy’ Barbera.

VALE JIM

A big farewell is expected on Monday for Jim Fouras, a former speaker of the Queensland Parliament and Member for Ashgrove, who died suddenly earlier this month aged 83.

Born in Kalavryta, Greece, Fouras migrated to Queensland aged just 10. Like many migrants at the time he spoke little English, but was determined to succeed, graduating from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Economics.

Spending his early career in research, Fouras (illustrated) contracted the political bug after the dismissal of the Whitlam Labor Government in 1975.

He was elected as the ALP member for South Brisbane in 1977 holding that until 1986, before working as a Human Rights Commissioner investigating homelessness in Australia.

In 1989, during a landslide that saw the election of Wayne Goss he won the seat of Ashgrove, which he held until he retired in 2006 and was succeeded by Kate Jones. Fouras was the speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 1990 to 1996.

While a popular local identity, old timers in the Labor Party will recall that Fouras’ tenure as speaker was not without controversy. The Labor Party was preparing to dump Fouras as speaker in 1995 and replace him with Henry Palaszczuk, the father of the current Premier, after the party was elected with a one-seat majority.

Jim Fouras as Speaker in 1996

Foruas reportedly considered a deal with Independent MLA Liz Cunningham that would have seen him retain the job with the support of the Coalition. Fearing that outcome, the ALP withdrew Palaszczuk’s candidacy for speaker and Fouras was re-elected with the support of his ALP colleagues.

Member for Cooper Jonty Bush, whose electorate now covers Ashgrove and who wasn’t even born when Fouras was first elected, paid tribute to the pollie who she said loved a chat.

“A five minute walk down the road would turn into an hour with Jim as everyone stopped to say hello,” says Bush. “During last year’s election, Jim campaigned for me every day. His energy was that of a 20-year-old. He had so many stories the man could have written a dozen autobiographies. The sign of a life well lived.”

Fouras is survived by his wife Tanya, and his children Yanoula, Athanasi and Andreas, and seven grandchildren. A funeral service will be held at the Greek Orthodox Church in South Brisbane on Monday at 11am.

Gina Rinehart loves cold soup

IN THE SOUP

We hear Gina Rinehart is a regular at upmarket Brisbane hotel The Calile where her favorite dish is gazpacho, a cold soup made of raw, blended vegetables. Despite the hotel’s revolving menu, staff are apparently instructed to stock ingredients for the soup all year round in case Australia’s richest woman pops in for a bite to eat. “It is no longer on the menu for other customers but if Gina comes in they know that is what she wants,” says one City Beat spy. “At least one waiter has made the mistake of not recognising her and telling her is it not available. But they are quickly told what is expected.”