JM Kelly Group financial controller Elizabeth Murphy grilled in Federal Court about money transfers

The financial controller of a collapsed Queensland building company has been grilled in Federal Court about a series of money transfers from her private bank account.

The financial controller of the failed JM Kelly Group made a series of six-figure transfers from her personal bank account including to her brother’s family after the $30 million collapse of the building company, a court has heard.

Elizabeth Murphy told a public examination in the Federal Court that she received $520,795 from the sale of her Rockhampton property in May which was deposited in her Bank of Queensland account. Ms Murphy told the court that she made one transfer of $240,000 to another of her accounts and one of $102,000 to the wife of her brother John Murphy.

Mr Murphy was the director of the JM Kelly Group which collapsed in 2018 owing creditors, including scores of subcontractors, millions of dollars.

JM Kelly financial controller Elizabeth Murphy at Federal Court in Brisbane in August. Picture: AAP Image - Richard Waugh.

Under questioning from barrister Craig Wilkins, acting for the liquidator, Ms Murphy said the transfer to her sister-in-law was to help the family after John Murphy was diagnosed with cancer. “John can’t work and has three young children to support,” Ms Murphy said.

She said other funds were used to pay her legal expenses flowing from the public examination. Mr Wilkins said Ms Murphy had been asked to give an undertaking that she not sell assets while the public examination was on going but had not given one because she claimed her asset pool was “modest.”

Ms Murphy also told the court that she was back working as an accountant being paid about $7000 a month. But she declined to say in open court who she working for because of concerns the liquidator would contact her new employer.

Registrar Murray Belcher ordered that Ms Murphy write the identity of her employer on a piece of paper and that it not be made public. Mr Wilkins said he would seek orders that Ms Murphy provide details of several of her other bank accounts that she had not provided to the court.