QBCC moves to ban JM Kelly Group director John Murphy

WITH projects stranded and hundreds of subbies unpaid, the Queensland Building and Construction Commission has moved to exclude the director an insolvent construction company from the industry.

QUEENSLAND Building and Construction Commission has moved to exclude JM Kelly Group director John Murphy from the building industry.

The push comes after the JM Kelly Group of companies entered administration this week leaving projects stranded across central Queensland and hundred of subcontractors and suppliers unpaid.

Meanwhile the Subcontractors Alliance has called for the Palaszczuk Government to pay the debts of all subbies left owed money on state projects.

The demand extends beyond those affected by the latest insolvency to include those small businesses caught by the 2016 collapse of JM Kelly Project Builders.

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JM Kelly director John Murphy. Picture: Allan Reinikka

A QBCC spokesman said it was also closely reviewing a QCAT decision handed down on October 9 to allow Mr Murphy to retain his licence, which came less than a week before his company’s demise.

Mr Murphy and his father were both excluded from the industry in 2016 but he appealed meaning he could continue to operate until it was heard.

His exclusion in relation to the latest collapse comes just eight and a half months before his father, Geoffrey John Murphy’s, three-year suspension was due to expire.

The QBCC spokesman said the regulator was closely monitoring other potential people of influence to the companies and would take appropriate action according to the available evidence.

“We are very closely reviewing the QCAT decision and are yet to determine next steps around any potential legal appeal,” the spokesman said.

JM Kelly projects have come to a halt after the business went into liquidation. Picture: Hayla Bulloch

The regulator had been asked whether it would appeal the QCAT decision, whether given the findings of that decision it would also seek to exclude Geoffrey John Murphy’s daughter Elizabeth and employee Mick Drew as people of influence and whether it would seek to exclude Mr Murphy senior for life.

Subcontractors Alliance head Les Williams yesterday wrote to Minister for Housing and Public Works Mick de Brenni asking the state government to pay all debts owed to those subcontractors engaged on state government projects awarded to both JM Kelly companies. 　

“Innocent regional small businesses should not have ‘to carry the can’ for government negligence,” he wrote.

“The NSW Government recently paid subcontractors engaged by Ostwald Bros on the Pacific Highway construction so there is a precedent.”