One Nation candidate Matthew Stephen denies he owes money from former business

FORMER business associates of a One Nation candidate claim his former company owes them thousands of dollars in overdue contracts, unpaid rent and defective work.

FORMER business associates of a One Nation candidate claim his former company owes them thousands of dollars in overdue contracts, unpaid rent and defective work.

Matthew Stephen, who is running for Pauline Hanson’s party in the crucial Longman by-election, faces calls to give up his tilt at politics and repay the money his company is accused of owing.

Mr Stephen denies the allegations, saying he sold his company, Aus Tile Qld Pty Ltd, in December 2016 and all liabilities are with the new owner. But The Courier-Mail could not contact the new owner, and documents lodged with ASIC show the company is still registered at Mr Stephen’s Brisbane address.

One Nation candidate Matthew Stephen is facing calls to give up his tilt at politics and repay the money his company is accused of owing. Picture: The Australian/Lyndon Mechielsen

Mr Stephen is shaping up as a kingmaker in the by-election for the seat, with One Nation’s preferences likely to determine the outcome on July 28.

Two years ago ­the Northern Territory Local Court ordered Mr Stephen’s company to pay Darwin builder Phillip Hoare’s company $13,769.99 for breach of contract after a tiler employed by Mr Stephen did work “far below a workmanlike standard”.

Mr Hoare told The Courier-Mail he had only ever been paid about $2000.

“His morals, values and ethics are so low that he is not capable of representing a business, let alone representing his country,” Mr Hoare said.

Stavros Mostris, who leased a property to Mr Stephen’s former company, estimated he was owed thousands of dollars in unpaid rent, which the One Nation candidate denies.

“If he is not an honest businessman, what sort of parliamentarian is he going to be?” Mr Mostris said.

Darwin tiler Nick Fullerton said he worked for Mr Stephen as a subcontractor and was underpaid on three jobs, which Mr Stephen also denies.

In a joint statement, Mr Stephen and One Nation said the attacks were untrue and “politically motivated”.

“Mr Stephen maintains he has met every payment owed to creditors during a financial slump in his building career,” they said.

“Mr Stephen vehemently denies he, or any of his companies, had been evicted from any rental properties, commercial or otherwise.

“Mr Stephen also rejects the claim of any outstanding rent.

“Mr Fullerton is a former disgruntled subcontractor who was referred to Queensland Police for alleged extortion attempts on Mr Stephen in 2017. The matter remains with Queensland Police.”

Mr Stephen’s wall and floor tiling licence has been temporarily suspended seven times for failure to pay fees and creditors.

He has previously said his financial problems were caused by bigger builders and contractors not paying him.

Originally published as One Nation candidate Matthew Stephen denies he owes money from former business