Sequel Books & Stationery collapse leaves parents out of pocket, liquidators reveal

Parents are out of pocket and children have been left out, as the true cost of the collapse of a major Queensland school stationary supplier, with debts of an estimated $5m, become clearer. SEE THE SCHOOLS AFFECTED

Sequel Books and Stationery has been placed into liquidation.

A Brisbane mother is one of many parents left hundreds of dollars out-of-pocket by the collapse of a major books and stationery supplier recommended by 55 Queensland schools.

Sequel Books & Stationery collapsed last month owing $5 million, with the appointed liquidator confirming they have received “not more than 20 inquiries from Mum and Dad customers” who did not receive orders or refunds.

Meghan Mackie has daughters in Year 1 and Year 5 at a state school on Brisbane’s northside. She is $328 out-of-pocket due to the Sequel collapse and waited for her order to arrive throughout Term 1.

After hearing about Sequel’s collapse, she now plans to spend hundreds more dollars at other stationery outlets this weekend, getting the supplies she had paid Sequel to deliver.

“Term 1 was obviously quite a mess,” she said.

“My view was there was no point in me going out and getting these things because what if my book packs suddenly turned up.

“It was an imposition that we shouldn’t have been put in.

“If the company knew they were at maximum capacity, they shouldn’t have taken more orders. It’s not just a monetary thing, they are affecting the children.”

The liquidator appointed for Sequel is Chris Baskerville, state managing partner for Jirsch Sutherland.

Mr Baskerville is going through Sequel’s affairs and is due to publish his report in July. He said his initial view is that Sequel’s director “acted prudently in the lead up to liquidation”.

“I am advised that around January 2024, there were over 7000 customers who placed orders with the company,” Mr Baskerville said.

“However, to avoid a public relations disaster, they did all they could to satisfy the customer orders, and where they could not satisfy the orders, refunded the money to the Mum and Dad customers, prior to appointing a liquidator.

“At this stage, I have received not more than 20 inquiries from Mum and Dad customers who have missed out on either their books pack being delivered, or their refund.

The company also terminated all staff and paid out their entitlements in full (including superannuation), prior to my appointment.

“I will issue my statutory report in approximately three months, which will have further details as to the company’s affairs, including my preliminary results from my investigations.”

Ms Mackie said her daughters’ school had been very accommodating and given her daughters books and stationery to get by during Term 1.

“Obviously they feel a bit left out in the fact that everybody else got their things, but they didn’t,” she said.

“It’s not fair, that is not something they should be stressing about. They should just go to school and do their learning, without worrying about where their things are.”

Mr Baskerville said any outstanding Sequel customers seeking a refund should make a claim by completing a Form 535 – Proof of Debt.

The 55 schools listed on Sequel Books & Stationery’s website:

All Saints Anglican School

Aspley State School

Aquinas College

Bellbird Park State Secondary

Belmont State School

Berrinba East State School

Brisbane Grammar School

Brookfield State School

Burleigh Heads State School

Canungra State School

Citipointe Christian College

Centenary State High School

Clairvaux MacKillop College

Fig Tree Pocket State School

Grovely State School

Hilder Road State School

Hillcrest Christian College

Hills College

Holland Park State School

Jamboree Heights State School

Jindalee State School

John Paul College

Kenmore State High School

Kilcoy State Primary School

Longreach School of Distance Education

Marist College Ashgrove

Marsden State High School

Manly West State School

Mitchelton State School

Mount Alvernia College

Mount Kilcoy State School

Mt Saint Michael’s College

Northside Christian College

Our Lady College Annerley

Padua College

Parklands Christian College

Queensland Academy of Science Mathematics and Technology

San Damiano College

San Sisto College

Seton College

St Aidan’s Anglican Girls Schools

St Francis Xavier Primary School Goodna

St Joseph’s Catholic School Corinda

St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School

St Mary’s College

St Peters Lutheran College Indooroopilly

St Philomena School

The Lakes College

Walloon State School

West Moreton Anglican College

Westside Christian College

Wisdom College

Wishart State School

Wondall Heights State School

Yeronga State School