Gerhardt “Hoss” Heinrich and Heinrich Constructions in court with sister Helga Bennett over labour firms’ $14.6m tax dispute

A past Magic Millions winner and one of the Gold Coast’s wealthiest construction bosses is in a multi million-dollar court feud with his sister.

Heinrich horse Military Rose wins the 2010 Magic Millions 2YO Classic.

One of the Gold Coast’s wealthiest racing and construction families is locked in a court battle over a $15m tax debt and alleged shadow directorships.

Helga Bennett is suing her high-profile brother Gerhardt “Hoss” Heinrich and his Yatala-based company Heinrich Constructions, which is one of Queensland’s largest formwork companies.

The group has worked on some of the state’s biggest projects including the $1.4b Jewel development and Star Entertainment Group’s Queen’s Wharf project in Brisbane.

Hoss Heinrich after he out-bid Gerry Harvey at a Magic Millions horse sale. Photo by Richard Gosling

Ms Bennett is director of labour hire firms Heiko and Highform, and claims her brother deliberately created the companies to avoid paying almost $15m in tax.

In documents lodged with the Brisbane Supreme Court, Ms Bennett alleges the labour firms were secretly controlled by Mr Heinrich, who used them to avoid payroll and Pay as You Go tax for hundreds of workers for more than two years.

Court documents said Ms Bennett was personally on the hook for $14.6m dollars owed by Heiko and Highform.

Mr Heinrich denies the allegations.

Gillian and Hoss Heinrich at Magic Millions Polo. Picture: Regina King

In her statement of claim, Ms Bennett said she had a verbal agreement with Mr Heinrich that his company would be responsible for all costs and responsibilities associated with the labour companies when they were formed in 2015.

The claim said Mr Heinrich had used his position as “controlling mind” of Heiko and Highform to conceal the true financial position of Heinrich Constructions and to incur liabilities he had “no intention of fulfilling”.

It said Mr Heinrich had used his alleged position as a director of the labour hire firms to benefit himself, his company and “other third parties”.

Heinrich Constructions worked on the Jewel towers at Surfers Paradise.

The defence statement for Mr Heinrich rejected much of the claim as untrue as he did not act as a director or officer of the company.

The defence described parts of Ms Bennett’s claim as “vague” and “embarrassing” and asked for further detail of some of the particulars.

An amended statement of claim, from Ms Bennett’s lawyers said the labour hire companies acted on Mr Heinrich’s instructions “at all times” and that he was “the sole decision maker of all management, operational, employment and financial decisions”.

It said it was unable to provide some details as records for the labour firms were in the “sole control and possession” of Mr Heinrich and Heinrich Constructions.

The case has been listed for trial from May 30 to June 3.

The Heinrichs’ horse Military Rose won the Gold Coast Magic Millions Classic in 2010.

Mr Heinrich is a former chairman of the Gold Coast Turf Club and his wife Gillian, who is not party to the court case, is one of the most successful horse trainers in Queensland.