Gold Coast’s Queensland One Homes and Empire Constructions in probe over alleged illegal activity

ANOTHER Gold Coast builder has collapsed, owing tradies and staff millions of dollars and leaving homeowners in the lurch, while a related company is under investigation for suspected illegal activity.

Paul Travis Callender and Amber Patrice Callender. Photo: Facebook

THE collapse of a Gold Coast building company has left 133 tradies and staff more than $3.4 million out of pocket and 35 would-be home-owners in limbo.

The Queensland Building and Construction Commission has suspended the licence of Queensland One Homes, which was put into liquidation last month.

A related company, Empire Constructions Pty Ltd, is under investigation for suspected illegal phoenix activity.

Paul Travis Callender and Amber Patrice Callender on holiday in Macau. Photo: Facebook

“The QBCC is investigating Empire Constructions Pty Ltd, and has received allegations of illegal phoenix activity,” a statement from the Commission said yesterday. “This information has been provided to ASIC.”

The failure is the latest in a string of construction company collapses that have left tens of millions of dollars in bills unpaid and Gold Coast families reeling.

Gold Coast construction company failures:

* April 2017: Bluestone Constructions went into liquidation with debts of $6.8 million.

* February 2017: Batir Pty Ltd collapsed with $1.98 million in debt spread across 167 unsecured creditors.

* December 2016: Cullen Group collapsed owing subbies an estimated $18 million and leaving a string of uncompleted projects.

*October 2016: Newstart Homes, owned by now-former Senator Bob Day collapsed owing staff up to $1 million with tradies’ debts estimated more than $12 million.

* January 2016: The property arm of the Gold Coast Titans collapsed owing subbies $1.6 million.

Company records show Paul Travis Callender, 34, is sole director of Queensland One Homes and is also a previous director of Empire Constructions.

His wife Amber Patrice Callender, a plastic surgery nurse, is now the sole director of Empire Constructions, which is licensed for developments between $3 million and $12 million.

A meeting of some of Queensland One Home’s 133 creditors, including tilers, painters, landscapers and more, heard allegations money had been transferred from Queensland One Homes to Empire Constructions shortly before the company failed.

Mr Callender could not be contacted yesterday and a staff member at the office of Empire Constructions said he was “not in the office at the moment, but I can get him to give you a call when he comes back in”.

Paul Travis Callender and Amber Patrice Callender. Photo: Facebook

QBCC records show Queensland One Homes was contracted in 2016-17 to build 25 homes worth $5.7 million and 160 homes worth $35.1 million the previous year.

Empire Constructions logged 17 homes worth $3.6 million in 2016-17 and just one home worth

$249,800 the previous year.

Mr Callender had made his own claim as a creditor owed more than $60,000 by his own company — but the creditors’ meeting heard the company balance sheet showed he and another company he directs owe Queensland One Homes more than $520,000 in loans.

The liquidation of Queensland One Homes is being undertaken by Michael Caspaney, of Menzies Advisory, who said the case was “evolving every day” as information was received.

Mr Caspaney is also the liquidator for fellow collapsed Gold Coast company Cullen Group.

Anyone who believes they have a claim against the company can contact him on 4222 1511.

Paul Travis Callender and Amber Patrice Callender in a helicopter. Photo: Facebook

Paul and Amber Callender

PUBLIC Facebook photos of Paul and Amber Callender show them visiting luxury hotels in Macau, snowboarding and zipping around in a helicopter.

It’s a far cry from the financial strain more than 133 creditors are suffering in the wake of the collapse of Mr Callender’s company Queensland One Homes.

Property records reveal one of the couple’s former homes at Wongawallan sold in March for $1.8 million and that the couple owns a modest house in Springfield Lakes, which is currently tenanted.

The records yesterday showed Mr Callender’s wife Amber was sole owner of three other properties, including a 79ha Wongawallan property she bought in November for $830,000 and a $700,000 waterfront home at Hazeldean in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.

Amber Patrice Callender. Photo: Facebook

Ms Callender’s now-deleted online resume says she is a registered nurse in plastic, cosmetic and reconstructive surgery who has worked in a number of private hospitals on the Gold Coast.

She does not hold a builder’s licence, but is director of Empire Constructions, which is under investigation by the QBCC over allegations of illegal phoenix activity.

Mr Callender’s company Queensland One Homes is in liquidation with debts estimated at more than $3 million.

The liquidator has disclaimed BMW Australia Finance contracts for six vehicles owned by the company, freeing the liquidator from loan repayments on them.

It is unclear where the vehicles are, but documents lodged with ASIC indicate the amount owed on each vehicle is likely to be more than what the vehicles are currently worth.

Mr Callender did not return the Bulletin’s calls yesterday.

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