Gold Coast Commonwealth Games subbies challenge Grocon over their unpaid invoices
COMMONWEALTH Games village subcontractors who are out-of-pocket up to $1 million after a builder collapsed have engaged lawyers and will pressure the State Government to pay the money owed.
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UPDATE: OUT-of-pocket Commonwealth Games athletes village subcontractors chasing more than a million dollars in unpaid bills plan to pressure the Palaszczuk Government to pay them in the interim.
The collapse last Friday of Ware Building Pty Ltd — engaged by site developer Grocon to build 82 athletes townhouses at Parklands — has left 13 different tradie companies whistling for between $18,000 and $200,000 each.
Representatives from each subcontractor met at the Oxenford Tavern this morning to plot their next move, agreeing to engage the services of specialist liquidation lawyer James Loel.
Fellow barrister Chris Garlic, who ran the pub meeting, said they should all pressure the State Government to pay them while the mess is untangled.
“We want to call on the Palaszczuk Government to consider paying all of you all of your money even if it’s paid as a loan in the interim so you can all pay your debts.”
A spokesman for Games Minister Kate Jones has told the Gold Coast Bulletin she wanted to see all subbies on the site paid on time and Grocon had a banking guarantee it could draw down on for “exactly this purpose”.
Coastal Masonry’s Bruce Alker Junior whose firm is owed $100,000 said: “anyone working on a government site should get paid. Have we got any avenue there because we are going broke.”
EARLIER: OUT-OF-POCKET Commonwealth Games athletes village subbies are challenging site developer Grocon to front a meeting of affected creditors this morning.
Owners and staff from a dozen subcontractors potentially caught short in the collapse of Ware Building Pty Ltd are gathering to work out their next move.
Grocon announced the liquidation of Ware Building last week, saying Ware had assured it all due debts were paid.
But so far five companies with unpaid invoices claim they are owed between $45,000 and $200,000 each.
A spokesman for Games Minister Kate Jones has said Grocon has a banking guarantee to draw down on for “exactly this purpose” and advised any unpaid subcontractors to contact Grocon.
Civic Shower Screens owner Lance Styles yesterday said his company was still owed $90,000 for work it did at the Games village.
He joins Westwood Workshop cabinetry firm, A1 Interior Linings, Vision electrical and waterproofed Danlaid Contracting chasing bills.
Mr Styles’s firm installed shower screens for 82 Games village townhouses, overseen by Ware.
“We are big enough to survive but some aren’t as big,” Mr Styles said.
“State Government does nothing. They won’t do anything to legislate to stop builders finishing jobs and going under. If Grocon have any brains they will turn up to this meeting, have some suggestions for what is going to happen,” Mr Styles said.
The liquidator says Ware has outstanding claims against Grocon for $1m plus $1m in retention payments.
Grocon has declined to comment on an allegation it hit Ware with a $2.5m claim before it collapsed and has said it is liaising with subcontractors as a “high priority”.
Grocon did not respond to Gold Coast Bulletin questions yesterday.
SUBBIES CLAIMS
Westwood Workshop ($90,000)
A1 Interior Linings ($200,000)
Vision electrical ($150,000)
Danlaid Contracting ($45,000)
Civic Shower Screens ($90,000)
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