Aurora Melbourne Central residents in uproar at body corporation takeover, wild fines

Aurora Melbourne Central residents are in uproar amid claims of a stealth body corporate takeover, wild fines and owners locked out of the building.

A war between residents has erupted at one of Melbourne’s most iconic high-rise apartment towers with claims of a stealth takeover of the owners corporation, unpaid bills and contracts worth millions of dollars being ripped-up.

Aurora Melbourne Central resident Hung-Jing Tiong has for the past two years “proxy-farmed” enough votes to take over the building committee allegedly using Chinese instant messaging app WeChat to pressure foreign residents who spoke little or no English.

It is estimated up to 75 per cent of the residents are from overseas.

Since coming to power in January 2021, Jing has terminated two building management contracts worth millions of dollars. Each company has begun Supreme Court proceedings.

Hung-Jing Tiong has clashed with other residents at Aurora Melbourne Central.

There are also three VCAT hearings underway started by residents concerned by her startling behaviour and questioning her authority.

“Jing used a special general meeting to say she had 350 proxy votes to vote her in as the chair of the committee. We are still waiting on VCAT to decide if that meeting was even valid,” one resident said.

“For several months we had one third of the residents paying their fees to Jing, one third paying the previous committee and one third so confused who to pay, they paid no one at all.”

They added: “The rules around owners corporations need to change. VCAT is broken and can’t deal with it.”

Several unfair dismissal cases are pending with the Fair Work Commission after she sacked building staff and replaced them with her own supporters — including a 70-year-old building manager with no relevant experience who is paid more than $10,000 a month.

The new committee has also put up signs and imposed unlawful fines for food being delivered to the foyer, parcels being left in reception, dogs entering the front entrance, drinking and a ban on people videoing in the lobby.

The Aurora tower on La Trobe St cost $800m to build. Picutre: Supplied

Even taking down a sign warrants a $3000 fine.

Several residents have also allegedly had their apartment key fob disabled because she believed they were renting out their homes on Airbnb when they were not.

Desperate residents have made complaints to Victoria Police, City of Melbourne, Consumer Affairs and state politicians but all say it is a civil matter.

Residents fear they will be left to pay millions of dollars for terminating management contracts early, non-payment of bills and wages and unfair dismissal cases.

The Aurora building is Melbourne’s third tallest skyscraper and is 88 storeys tall, standing at 270.5 metres.

It cost $800m to build and there are 1002 residential apartments comprising about 3500 residents.

The building, which opened in 2019 has a turnover of between $6 and $8 million.

Hung-Jing Tiong has upset residents after taking control of the owners corporation.

One source said Jing had access to $2m in the owner levies fund, had set-up another account that only had her and one other committee member as a signatory and had requested a further $1.2m from another account.

“She rewards the people who support her, but they are just her puppets,” one businessman said.

“Jing wants money and power but there are no checks and balances.”

In one move she brought in armed security at 11.30pm to forcefully remove the concierge staff.

The building insurance runs out on March 30 and Jing is claiming she cannot pay it without additional funds.

A special committee meeting has been scheduled for Monday when a group of residents hope to vote Jing out of the committee.

Jing told the Herald Sun previous management companies for Aurora Melbourne Central had been overcharging and she wanted to save residents money.

She admitted putting up posters threatening fines but said not one person had been asked for money for their perceived wrong doing.

She also admitted locking people out of their apartments over “two or three days” but it was in order to make sure they were not being rented out for short term rentals on Airbnb.

“99 per cent of residents are happy but 1 per cent are causing trouble,” she said.

“We have improved the building, it is much cleaner now, but we need access to the building’s bank accounts because we can’t survive like this.

“We have put in $140,000 of our own money to pay staff.”