Miss Universe Australia raked over the coals in parliament, calls for an ASIC investigation into her parents

A politician is calling for an “immediate” investigation into Miss Universe Australia’s parents after it emerged that their failed businesses owe up to $45 million.

A politician is calling for an “immediate” investigation into Miss Universe Australia’s parents after it emerged that their failed businesses owe up to $45 million.

EXCLUSIVE

A politician is calling for an “immediate” investigation into Miss Universe Australia’s parents after it emerged that their failed businesses owe up to $45 million to creditors.

News.com.au revealed last week that members of the public have started a petition demanding Australia’s Miss Universe representative, Moraya Wilson, step down because of her links to her family’s businesses.

Then on Tuesday night, Matthew Guy, the member for Bulleen in Melbourne, raked the Wilson family over the coals in a scathing address to parliament during the adjournment debate.

“Many Victorians have been hurt financially and seek rightful redress. It has gone on for too long,” Mr Guy said in an extract that has now been tabled in Hansard.

Mr Guy addressed his statement to the Federal Assistant Treasurer and Federal Minister for Financial Services, the Honourable Stephen Jones, who has ministerial responsibility for the corporate regulator, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

He asked that ASIC “immediately reopen an investigation” and that it be done “promptly for the sake of all the victims involved”.

Melbourne-based Moraya is the daughter of two bankrupt property developers, Anton and Melinda Wilson, with companies that, according to ASIC, owe more than $45 million, including approximately $21 million to the tax office.

Moraya herself is also in ASIC’s crosshairs, as she is the sole director of 10 companies that the watchdog is seeking to deregister.

She has denied any knowledge or involvement in the businesses to news.com.au and said she was not actively involved in any of the 10 companies despite being listed as the director, claiming to have now tendered her resignation.

Moraya Wilson is in El Salvador for the international pageant.

Anton Wilson has been accused of defrauding creditors.

Nicholas Crouch of insolvency firm Crouch Amirbeaggi, who is the trustee in bankruptcy of Anton Wilson, alleges that the glamorous Moraya was listed as the sole director of these 10 companies to enable the family business to continue despite her parent’s bankruptcies.

Anton Wilson’s “21-year-old daughter is now nominated as the director of the family construction group”, Mr Crouch wrote in a submission to a parliamentary inquiry into ASIC, lodged last year.

“It would appear the family business has not been disrupted by strategic bankruptcies and liquidations.”

This point was raised in parliament overnight, with Mr Guy noting “I note media reports that the daughter of these individuals, who is currently overseas competing in the Miss Universe contest, is the director of a number of companies linked to major unpaid debt – which are also linked to her parents – to which she says she has no knowledge of, yet she’s listed director of an active construction group of her own family and despite the same family owing millions of dollars …

“It is not right that a number of companies linked to an individual family continue to operate while millions of dollars in unpaid debts remain outstanding.”

Mr Guy also revealed that ASIC had investigated Anton and Melinda in the past but “bizarrely concluded” those investigations.

He claimed the corporate watchdog made “no serious attempt to seek financial redress or to assist those who are seeking to attain justice for Victorians who have lost a lot of money”.

When news.com.au contacted ASIC for the story last week, a spokesperson said they could not comment on individual cases for privacy reasons.

“How can it be that our regulatory authorities cannot commence or reopen investigations into people who owe so much to so many, including – as reported in the media – the Australian taxpayer, via the Taxation Office,” Mr Guy added.

Speaking to news.com.au, Mr Guy said “This is a serious matter with many unanswered questions. ASIC and federal regulators owe it to victims to do their job properly and recommence a proper investigation”.

The onus is now on the Honourable Stephen Jones to respond to the question tabled in parliament.

Moraya Wilson won Australia’s beauty pageant in September.

Creditors and members of the public want Moraya Wilson to step down.

In a statement to news.com.au, Moraya Wilson said she was not actively involved in any of the 10 companies despite being listed as the director.

She previously said she had “tendered my resignation from all of the companies”.

One of the companies Moraya is director of owes $13,204 to the Australian Taxation Office, meaning it was operating and trading as a business.

Since the information relating to her parent’s companies came to light, a member of the public has started a petition on Change.org calling for Moraya to hand back her tiara.

Moraya said she was aware there was a Change.org petition calling for her to step down but she intended to compete in the international pageant later this month regardless.

“I have become aware of a petition,” she previously told news.com.au.

“I intend to fulfil my duties as Miss Universe Australia to the best of my ability with the full support of The Miss Universe Australia management.”

Moraya touched down in El Salvador last week in preparation for the international pageant which is being held this Saturday, local time.

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