Accountant, tradie unfairly dismissed by Clive Palmer’s construction company

A workplace watchdog has found three former employees of Clive Palmer’s construction company were unfairly dismissed amid claims of a dangerous work site and accusations of embezzlement.

A construction company owned by billionaire Clive Palmer has been ordered to pay compensation to an accountant and an electrician caught up in a mass sacking on a Sunshine Coast building site last year.

A construction company owned by billionaire Clive Palmer has been ordered to pay compensation to an accountant and an electrician caught up in a mass sacking on a Sunshine Coast building site last year.

Former employee Jennifer Roberts filed an unfair dismissal claim with the Fair Work Commission on August 29, 2023 after she was terminated from her role as resort accountant at Palmer Coolum Resort on August 8, 2023.

Documents stated Ms Roberts never received a termination letter from Drewmaster Pty Ltd and was informed of her termination by another employee.

The ultimate holding company for Drewmaster is listed on Australian Securities and Investments Commission documents as Mineralogy International Limited, a company directed by Clive Palmer.

The Fair Work Commission has found a further two employees of Clive Palmer’s building company were unfairly dismissed. Picture: Glenn Campbell/NcaNewsWire

The documents state Clive Palmer had falsely accused Ms Roberts of embezzlement while she took personal leave.

“The applicant submitted that while she was on personal leave, she was contacted by colleagues who told her that Mr Palmer had accused the applicant of ‘embezzling millions’ with her line manager and that he had inferred that the applicant’s absence from work that day was proof of her ‘guilt’,” the documents state.

The documents then state upon Ms Roberts return to the Palmer Coolum Resort site on August 8, 2023, she was unable to clock in using the system.

“The applicant submitted that she contacted the colleague who had recommended she return, who told her words to the effect of, “Oh my god, I’m so sorry. I meant to tell you. Clive said anyone who wasn’t here yesterday was terminated,” the documents state.

The documents state Drewmaster maintained Ms Roberts was sacked due to serious misconduct involving the management of petty cash.

125 employees were sacked by the company, Drewmaster in August, 2023.

In the same week of Ms Roberts’ decision, former head electrician at the resort Sean Fitzpatrick also learnt the outcome of his unfair dismissal claim he lodged with the commission on August 14, 2023.

Within the documents regarding Mr Fitzpatrick’s claim, Drewmaster submitted the electrician had stripped a pool room of materials unnecessarily, creating a cost.

The documents state Mr Fitzpatrick provided photographic evidence to the commission showing the state of the electrical equipment prior to its removal.

Fair Work Commissioner Bernie Riordan ordered the decisions in the matters of Ms Roberts and Mr Fitzpatrick and found they were unfairly dismissed by Drewmaster.

Commissioner Riordan stated in the case of Ms Roberts it was not accepted “that the applicant was engaged in any petty cash fraud”.

In the claim of Mr Fitzpatrick, Commissioner Riordan found the actions of the electrician to strip the pool were necessary.

“Based on the evidence of the applicant, the respondent is extremely lucky that a serious injury or death has not occurred on the site,” Commissioner Riordan said.

“To have exposed and live electrical busbars and wiring in an open switch room is very dangerous.”

Commissioner Riordan ordered Mr Fitzpatrick be paid about $12,000 in compensation and Ms Roberts receive 19 weeks’ pay.

Electrician and former employee with Drewmaster, Troy Peters, also worked on the Palmer Coolum Resort in Yaroomba from March 2021 to August 8, 2023.

Drewmaster has also been ordered to pay Mr Peters nearly $40,000 in compensation after the commission found no valid reason for his termination.

Commissioner Riordan stated in the decisions a total of 47 from the 125 employees sacked by Drewmaster had filed unfair dismissal claims with the Fair Work Commission.

Four of the claims had progressed to hearings.

Originally published as Accountant, tradie unfairly dismissed by Clive Palmer’s construction company