Media8 Pty Ltd: Australian Taxation Office in bid to wind up director Brett McCallum’s company

A bar-owning Glitter Strip businessman with a history of being at the helm when companies collapse is again fighting for the future of one of his outfits, as the ATO launches new court proceedings.

Reedy Creek entrepreneur Brett John Presley McCallum, 52, at his doomed Mermaid Beach watering hole, The Yard Brewhouse, alongside business partner John Green. Picture: Glenn Hampson

A Gold Coast entrepreneur with a history of involvement with failed businesses is again facing an existential threat to one of his various enterprises, with the Australian Taxation Office moving to wind up his creative agency in insolvency.

The ATO commenced proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia on April 30, seeking a court order to wind up Media8 Pty Ltd, trading as Media8, which is headquartered at Burleigh Heads and is operated by company director Brett John Presley McCallum, 52.

His wife, Simone McCallum, owns all company shares via her entity Kennedy Grace Australia Pty Ltd.

No public details were available at this stage regarding the nature of Media8’s alleged tax liability, or how much is owed by the defendant company.

Brett and Simone McCallum at the Starlight Ball 2014 Starlight Foundation ball at the Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach. Picture: Regina King.

The winding-up application will be heard before a judicial registrar on June 11.

In a statement, Mr McCallum said he was aware of the ATP application.

“We’re dealing with it through the proper legal channels and working hard to sort things out for everyone involved,” he said.

“The business is still up and running, and we’re focused on keeping things going as usual. “Since this is a legal matter, we can’t dive into details like finances right now.”

According to its website, Media8 is a “consortium of brands” that offers digital marketing and creative design services, sports and events management, and podcasting and audio services, inter alia.

Also falling under the Media8 umbrella is Official Beer Co, which is brewed locally and was formerly served at Mr McCallum’s short-lived watering hole The Yard Brewhouse Mermaid Beach, which he launched in 2023 in conjunction with Surfers Paradise Brewing’s John Green.

Brett McCallum (left) and business partner John Green at The Yard Brewhouse sharing a beer. Picture: Glenn Hampson

A few months after the opening of The Yard, the Courier-Mail reported that several creditors of indebted companies previously operated by Mr McCallum were furious he was still launching new enterprises while so many had been left out of pocket.

According to the report, Mr McCallum was the sole director of tech outfit Virtech.com.au Pty Ltd, which racked up an alleged $4.1m in liabilities before its liquidation in January 2023, leaving 13 people out of work.

And, prior to that, his tech recruiting firm Require.net.au Pty Ltd entered administration in November 2022, owing an alleged $2.9m to creditors including the ATO.

Brett McCallum (on screen) and Stuart Norris showing off Virtech temperature monitoring technology during the Covid-19 era. Picture: Glenn Hampson

The Courier-Mail reported creditors of Require.net.au Pty Ltd voted on a deed of company arrangement, resulting in Mr McCallum regaining control of the company by returning about 15 cents for every dollar unsecured creditors were owed.

That business remains operational as a going concern, although it has since been rebranded as Aspirante after being sold to Victorian duo Sean Roocroft and Will Cave-Bigley.

According to the Courier-Mail report, significant cash had flowed into Media8 Pty Ltd coffers from Mr McCallum’s other struggling companies: Media8 had been loaned $654,000 from Require.net.au, and a further $288,000 from Virtech.com.au Pty Ltd.

Whether Media8 was ultimately required to repay all or any of these figures during the previous administrations and liquidations is not known.

Like Media8, all shares in Require.net.au and Virtech.com.au were owned by his wife’s company, Kennedy Grace Australia.

Other businesses Mr McCallum remains involved with as director include Platinum Standard Grading, which grades and preserves collectable trading cards, The Pool Room, an online memorabilia and collectable marketplace, and Podfire, a local podcast studio.

Originally published as Media8 Pty Ltd: Australian Taxation Office in bid to wind up director Brett McCallum’s company