Building watchdog strips licences from two men deemed not 'fit and proper'
Queensland's building regulator has banned two builders from holding licences for three years after their company racked up 44 demerit points for taking excessive deposits and other breaches.
The building regulator has deemed two men not fit or proper to hold licences after they racked up more than 40 demerit points in relation to a number of issues including taking excessive deposits.
The Queensland Building and Construction Commission cancelled the licences of Declan Tilson and Santo Cutuli and disqualified them both from holding a licence for three years, effective December 2, 2025.
The decision follows Tilson & Sons Building & Construction accumulating 44 demerit points within a three-year period.
Both Tilson, the company director, and Cutuli, the licence nominee and secretary, were deemed not fit and proper persons to hold a licence or influence a QBCC-licensed company’s operations.
QBCC Commissioner and CEO Angelo Lambrinos says while they can’t share every detail of their investigations, the demerit points related to taking excessive deposits, starting work prior to the contract date, failing to pay the appropriate insurance premium and failing to comply with directions to rectify or remedy.
“These can be complex matters and trying to unwind these complexities and make good the things that have gone wrong takes time, requires collation of information, submissions, investigations, legal intervention, procedural fairness to both parties and rights of review,” he says.
“We will unapologetically take all appropriate legislative action when someone is knowingly doing the wrong thing and will not hesitate to take strong action when we identify repeated breaches of the law.”
In 2025 to date, the QBCC has finalised 39 matters in court, resulting in $577,984.88 in fines and compensation.
Happy holidays
With the Christmas holidays fast approaching business leaders are looking forward to taking a break with many set to go on an overseas adventure while others are just content to put their feet up at home.
A favourite haunt for property types are the ski fields of Niseko in Japan where by all reports that in the snow season its seems like downtown Brisbane.
Good mates Consolidated Properties boss Don O’Rorke and Hutchies chairman Scott Hutchinson will be making the trek north to Niseko.
But first O’Rorke says he and wife Katie along with children William and Sophia will be spending a week at a surf camp on the Indonesian island of Sumbawa, just before Christmas.
Then the whole big blended family will be spending two weeks at Niseko in early January. Hutchinson and his family will also be joining them.
Suncorp CEO Steve Johnston won’t be overseas but he will be keeping a close eye on the skies.
“Steve will be dividing time between the Gold Coast and North Stradbroke Island while keeping a close eye on the weather,” a Suncorp spokesman says.
QIC chief executive Kylie Rampa will also be having a quiet break with her family in South East Queensland.
Colliers Qld chief executive Simon Beirne also won’t be travelling very far.
“I will be spending Christmas on our farm in the beautiful Kerry Valley – 20 km south of Beaudesert,” he says.
McNab Group executive chairman Michael McNab will also be staying in South East Queensland.
“Home in Toowoomba then off the Broadbeach for as much of January as I can,” he says.
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Originally published as Building watchdog strips licences from two men deemed not 'fit and proper'
