Gippsland Angus farmer Peter August seeks $1.5m debt from Corey Ireland

Failed Angus cattle breeder Corey Ireland has been taken to a Victorian court over a $1.47 million debt.

Corey Ireland has been taken to the Victorian County Court over an unpaid debt of $1.47 million.

Former NSW Angus cattle breeder Corey Ireland signed an agreement in June 2018 to repay a Victorian beef producer $1.47 million but then reneged on the deal months later.

According to a statement of claim lodged in the County Court in Melbourne by Peter August in February last year, Mr Ireland signed documents on June 20, 2018, acknowledging and agreeing to pay the debt owed by his now defunct company, CD & PJ Ireland Pty Ltd, which ran Irelands Angus at Kyeamba near Wagga Wagga.

Mr August is the owner of Holstons Pastoral Company, which runs a beef operation at Ensay in East Gippsland.

The $1.47 million is believed to be for a number of cattle deals between Holstons Pastoral Company and CD & PJ Ireland.

Liquidators were appointed to CD & PJ Ireland on November 14, 2019, by the Supreme Court of NSW after petitioning by stockfeed supplier East Coast Stockfeeds.

Mr August’s statement of claim alleged funds were supposed to have been paid by October 20, 2018.

But when Mr Ireland failed to repay the $1.47 million, Mr August issued a letter of demand seeking payment plus legal costs of $4500 on December 14, 2018.

Two weeks later, Mr Ireland was sent a default notice for the non-payment the document alleged.

Holstons Pastoral Company also placed caveats over Ivydell, the cattle farm and home base owned by Mr Ireland and wife Prue at Kyeamba.

It also placed a caveat over a Sydney property owned by the couple.

Victorian Country Court documents obtained by The Weekly Times show Mr Ireland filed a defence on March 30 last year, disputing the $1.47 million debt was owed.

His defence states a deed of acknowledgment and a guarantee did not bind CD & PJ Ireland to payment.

Mr Ireland lodged a counterclaim with the court on September 14 last year reiterating the March 30 defence but further alleging Mr August made false representations.

The counterclaim alleged Mr August and his wife owed the Australian Taxation Office $22 million and if Mr Ireland did not sign the deed of acknowledgment and guarantee, Mr August would lose his house.

The counterclaim alleged that if Mr Ireland signed the documents, Mr August would show them to his accountant before destroying them.

“The representation was false,” the countclaim said.

“Mr August knew the representation to be false when he made it.”

The Victorian County Court hearing has been adjourned until after criminal proceeding against Mr Ireland are heard in NSW courts.

Mr Ireland is facing 13 counts of fraud in the Wagga Wagga Local Court on allegations of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception.

That case is back in the court next week for another mention.

Last week, criminal cases against Mr and Ms Ireland in the Sutherland Local Court brought by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission for allegedly failing to hand over books to a liquidator was adjourned until June 28 next year.

Mr August declined to comment to The Weekly Times.

Mr Ireland’s solicitor Jacob Carswell-Doherty did not respond to questions from The Weekly Times.