Territory jobs agency collapse leaves creditors chasing $6m

A REMOTE Territory jobs agency paid more than $8 million by the Federal Government in two years has collapsed, owing the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and other creditors more than $6 million.

A report in The Australian says an accountant and two former directors of the company, which was contracted to deliver services under the Community Development Program, are being examined by liquidators.

The Australian says the former directors, Themelina Kassiou and Gregory Mitchell, lost a legal bid in March to stop Heard Phillips accountants accessing their personal financial records on behalf of creditors to the collapsed firm, GEBIE Services. The paper says GEBIE last month lodged a civil action in the Supreme Court of Queensland, seeking to recover a debt from Ms Kassiou via her property.

In June last year, the Federal Court ordered GEBIE Ser- vices be wound up after it failed to repay a debt to Groote Eylandt and Bickerton Island Enterprises Aboriginal Corporation.

GEBIE was a subsidiary of GEBIEAC until, in June 2014, it became part of a joint ven- ture, with Industries Services Training, a firm owned and directed by Ms Kassiou, taking the controlling stake.

No action has been brought against Mr Mitchell or accountant Matthew Gordge, of RSM.