The Gold Coast Bulletin

Expensive vanishing act

- KIRSTIN PAYNE

BUILDING suppliers say a Gold Coast business disappeare­d “overnight”, owing them thousands of dollars.

The Arundel-based glass supply and pool fencing business Robco Holdings Pty Ltd reportedly vanished mid-year, owing at least two creditors.

In August, Robco Holding changed its business address to a home at Hope Island while another company, FGS Hardware establishe­d itself on the Robco Holdings lot. FGS Hardware has no connection to Robco Holdings director John Coles Robinson.

FGS staff did however confirm they had purchased the assets from the still-listed Robco Holdings.

Mr Robinson has been listed as the director of Robco Holdings since November 2009. In May Mr Robinson was also listed as the director of a second company, Pacific Installati­ons (AUST) Pty Ltd.

Molendinar company Building Connection Group has listed a payment default of $2395 against Robco Holdings for invoices due in February and March.

Its director Ben McEntee said the company had attempted to contact Robco Holdings more than a dozen times and had engaged a debt collector.

“First we were told they would ring back, then that dragged on for months,” he said. “It isn’t a huge amount of money, but we looked after them for a long time and didn’t have a margin on the product, so for them vanish overnight, with no contact wasn’t good.”

Mr McEntee said he had lost tens of thousands of dollars in similar situations.

“It is a fundamenta­l problem in the Gold Coast constructi­on industry when businesses rack up bills and then disappear,” he said.

Dave Balfe, who supplied pallets to Robco Holdings, said he had engaged lawyers and would be making an applicatio­n to wind up Robco.

Mr Balfe is owed $1800 and has not heard from the company since April.

“It is really just disappoint­ing for everyone, we are hoping to chase up what we are owed,” he said.

In December 2017, a windup order was submitted by the Deputy Commission­er of Taxation against Robco Holdings Pty Ltd in the Federal Court.

The matter was dismissed and Robco Holdings was ordered to pay the Australian Taxation Office $2546.

In May 2018, Robco Holdings again faced the Federal Court as part of a second winding up order, submitted by labour hire company, Workfast Marketplac­e Pty Ltd.

Robco Holdings was ordered to pay $7882.08, to Workfast Marketplac­e.

Workfast Marketplac­e submitted a Request for Enforcemen­t in July.

The Gold Coast Bulletin has attempted to contact Mr Robinson on multiple occasions for comment, without response.

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