Meat man behind failed building firm

A MAN linked to the collapse of a butcher company in Robina left behind more than $3.5 million of debt when his building company failed three years ago.

Salt & Co Meats Pty Ltd, which ran a store at Robina Town Centre, went into courtordered liquidation on May 11, owing creditors more than $34,000, following a dispute with landlord Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC).

The sole director of Salt & Co Meats is Samantha Williamson. She is the wife of Rhys James Williamson.

Company documents obtained by the liquidator looking into Salt & Co Meats Pty Ltd show Mr Williamson signed loan documents as the owner of the company.

Creditors such as Queensland grazier Tim Somes also say they dealt directly with Mr Williamson when Salt & Co ordered meat.

When questioned by the Bulletin, Mr Williamson denied running the company. He said it belonged to his wife and he was an apprentice butcher.

Mr Williamson is banned from holding a building licence after his company RJ Builders Pty Ltd went into liquidation in July 2017 with debts worth $3.5 million. RJ Builders was a Loganholme-based company launched by Mr Williamson in 2009 as a custom-home builder.

In July 2017, liquidators Steven Staatz and Nick Combis, of Vincents, were appointed to RJ Builders after a court order following action by creditor Vincent Cini, of Bribie Island.

In a report filed in October of that year Mr Combis cited under capitalisation, poor account and strategic management, inadequate cash flow and trading losses as reasons for the failure.

Another liquidator’s report from late last year shows just $50,484 had been recovered with 11 secured creditors owed $475,000 and 99 unsecured creditors owed $3 million.

Mr Williamson told the Bulletin this week that he had repaid $1.2 million to creditors, mostly contractors, after mortgaging his house.

Mr Williamson said he had “nothing to do” with Salt & Co.

“I just work for Salt & Co. I’m not a director of Salt & Co (or) nothing,” he said.

“I’m an apprentice butcher.

I’m not an influential person at the company.”

In a letter to the Bulletin, Ms Williamson said Mr Williamson was by “no means an influential person within my companies, rather an employee running the frontline”.

She said she had no choice but to place Salt & Co. Meats Pty Ltd into liquidation.

“Our Robina store has an active QCAT action against QIC,” she said. “(QIC) … owe a significant amount of money from the shop fit contributions to me, and as a result sadly I was in no other position than to liquidate the entity.”