FORMER COMPANY ACCOUNTANT PROSECUTED BY QBSA
Published Thursday, 01 November, 2007 at 02:20 PM
Minister for Public Works, Housing and Information and Communication Technology
The Honourable Robert Schwarten
The Queensland Building Services Authority has been successful in its prosecution of an accountant for failed kitchen company Retail Renovations, Housing Minister Robert Schwarten said today.
Mr Schwarten said Carmine Decorso was sentenced recently in the Brisbane Magistrates Court for providing false or misleading financial reports about the company to the QBSA.
“Mr Decorso pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay a fine of $4,000 as well as the BSA’s legal costs of $20,000. No conviction was recorded,” Mr Schwarten said.
“Retail Renovations, who traded as Impala Kitchens and Bathrooms, Simply Kitchens, Simply Wardrobes and Bathrooms, Kitchen Makeovers and Tradeline Kitchens, collapsed in early 2004 leaving 300 consumers out of pocket or with unfinished work.
“The company was later declared insolvent with debts of approximately $5 million.
“This company caused a lot of hardship and stress to a lot of consumers, suppliers and subcontractors and I am pleased to see another person held to account for the collapse.”
Mr Schwarten said that as a result of the harm caused in 2004, George Jorgensen and George Ikstrums, two people closely associated with Retail Renovations, were banned for life from holding a BSA licence and from being an influential person within a BSA-licensed building company.
“This case is just further evidence that the BSA is continuing to uphold one of the core planks of its charter which is to prosecute persons not complying with the law,” he said.
Media contact: Minister’s office (07) 3237 1832
BSA (07) 3404 3027
Mr Schwarten said Carmine Decorso was sentenced recently in the Brisbane Magistrates Court for providing false or misleading financial reports about the company to the QBSA.
“Mr Decorso pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay a fine of $4,000 as well as the BSA’s legal costs of $20,000. No conviction was recorded,” Mr Schwarten said.
“Retail Renovations, who traded as Impala Kitchens and Bathrooms, Simply Kitchens, Simply Wardrobes and Bathrooms, Kitchen Makeovers and Tradeline Kitchens, collapsed in early 2004 leaving 300 consumers out of pocket or with unfinished work.
“The company was later declared insolvent with debts of approximately $5 million.
“This company caused a lot of hardship and stress to a lot of consumers, suppliers and subcontractors and I am pleased to see another person held to account for the collapse.”
Mr Schwarten said that as a result of the harm caused in 2004, George Jorgensen and George Ikstrums, two people closely associated with Retail Renovations, were banned for life from holding a BSA licence and from being an influential person within a BSA-licensed building company.
“This case is just further evidence that the BSA is continuing to uphold one of the core planks of its charter which is to prosecute persons not complying with the law,” he said.
Media contact: Minister’s office (07) 3237 1832
BSA (07) 3404 3027