7 July 2009

Administrator Appointed for Aussie Junk

| SpellingAndGrammar
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I see that Aussie Junk has appointed a Queensland receiver to manage its affairs (Canberra Times, p3, Receivers appointed to oversee recyclers) – looks like the tax department hadn’t been fixed up at all – surprise, surprise.

I note that a creditor’s meeting is also being held in Queensland tomorrow (6 July). I bet that’s really helpful for the staff in the ACT who have been underpaid. I wonder if the benevolent managers at Aussie Junk will be looking after the welfare of their employees and ensuring that their interests are represented? Oh, sorry, I forgot who I was talking about there for a moment – ha, ha, ha.

I hope that Stanhope’s people are getting some good legal advice at the moment. I guess we will all wait with bored anticipation to see what happens in the Federal Magistrates Court at the end of this month. I hope they plead innocence…

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I am too lazy to trawl thru hansard myself – I like the excerpts though.

I am fascinated to see what the govt is going to do a bout this whole fiasco. Perhaps in this instance the greens will add a bit of interest – recycling is right up their alley.

I don’t mind an occasional reference to sources that most people don’t bother to read, perhaps with some editing. It doesn’t hurt to be reminded what a duplicitous wally jon hopeless is.

realitycheck4:03 pm 10 Jul 09

Yes I will pull that as well!

SpellingAndGrammar3:57 pm 10 Jul 09

…in.

realitycheck3:44 pm 10 Jul 09

The frustration of this has been building for over 12 months and to have them still make out that nothing is wrong makes me boil.The way the whole episode was handled by Aussie Junk, ACT Nowaste, Theiss and the TWU was disgusting and I really hope we get a chance to present all the facts in court so the public will get to see what really happened in regards to workplace conditions and environmental concerns.But I’m certain this will not occur as I’m sure a deal will be reached as the other interested parties will not want this exposed.

Having said this I will as suggested by impartial observers above try to pull my head.

You appear to be new to this citing sources thing.
If you’re not generating new material, provide sources or link to them, so people can work out for themselves if you’re legit, making stuff up, or just a crackpot.

Hansard is actually one continuous document from each Year of each Assembly, broken up into invidudual volumes for each sitting Day of that Sitting Week.
Hence the apparently strange page numbering.
Ie: Debates, Weekly Hansard of the Seventh Assembly, Week 7, June 16 2009, [is this document here].
Page 2316 of the Hansard of that Assembly (ie: the big numbers at the bottom of every page are the official ones) is Page 57 of that specific document, which is just an extract.

And as Chewy14 is saying, your illusion of apparent objectivity was blown at around about post three.
If you’re just posting a holw bunch of references for the sake of dragging Aussie Junk through a humiliation conga for any future Googlers, you’d be better off just posting links to the articles and seeing if they get through moderation.
But if you’re not actually adding anything to a forum-thread, you’re just cluttering up someone else’s database.

Perhaps realitycheck it’s time to calm down?

Realitycheck,
you come across as completely objective on this issue.
how do you stay so unbiased in what is clearly such a personal issue?

realitycheck2:28 pm 10 Jul 09

Sorry Skidbladnir – the quotes are from 16 June 2009 page 7 and 18 June 2009 page 13.

realitycheck2:23 pm 10 Jul 09

Excuse me Aussie Junk but have you been declaring all the income from the Ebay sales Dillon-AJ.
If you have lost the records then that’s ok as I have sales records from the site for the last 2 years.Even print outs from when it began and pickup was stated from Aussie Junk Tweed Heads.Pick-ups are now stated from Banora Point.Isn’t that where Dennis Lives?
I hope your not going to blame Neil for everything and make out the sales are all his.
I see you listed one of your Aussie Junk trucks for $5000 item #180373261330 , must be short of money.
Nice of you to cover up the Aussie Junk decals, not trying to hide anything are you?

Actually when I spoke to your company administrator she stated that Aussie Junk no longer sell on E-bay as far as she is aware and no records of Ebay sales have been declared.Funny That!

Erm, if you’re going to quote Hansard, its good form to provide Sitting Period, Date & Page citations.

Clown Killer2:08 pm 10 Jul 09

Is this “exclusive Sovereign Islands” like, a bunch of canals dug by big excavators and bulldozers?

Got in in one Ant.

realitycheck2:01 pm 10 Jul 09

Recycling— Aussie Junk

MS BRESNAN: My question is to the Minster for Territory and Municipal Services
and is in regard to Aussie Junk and its contract with ACT NOWaste. Are you aware
that during the 2007 Mugga Lane recycling tender process, prior to the contract for the Mugga recycling site being announced, ACT NOWaste was provided with
a statutory declaration that Aussie Junk was breaking the law regarding staff
payments and environmental matters?

MR STANHOPE: Thank you, Ms Bresnan. I was not aware, that I recall. I will have
to take some advice and perhaps refresh myself and certainly take advice from the
department in relation to information that may have been available to them at that
time in relation to that contract. Bear with me for half a second.
I must say that I am not equipped today to answer that question in relation to what
information was available to the department at the time that they made decisions in
relation to the letting of the contract through the tender process that was pursued at the
time. I have faith in Procurement Solutions and the tender process and I have faith in
the rigour and significant and utter faith in the integrity of our procurement processes,
of our tender processes and of those officers that we charge with responsibility for the
assessment and analysis of tenders.
This is a very important area of government. It needs to be rigorously controlled and
managed and I believe the system’s checks and balances and the arrangements we
have in place serve us well in relation to the rigour of our processes. I am prepared to
say that. I was not the minister at the time and I simply do not have that level of detail.
I am more than happy to seek it.
MR SPEAKER: Ms Bresnan, a supplementary question?

MS BRESNAN: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Chief Minister, if ACT NOWaste was
given this information, was due diligence potentially not followed? Will you appoint
an independent person to review the 2007 contracts for the Mugga landfill?

MR STANHOPE: I will not make that commitment here and now, Ms Bresnan, but I
am more than happy to ask for and receive advice on the issues that you raise. They
are serious issues and they will be genuinely and seriously pursued. I will be more
than happy to provide you with the outcome of that.

realitycheck1:56 pm 10 Jul 09

Recycling— Aussie Junk

MS LE COUTEUR: My question is for the Minister for Territory and Municipal
Services and it concerns the application recently made to wind up the company Aussie
Junk. What action is the government now going to take regarding the ACT NOWaste
contract with Aussie Junk to manage the reusable facilities at the resource
management centres and how are you going to ensure that there is no interruption in
these recycling centres?

MR STANHOPE: I thank Ms Le Couteur for the question. Certainly, as everybody is
aware, as a result of an inquiry by the Workplace Ombudsman, certain concerns have
been raised in relation to some workplace practices employed by Aussie Junk,
particularly in relation to employee entitlements. These are matters that at one level
are still being agitated. They are matters that still involve legal process. And at one
level there are aspects of this that I do not believe it appropriate for me to pursue
publicly.

Aussie Junk is a provider of services to Thiess, the head contractor in relation to the
management of the reusable facility or the recycling facilities at Mitchell. TAMS does,
however, have a direct contract with Aussie Junk, including the management of the
reusable or recyclable facility at Mugga. It does need to be understood that the
contractual arrangements in relation to Aussie Junk do vary or are different as
between the two waste sites.

The investigation that was undertaken by the Workplace Ombudsman relates
specifically to the Mitchell depot and did not extend to work practices at Mugga. It is
important to understand that difference or distinction. In relation to the inquiry,
TAMS, of course, cooperated quite fully. It has made some findings and certainly
recommendations that are of significant concern in relation to those employees and
those workplace practices.

Additional action is now being pursued in relation to Aussie Junk and it will have
quite significant potential implications, of course, for recycling facilities and our
capacity to ensure that the transfer of responsibility— if any transfer, indeed, is
undertaken— is seamless and that our services are not interrupted.

Contingency discussions in relation to that are occurring, most particularly between
TAMS, waste and Thiess. It does need to be understood that there are different levels
of responsibility and different contractual arrangements. We of course have
arrangements with Thiess and we are in essentially what I might term contingency
discussions with Thiess in relation to the maintenance, perhaps in an interim or
transitional sense, to ensure that our recycling activity is maintained.

I am not sure that there is much more I can say. Of course, Ms Le Couteur, it is an
issue in relation to which we are acutely aware of the need to ensure that we maintain
the capacity to recycle at the level that we have or at an enhanced level. We are in
some discussions already to cover the difficulties which we anticipate as a result of
the findings of the Workplace Ombudsman in relation to Aussie Junk. And I will be
more than happy to keep the Assembly up to date in relation to those discussions,
those negotiations, as this particular issue develops.

MR SPEAKER: Ms Le Couteur, a supplementary question?

MS LE COUTEUR: Thank you, Mr Speaker. In addition, will the government be
revisiting its negotiations with Revolve, who previously ran the facility at Mugga
Lane?
MR STANHOPE: I am not sure that it is in the government’s anticipation at this
stage that it will open up specific negotiations with Revolve. The previous position or
attitude adopted by the government in relation to recycling or waste recovery at
Mitchell and at Mugga was to go to the market. We believe that to be appropriate in
relation to the provision of this particular service and I would not anticipate that, as a
result of the issues that we now face in relation to Aussie Junk, we would deviate in
the future in the event that we do need to retender or renegotiate— that we would do
that on a single, select basis.

The government, of course, is aware of the previous role which Revolve played. We
went through a process which involved Thiess, and ultimately Aussie Junk was
successful in a public tender process. That now, with the benefit of hindsight, has
raised some issues which perhaps were not anticipated at the time, but going forward I
would not anticipate why we would— and I cannot understand why we would— enter
into single, select negotiations with a particular potential provider.

SpellingAndGrammar1:47 pm 10 Jul 09

Where’s the link to the full case ‘realitycheck’?

It’s hard to deny transcript from legal proceedings. What do you say now ‘paul1’ and ‘goldenman’? Considering your unsubstantiated assertions, and the provision on other factual material from ‘realitycheck’, can you provide similar factual material? If so, I for one, would like to see it.

realitycheck10:25 am 10 Jul 09

Aussie Junk then put in an application for costs against the Winters which was dismissed.The decision is below.

[14] In the present case while I consider the actions of Mr Sweaney of the TWU to have been incompetent in his efforts to represent the first respondents in the original matters up to and including 7 October 2008, I do not consider that either the first respondents or the TWU acted unreasonably in making or pursuing the original applications to that date. The original applications were made and pursued in good faith and the matters asserted by Aussie Junk in support of its jurisdictional objection were entitled to be tested in an open forum in the Commission Hearing scheduled for 7 October 2008. At the Hearing on 7 October 2008 Mr Sweaney undertook on behalf of the first respondents to withdraw the original applications with a view to lodging fresh applications for unlawful dismissal. In fact at the conclusion of the 7 October 2008 Hearing, the first respondents terminated the services of TWU and Mr Sweaney and, on Mr Sweaney’s recommendation, placed the matter in the hands of Mr Bucknell of Maurice Blackburn, telling him that Mr Sweaney had given undertakings but not saying what the undertaking were. Only on 3 November 2008 did Mr Bucknell learn from the transcript of the 7 October Hearing the nature of the undertaking Mr Sweaney had purported to give on behalf of the first respondents to withdraw the original applications by close of business on 9 October 2008. In fact on 14 October 2008, Maurice Blackburn lodged on behalf of the first respondents, applications to amend the original applications pursuant to s. 111(1)(l) of the Act (see [4] hereof). The case law as to s. 111(1)(l) is unsettled with conflicting authority in the Commission, and it appears entirely reasonable to me that Maurice Blackburn sought to progress the original applications in that manner as being in the best interests of the Winters. Following the Hearing, on 18 November 2008 the Commission, as presently constituted, dismissed the original applications, referring inter alia, to the unsettled case law. 8 From 7 October 2008, the TWU had no instructions to act for the Winters. From 7 October 2008, Maurice Blackburn did have instructions and I do not find its actions unreasonable within the meaning of s. 658(1)-(4). The Winters I find to have been hapless victims of an imbroglio which I doubt they ever understood and I do not find that their conduct was at any stage unreasonable.

Order

[15] I dismiss the present applicant’s cost applications in these matters.

realitycheck10:21 am 10 Jul 09

These are the decisions of the Unfair Dismissal case.

It clearly indicates that the Unfair Dismissal case could not be heard due to the TWU failing to lodge the correct forms in time.

[16] Taking all of these matters into consideration together with all of the submissions and evidence before the Commission sought in these proceedings and having regard to the principles in Brodie-Hanns, I find that it would not be appropriate for the Commission to exercise its discretion under s.643(14) of the Act to grant the extension of time sought by the applicants in each of these three matters.

Amendment of Application

[17] Whilst the finding I have just made would be sufficient of itself to ground the dismissal of the applications in these matters, I do for abundant caution proceed to deal with the applicants’ applications for the Commission to consent to the amendment of the applications to change them from unfair to unlawful termination matters. The Commission’s discretion pursuant to s.111(l) of the Act to “allow the amendment, on any terms that it thinks appropriate, of any application or other document related to the proceedings” is very broad. However, it cannot be so broad as to permit the Commission to allow something to be done which is not permitted by the specific provisions of the Act itself. There is conflicting authority within the Commission as to whether or not s.111(l) can enable the Commission to consent to the amendment of the application pursuant to the provisions of s.643(1)(a) for unfair termination of employment to be withdrawn and replaced by an application pursuant to the provisions of s.643(1)(b) for unlawful termination of the applicant’s employment in contravention of s.659, s.660 and s.661 of the Act. I believe that Senior Deputy President O’Callaghan in Bennett v Academy Photography [2007] AIRC 212 (PR976484) has given the preferable interpretation of the Commission’s powers in regards to such an application to amend. Section 674 specifically precludes this course of action. Section 673 clearly addresses the issue of successive applications to the Commission in relation to the same termination of employment of an employee and confers on the Commission discretion to consent to such an application if the “Commission considers that it would be fair to accept the second application.” Accordingly, I find that the Commission does not have the power to allow the amendments sought by the applicants in this matter in the applications filed in the Canberra Registry of the Australian Industrial Registry on 13 November 2008.

Order

[18] I dismiss the applicants’ application in each of these matters.

BY THE COMMISSION:

COMMISSIONER

Clown Killer said :

… plans to retire to the Gold Coast’s exclusive Sovereign Islands

He’d fit right in.

Is this “exclusive Sovereign Islands” like, a bunch of canals dug by big excavators and bulldozers?

One of those Exclusive Swamps.

realitycheck9:52 am 10 Jul 09

So, the reason you underpaid your staff was because the Winters were stealing money.
What did the other 6 staff members who have made a claim do to deserve their underpayments?
What did the other 17 former workers we have identified, ready for wave 2 of claims against Aussie Junk, do to deserve their underpayments?

realitycheck9:44 am 10 Jul 09

I encourage you to go to the police with your accusations.In fact I DARE YOU!!!
I welcome any opportunity to present our evidence in a court of law.

realitycheck said :

It doesn’t matter if the Winters were running an illegal Casino the issue is Aussie Junk were not paying correct wages and entitlements.

paul1 said :

It would matter if the Winter’s were stealing Aussie Junk’s money and Aussie Junk had evidence to prove it, wouldn’t it?

I’d suggest that would be a matter for the police. It’s still not a legal reason to underpay your staff.

paul1 said :

“It doesn’t matter if the Winters were running an illegal Casino the issue is Aussie Junk were not paying correct wages and entitlements”

It would matter if the Winter’s were stealing Aussie Junk’s money and Aussie Junk had evidence to prove it, wouldn’t it?

Whats your stake in this “Paul”?

“It doesn’t matter if the Winters were running an illegal Casino the issue is Aussie Junk were not paying correct wages and entitlements”

It would matter if the Winter’s were stealing Aussie Junk’s money and Aussie Junk had evidence to prove it, wouldn’t it?

A media release means absolutely nothing at all, by the way they only accusations mate, which clearly states in your precious article. I also seen you lost the court case for the unfair dismissal, I wonder if there was a media release for that. Once again good luck.

realitycheck10:44 pm 09 Jul 09

There are 9 claimants not only the 3 Winters.
I keep hearing all this rubbish about how the truth about what the Winters were doing will come out in court.
It doesn’t matter if the Winters were running an illegal Casino the issue is Aussie Junk were not paying correct wages and entitlements.
Claims of serious misconduct or whatever other rubbish is irrelevant and no defence and will have no bearing on the court hearing.

realitycheck10:32 pm 09 Jul 09

I’m sure the above media release is full of lies.I’m sure you are right Paul1 and everyone was getting paid correctly.
IDIOT!!

realitycheck10:30 pm 09 Jul 09

Media release
10 June 2009
Recycling company underpaid workers almost $300,000, watchdog alleges

The Federal Workplace Ombudsman is prosecuting a recycling company for allegedly underpaying a number of its Canberra staff almost $300,000.

The Workplace Ombudsman has initiated legal proceedings against Aussie Junk Pty Ltd – which trades as Aussie Junk Recycling – and operates in Canberra and other locations.

The Agency is also prosecuting the company’s sole director, Dennis Richter, of Lake Albert, alleging he was complicit in the underpayments and unlawfully sacked three of the workers after they complained.

The staff who were allegedly underpaid, some of whom still work for Aussie Junk, were employed at the Mitchell resource and recycling depot in Canberra.

Documents filed in the Federal Magistrates Court in Canberra allege that Aussie Junk underpaid 10 Canberra employees their entitlements, including the minimum hourly rate, overtime, casual loadings, various allowances and payment on termination of employment between 2004 and 2008.

The prosecution papers claim that Richter terminated the employment of three of the allegedly underpaid workers in July last year as a result of their complaints to the Workplace Ombudsman and the Transport Workers Union.

It is also alleged that Aussie Junk failed to maintain records containing sufficient details of matters such as hours worked and leave taken by employees.

Workplace Ombudsman Executive Director Michael Campbell says it will be alleged in Court that Aussie Junk underpaid 10 employees a total of about $280,000, with the biggest underpayment of an individual worker being $83,000.

Mr Campbell says it will be alleged some employees were paid as little as $50 cash-in-hand for nine-hour Sunday shifts at the garbage dump site.

“Our decision to prosecute Aussie Junk and Richter follows their refusals to fully rectify the alleged underpayments or co-operate with workplace inspectors,” he said.

The Workplace Ombudsman is seeking a Court Order for all money owed to be repaid and for penalties against the company and Richter.

The maximum potential penalty per breach of the Act is $33,000 for Aussie Junk and $6600 for Richter.

Why do all you guys act so immature about all this? It seems to me like you are all just little children playing around.
Aussie Junk is a very good business, which has been in our community for a long time, I dont understand why they hired such idiots like the Winters! all they want is the money and for Aussie Junk to close down but both are never going to happen. I heard they stole alot of Aussie Junks files just before they got the sack? shouldn’t they be getting charged for that?
Before you Winters and Lance start talking about Dennis and Russell why don’t you get all your facts straight, you don’t even know Dennis so don’t judge him. I know alot about Jamie and Justin’s lies and I will, with no doubt stand up in court for Aussie Junk and tell the truth about what was going on.
You all got/get paid right so dont bloddy winge and act like little children, just because most of you now are on centrelink benefits, Ha, Ha, Ha. Poor Kidos!!!!! alot different to the $900 a week isn’t it!
Also, from what I see Aussie Junk complies to their contracts 100% they would not be here if they didn’t, would they!

All I can say is good luck for the coming court case! because you are all going to need it.
I just wonder who you will targeted next? maybe Woolworths?

SpellingAndGrammar1:55 pm 09 Jul 09

One wonders how our ACT public servants can be considered diligent in the execution of their duties when it would appear that even the most basic of requirements are not being met under the contract Aussie Junk has with TAMS.

realitycheck6:11 pm 08 Jul 09

Just reading through the successful application Aussie Junk tendered for the Mugga Lane contract.
It would seem quite obvious that they have failed to comply with many aspects of the contract.

They should have a Pick-up service going by now and a repair and refurbishment centre.
Electricals should be all tagged and tested by a qualified person.Also they have a huge amount of reports to lodge with the government concerning turnover of recycled goods, whitegoods etc.
Ahh here’s a good part – Aussie Junk will produce as requested all information regarding industrial relation matters including issues with other contractors.

But I was told by the head of ACT Nowaste and a high profile Labour minister at the time that the government had no jurisdiction at the Mitchell depot.

Must have been an innocent mistake, I’m sure they had our best interests at heart.

realitycheck5:59 pm 08 Jul 09

We are proud to be the winners of “The ACT and Regional Chamber of
Commerce & Industry Eco Efficiency Recycling Award in 2003”

Doesn’t he like to throw this bit of information around.In every article, his website and even on his vehicles.

But if he didn’t win then something was wrong considering he was the only nomination!

realitycheck5:51 pm 08 Jul 09

Funny how in the newspaper article he states he has up to 25 employees for just the Gold Coast operations but in July 2008 he stated in court documents that the entire company only employs 27 staff in total.
Also in a tender document to Gympie Council dated 9th July 2008 he writes that the company employs 88 full and part time staff.
But in a magistrates hearing in 2008 he stated that on 23 July 2008 the company employed only 27 full or part time staff members in total.

THE GYMPIE COUNCIL LETTER IS BELOW:

Community & Economic Development Committee Meeting – 9 July 2008 Gympie Council

The following letters from the above parties were also received in respect of
their expressions of interest and have been included for Council’s information.

Dennis Richter
Managing Director
Aussie Junk Pty Ltd

“My name is Dennis Richter. I am the Managing Director of Aussie Junk Pty
Ltd. I have been in the recycling business over fifteen years trading as Aussie
Junk. Since August 2002 I have been trading as Aussie Junk Pty Ltd.
Aussie Junk Pty Ltd is a fully recognised Recycling Company with contracts in
NSW, the ACT and Queensland. We presently have contracts for seven landfill
sites and five Recycling Centres. We hold contracts with Wagga Wagga City
Council, Gold Coast City Council and Redland Shire Council. In conjunction
with Thiess Services, we manage the Mitchell Recycling Centre at the Mitchell
Resource Management Centre in the ACT. We play an active part in the
“NOWASTE by 2010” campagne undertaken by the ACT Government. We
have additional Recycling Centres at Wagga Wagga, Tweed Heads, Currumbin
and Redland Bay in Queensland. Most of our contracts are in the second or
third term which indicates our ability to comply with Council’s requirements
and shows the satisfaction of various Councils with our performance.
Aussie Junk’s Head Office, Administrative and Web Sales Office operate from
the Australian Capital Territory. The Company employs 48 full/part time staff
and an additional 40 casual staff to manage and operate the various sites.
Each site operates with its own management and staff usually derived from the
area. We are very involved with our community and support schools, charities
and non profit organisations in the various areas.
We are proud to be the winners of “The ACT and Regional Chamber of
Commerce & Industry Eco Efficiency Recycling Award in 2003”.
We work hard and take pride in the knowledge that we do our part in helping
to preserve the environment for future generations.”

Clown Killer5:36 pm 08 Jul 09

… plans to retire to the Gold Coast’s exclusive Sovereign Islands

He’d fit right in.

Hooray, I love a good humiliation conga.

realitycheck5:01 pm 08 Jul 09

The Deputy Commissioner Of Taxation v Aussie Junk Pty Ltd hearing in QLD has been adjourned until 31 July

realitycheck4:36 pm 08 Jul 09

EXTRACT FROM ARTICLE IN THE CANBERRA TIMES SAT JULY 4 by GRAHAM DOWNIE

In June the sole director of Aussie Junk Dennis Richter said the matter with the Australian Taxation Office had been fixed up.”I have had solicitors in Clarence Street in Sydney who have worked on it for me” he said.
When phoned yesterday, Mr Richter hung up.

“Dennis is engaged to be married for a third time.”

Nice to see he recycles his wives as well.

realitycheck4:24 pm 08 Jul 09

ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN THE TWEED DAILY NEWS.

Where there?s muck, there?s brass

3rd June 2005

He is the Junk King – the fellow who earned a fortune salvaging and recycling garbage from local tips in three states. And now he’s living at Banora Point. ED SOUTHORN learned how one man made millions out of rubbish.

DENNIS Richter, 59, proudly claims he has “exchanged white line fever for garbage fever”.

The former long-haul truck driver used to make three exhausting trips a fortnight between Brisbane and Melbourne, carting groceries and grain.

Now he runs a recycling business with annual turnover of more than $4 million from almost 36 tips in NSW, Queensland and the ACT and plans to retire to the Gold Coast’s exclusive Sovereign Islands.

Dennis is already wondering how his big garbage trucks would look alongside the luxury cars usually seen around the exclusive Sovereign Islands estate. He also owns more than one Mercedes, so he won’t be too out of place among the Gold Coast high rollers.

Dennis had been based near Canberra but has been living at Banora Point since January this year, when his private company Aussie Junk won a Gold Coast City Council contract for salvage and recycling rights at three tips Tugun, Reedy Creek and Stapylton.

The Aussie Junk recycling shop in Wharf Street, Tweed Heads, which also opened six months ago, has quickly become a local landmark, selling everything from timber to toys, kitchen items, garden tools, books, pictures, jewellery, collectables and antiques.

Dennis has many unusual and valuable items picked up from Gold Coast tips, including a 200-year-old land title written on parchment and valuable paintings by leading Australian artists.

“There’s no such thing as junk, once you find a market for it,” he cheerfully declares.

He has a separate contract with the Smorgons metals company to dispose of recyclable steel, also supplies glass and paper goods recyclers and provides clothing to the Beenleigh-based Alpha Children’s Foundation.

Dennis is set to expand further over the next few months, to Redland Bay, south of Brisbane.

He says he remains keen to salvage from Tweed Shire tips, although the Tweed’s garbage salvage rights are presently secured by another contractor, he said.

Dennis said driving trucks was a “hard way to make a living”, so when the opportunity arose to manage a rubbish tip at Albury near the NSW/Victorian border 10 years ago, he was happy to climb down from his truck cabin.

Since then, his garbage business has grown extraordinarily. For the Gold Coast contract, he runs separate holding yards, employs up to 25 people and has a fleet of five tip-trucks, three utilities and a plastic-sided carting truck.

Dennis is engaged to be married for a third time.

He says he has no plans to float Aussie Junk as a public company.

Soon, he might start to reduce his involvement in the business, allowing his children to take over his rubbish empire.

realitycheck4:17 pm 08 Jul 09

Federal Court of Australia File: QUD118/2009

Title: Deputy Commissioner of Taxation v Aussie Junk Pty Ltd ACN 097 510 882

Court: Federal Court of Australia, Queensland Registry

Filing Date: 19-May-2009

Finalised Date:
Application Type Filed Status Finalised
Transparentpixel CORPORATIONS Winding Up 19-May-2009 Open

Court Events and Orders Loading…
Date Time Reason Presiding Officer(s) Location Outcome Orders
03-Jul-2009 9:30 Hearing Registrar Ramsey Court No. 8, Level 6 Adjourned – For Hearing View Orders

Order Type Decision Type
Directions Orders Directions – free text order specific to case
19-Jun-2009 9:30 Hearing Registrar Baldwin Court No. 8, Level 6 Adjourned – For Hearing

Order Type Decision Type
Corporations Orders Statutory Demand – adjourn & prepare for hearing.
Costs Orders Costs – Reserved
Documents Filed Loading…
Date Filed Document Title Filed By
10-Jun-2009 Amended Document Deputy Commissioner of Taxation
10-Jun-2009 Affidavit/Memorandum of Publication Deputy Commissioner of Taxation
21-May-2009 Affidavit of Lodgment at ASIC Deputy Commissioner of Taxation
21-May-2009 Affidavit of Service of Originating Process Deputy Commissioner of Taxation
19-May-2009 Consent of Liquidator/Provisional Liquidator Deputy Commissioner of Taxation
19-May-2009 Affidavit of Service of Demand Deputy Commissioner of Taxation
19-May-2009 Affidavit in Support of Application for Winding Up Deputy Commissioner of Taxation

19-May-2009 Originating Process Deputy Commissioner of Taxation
Parties Loading…
Role Name End
Defendant Aussie Junk Pty Ltd ACN 097 510 882
Legal Representative Applicant Australian Taxation Office

Address: Legal Practice 13th Floor 140 Creek Street, BRISBANE 4000
Business Phone: 07 3213 5708
Business Fax: 07 3213 5005
Plaintiff Deputy Commissioner of Taxation
Docket Registrar Ramsey

realitycheck4:13 pm 08 Jul 09

Fair Pay Ombudsman v Aussie Junk Pty Ltd Federal Magistrates Court Canberra 20th July 2009

Deputy Commissioner Of Taxation v Aussie Junk Pty Ltd – Federal Court of Australia Queensland Registry : File No QUD118/2009

Looks like your going to be busy Dennis & Russell.
I think your time could be better spent getting your court appearances in order instead of making jokes and pathetic comments.

Hi Lance???
i think it’s pure gold ha, ha, ha,
woof, woof.

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