News Brief: English
Summary
An investigation reveals that Melbourne building boss Mike Harris has overseen four company collapses since 2017, leaving clients, staff, and subcontractors with millions in unpaid debts. Despite the financial ruin of his companies, Harris continued a lavish lifestyle, hosting expensive parties and prioritizing renovations on his own home while failing to pay wages and suppliers. Former employees and contractors describe a pattern of broken promises, with regulators accused of failing to take meaningful action.
Key Points
- Multiple Business Failures: Mike Harris has been the director of four companies (MJ Harris Group, MJ Harris Carpentry, MJ Harris Painting) that collapsed between 2017 and 2024, accumulating millions in debts, primarily to the ATO and unpaid staff superannuation.
- Human Cost: Victims include clients who lost life savings, employees who couldn’t pay mortgages, and subcontractors left owed tens of thousands. One employee was owed nearly $30,000.
- Lavish Spending Amid Crisis: Former staff report Harris hosted large, company-funded parties with open bars for dozens of people, even as companies struggled to pay for supplies and wages.
- Home Renovations Prioritized: While customer projects stalled, Harris directed company staff and subcontractors to work on major renovations at his own Diamond Creek home, including a pool and deck worth hundreds of thousands.
- “Phoenix” Activity Alleged: As companies failed, Harris allegedly moved staff and operations to new corporate entities, continuing to trade with the same team while leaving debts behind.
- Regulatory Failure: Complaints to the Fair Work Ombudsman, ATO, and building regulators over nearly a decade have resulted in little meaningful action, allowing Harris to continue operating.
- Harris’s Defense: Harris stated he regrets anyone was left out of pocket but defended his record, citing over a thousand completed projects and hundreds of positive client reviews.
- Current Status: Despite the collapses and a liquidator’s report suggesting possible director offenses, Harris is running another painting and carpentry business, with new subcontractors already reporting unpaid wages.
新闻简报：中文
摘要
一项调查显示，墨尔本建筑公司老板迈克·哈里斯自2017年以来已主导了四家公司倒闭，给客户、员工和分包商留下了数百万美元的未偿债务。尽管公司财务崩溃，哈里斯仍维持奢侈的生活方式，举办昂贵派对，并优先装修自己的住宅，同时拖欠工资和供应商款项。前雇员和承包商描述了一种承诺屡次失信的模式，监管机构被指责未能采取有效行动。
关键点
- 多次商业失败：迈克·哈里斯是四家公司（MJ Harris Group、MJ Harris Carpentry、MJ Harris Painting）的董事，这些公司在2017年至2024年间相继倒闭，累积了数百万债务，主要欠澳大利亚税务局和员工的未付养老金。
- 人力成本：受害者包括损失毕生积蓄的客户、无力支付抵押贷款的员工以及被拖欠数万美元的分包商。一名员工被拖欠近3万澳元。
- 危机中的奢侈支出：前员工报告称，即使在公司难以支付材料和工资时，哈里斯仍为数十人举办公司出资的大型派对，提供开放式酒吧。
- 优先装修自家住宅：在客户项目停滞的同时，哈里斯指示公司员工和分包商在他位于Diamond Creek的家中进行重大装修，包括价值数十万澳元的游泳池和甲板。
- 涉嫌“凤凰”活动：随着公司倒闭，哈里斯据称将员工和业务转移到新的公司实体，用同一团队继续经营，同时留下债务。
- 监管失职：近十年来向公平工作申诉专员、税务局和建筑监管机构提出的投诉几乎没有导致任何有效行动，使得哈里斯得以继续经营。
- 哈里斯的辩护：哈里斯表示，他对任何人遭受损失感到遗憾，但为自己的记录辩护， citing 称完成了超过一千个项目，并获得了数百条客户好评。
- 现状：尽管公司倒闭，且清算人报告暗示其可能存在董事失职行为，哈里斯目前仍在经营另一家油漆和木工企业，新的分包商已报告出现工资拖欠。
Original Article Link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-22/mj-harris-melbourne-builder-faces-accusations-from-staff-clients/106149104