2017-08-22
Ms DUNN (Eastern Metropolitan) — My adjournment matter is directed to the Minister for Planning. Up to 20 families in Drouin have been devastated by the dodgy practice of a builder. Having bought land and house packages in 2014 they have waited for three years only to have the builder walk away from half-built houses that are now overgrown with weeds. John Grezos, the builder-developer responsible for the Drouin estate, has form in this regard. In November 2008 he was sued under the Fair Trading Act 1999 by Consumer Affairs Victoria. The Supreme Court of Victoria found he had misled more than 120 consumers and was ordered to take responsibility for $2.9 million in debt owed to credit providers by its customers. It is unacceptable that this individual has been allowed to continue operating in this industry. This is a plight that has affected many Victorians, and it is just not good enough. Building a home is the largest investment many households will ever make, and yet the protections around home building and land and home packages are incredibly lax. It leads to life savings being lost and people being left without homes and with an improbable road to financial recovery. The action I seek is that the minister direct the Victorian Building Authority to provide all assistance possible to the family of Manohar John and other affected households that have bought house and land packages in Drouin.