Wind up action brought against Waratah Group by the Australian Taxation Office has been adjourned until June 14 after the Melbourne commercial printer sought extra time to pay outstanding tax.
Brett Chalmers, chief operating officer at Waratah, said the adjournment was sought to give the company more time to finalise finance paperwork but has vowed all monies owed to the ATO will be paid in full by the end of May.
“The funds will be paid in full and everything up to date by the end of this month,” Chalmers told ProPrint.
“Our solicitors asked for an adjournment to get the paperwork finalised.
“It will be paid by the end of this month in full and as I stated categorically it is business as usual, there is nothing to hear or see here.”
Charles Bavin, a lawyer with Hunt & Hunt, is representing the ATO and told ProPrint Waratah sought the adjournment for extra time to finalise arrangements.
Court documents show the matter will return to the Federal Court of Australia in Melbourne on June 14 at 10.30am.
The ATO launched wind up action against Waratah on April 18 with Chalmers then telling ProPrint it was “business as usual” with it having arranged with Hunt & Hunt to pay the outstanding tax.
http://www.proprint.com.au/News/392956,waratah-says-business-as-usual-with-ato-claim-resolved.aspx
Chalmers put the action down to an anomaly in communications between Waratah’s accountants and a few others.
"There was a slight anomaly in communications between accountants and a few people so we did miss the deadline but we can't do anything about that now as the wheels are set in motion so we go into court, we pay the money and it is done and dusted and we go on,” Chalmers said on April 18.
He also said planning was underway to consolidate all Waratah services under one roof and move from its current Port Melbourne location to better service clients.
Last year the Waratah Group moved its mailing house business, Waratah Direct Communications into its main Port Melbourne premises from Preston, consolidating it with Waratah Digital and Commercial Brand Communications, under one roof.
Direct, formerly known as Data Direct, transferred all 20 odd staff and equipment over to the site.
Waratah Group has around 170 staff.
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