No security boost at Qld forums

Security will not be boosted at community cabinet meetings despite a man trying to hit a government minister with a water jug at a forum in Bundaberg, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says.

A 48-year-old man was ejected on Sunday after throwing a jug of water at Public Works Minister Robert Schwarten during a one-on-one meeting with him at the Bundaberg North State High School.

After throwing the water, the man tried to hit the minister with the jug as Mr Schwarten raised his hands to defend himself against the blow.

The man was escorted outside by police, losing his shoes in the scuffle.

Mr Schwarten was on Monday nursing a bruised and swollen hand as he expressed his concern for the man.

He said the man had paid $70,000 up front for a kit home and lost the money when Coral Coast Homes went under.

But because he did not sign a building contract he was not covered under the Building Services Authority (BSA), Mr Schwarten said.

"He's really come along there yesterday expecting government to solve all of his problems and the government can't do that," the minister told reporters in Bundaberg on Monday.

He said the "dangerous" incident was not a nice one but he felt safe participating in future community cabinets.

"You don't expect to go to a community cabinet and for that to happen but I guess what it shows is that people get very distressed," he said.

"He was certainly very distressed and quite frankly he's more to be pitied than scorned in this circumstance.

"He's in desperate trouble and he took his frustrations out on me."

Mr Schwarten is not pressing charges relating to the assault but police have charged the man with public nuisance and obstructing police.

He will face Bundaberg Magistrates Court on September 18.

Ms Bligh said the "rare" incident would not change anything about the way community cabinets were run in the future, including security numbers.

She said there had been enough security at Sunday's meeting and she was committed to keeping the meetings as open as possible.

"I want people to feel that they can walk into a school hall and meet with any member of my government and my cabinet unimpeded by a strong police presence," she told reporters in Bundaberg.

"I don't think that's necessary."

Sunday's community cabinet, which gave residents outside of Brisbane the chance to meet one-on-one with government ministers and senior departmental officers, attracted the largest number of registered attendees and around 300 protesters.

Anger at Community Cabinet Visit

FRUSTRATION and anger spilled into the street yesterday as teachers and other union members took their protests straight to the top during Bundaberg's community cabinet.

Flanked by advisors and security, Premier Anna Bligh walked a gauntlet of more than 100 members from different unions to get into Bundaberg North State High School's hall.

About 300 protesters, irate over plans to sell off government assets and low teachers' pay, chanted and held up signs as Premier Anna Blighand her cabinet colleagues arrived.

Inside, a man used the public forum to criticise the Building Services Authority (BSA) for not helping him after he lost "everything" to a dodgy builder who promised to build his house.

"I voted for you. I'm sorry I did," he told Ms Bligh.

Afterwards, he met with Public Works Minister Robert Schwarten to discuss the matter one-on-one.

However, the man was escorted outside by police after he threw a jug of water at the minister and then tried to hit him with it.

Mr Schwarten put his hands out to defend himself as police officers pulled the man away.

The man lost his shoes in the scuffle.

The man arrested was Shane McMullen, a pensioner who lost everything following the collapse of Coral Coast Homes earlier this year.

Mr Schwarten is not pressing charges and said he felt sorry for Mr McMullen who was not covered under the BSA's powers due to the nature of the fraud.

It's understood Mr McMullen paid up front for a kit home but did not sign the appropriate contract that would have afforded him insurance under the BSA.

The 48-year-old man was charged with public nuisance and obstructing police and will face the Bundaberg Magistrates' Court on September 18, a police spokesman said.

Bundaberg Police Inspector Kevin Guteridge said that apart from one disturbance, the event ran safely and smoothly.

Premier Anna Bligh and her ministers covered a range of issues and made a number of announcements during her Bundaberg trip.

She also welcomed outpouring of community suggestions and opinions.

“We want to know what the next things are that you would like us to invest in,” she said.

Sunday's community cabinet, which gives residents outside of Brisbane the chance to meet one-on-one with government ministers and senior departmental officers, attracted the largest number of registered attendees.

Don't confuse us with broke building company

A stigma against builders on the Fraser Coast has seen the largest home builder in Queensland - Coral Homes - suffer.

Since 1990 Coral Homes has been building houses from Bundaberg to Sydney but that has not saved the company from the building industry fallout.

Fraser Coast residents have avoided the business since Coral Coast Homes went into liquidation at the start of June because they mistakenly believe the two companies are the same.

Coral Coast Homes - which had no affiliation with Coral Homes - went bust owing about $1 million to customers and tradespeople across the Wide Bay.

Coral Homes marketing manager Glenn Kennedy is urging people to do their research and believe the company will be in Hervey Bay for the long term.

“If people do their homework they will find out that Coral Homes is one of the most reputable and trusted companies in business.”

Mr Kennedy said the family-owned business was not simply Coral Coast Homes re-branded and was not a franchise.

He understood people were cynical about the industry and that it was a sensitive issue but said trustworthy builders were being affected.

Housing consultant Trevor Lollback is based at the company's Dundowran display home and says people are avoiding the place.

“People are just confused. It really, really has affected us something terrible.”

Not only has the Bundaberg based Coral Coast Homes gone bust this year, so too have a number of Queensland companies including Cavalier Homes Hervey Bay.

Cavalier Homes (J and J Harvey Constructions) became insolvent in May, owing more than $1.5 million to sub-contractors, suppliers and customers. More than 100 Fraser Coast businesses were on the list of creditors

BSA ignores John Biles bankruptcies

CHRIS Dalby spent hours researching before he signed up with Steelsmart Homes - yet he found out too late that director John Biles had two previous bankruptcies.

“I wouldn't have touched them with a 10 foot pole if I'd known,” Mr Dalby said.

Mr Dalby searched the Building Services Authority (BSA) and Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) websites before he signed his contract, but said his time was wasted because the information was not there.

“The BSA has been negligent because they either didn't check, or disregarded it,” he said.

Mr Biles went broke in 1987 and again in 1997, two years before BSA introduced regulations against people with previous multiple bankruptcies from holding licences.

“The BSA has the toughest anti-phoenix laws in the country, which means that anyone who has become bankrupt since 1 October 1999 faces lengthy and, if it happens a second time, lifetime bans,” BSA general manager Ian Jennings said.

“Since 1 October 1999, BSA's public register records any individual who becomes bankrupt and is banned from holding a licence. This is shown on BSA's public register for 10 years.”

The BSA failed to act on Mr Biles' two previous bankruptcies as they were before 1999, and Mr Biles was listed as a director on the Coral Coast Homes licence in 2005.

His individual licence was also reissued in 2008, and no warning was posted on either licence to alert potential customers.

“As part of the application process, applicants are required to legally declare whether or not they have ever been declared bankrupt, or been a director of failed company,” Mr Jennings said.

He said the BSA checks databases to monitor bankruptcies and liquidations.

Bundaberg Master Homes director Grant Reedy also had a previous bankruptcy before his company went into liquidation in May, owing more than $1.5 million.

Despite many customers publicly voicing their dissatisfaction with the system, Public Works Minister Robert Schwarten maintained that BSA's legislation was effective.

“There will always be a level of dissatisfaction, but regrettably there will always be people who do not get the outcome that they believe they should get,” Mr Schwarten said.