Bushfire survivors Sue De Marco and Gordon Sanger have spent their life savings on an unsatisfactory rebuild by a company they say was exposed too late by the state government.
After losing their home during the Black Summer bushfires, Sue De Marco and Gordon Sanger thought they had found the perfect contractor to rebuild their dream in the scenic hills of the south coast hinterland.Sue De Marco and Gordon Sanger lost their home and everything in it in the Black Summer bushfires
Mr Sanger said the state government's intervention had come too late for them and others who had contracted Green Magic Homes, many of them rebuilding after the Black Summer fires. They spent months living in a caravan at Cobargo's evacuation centre before learning of Green Magic Homes and its modular designs promising "green wellness"."It seemed like the perfect solution. It had a nice fancy website and he was the best salesman."The website, still online, markets affordable, quick-assembly designs that promise to cut wait times for tradespeople and materials caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
"At this point in the investigation it appears that funds from customers may have been used for personal expenses, including travel, groceries, restaurants, liquor stores, gambling and accommodation," Ms Petinos said.Sue De Marco looks out towards the fire damaged mountains surrounding her unfinished home.Mr Stevenson, who founded the company, said the claims by Ms De Marco and Mr Sanger were untrue and part of a "witch hunt" against him.
"I pleaded guilty because I absolutely signed those three letters, naively maybe, but yes I did it," he said in a statement. Mr Stevenson said the global owners of the Green Magic Homes franchise had offered to send a team to Australia to supervise completing the build, which would be undertaken by an independent builder.
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