Friday 10 June 2016

What Desmond Euen tells the world about himself & his expertise and what the NSW North Coast says about him


Desmond John Thomas Euen asks communities on the NSW North Coast, as well as local and state governments, to accept his stated credentials and expertise in relation to an unsolicited proposal for a Yamba super port and new freight rail network between inland New South Wales and the coast.

So what has Mr. Euen told the world about his business history?

This is Des Euen on Linked in, as accessed on 8 June 2016:


There are a number of claims in this summary written by Mr. Euen:

1. “National Representative for and on behalf Australia's Independent Owner Drivers a position I held until 1991”

It would appear that Des Euen may have been president of an unrecognised union which made the news briefly over twenty years ago.

The Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney, New South Wales · Page 3https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/122594753/

Mar 15, 1990 - Queensland president of the teamsters, Mr Des Euen....
The Teamsters Federation claims to have more than 3,000 members throughout the country. However it is not a recognised union….
A confrontation on the NSW-Queensland border crossings was expected last night as the Transport Workers Union warned that its truck drivers were likely to ignore picket lines set up by the rebel Teamsters Federation.

 2. “During this period I assisted in….the reinstatement of Section 92 (Free Trade between States)”

Oh dear, s92 of the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act was never removed and in need of reinstatement - it remains as it was on 9 July 1900:

92. Trade within the Commonwealth to be free
On the imposition of uniform duties of customs, trade, commerce, and intercourse among the States, whether by means of internal carriage or ocean navigation, shall be absolutely free.
But notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, goods imported before the imposition of uniform duties of customs into any State, or into any Colony which, whilst the goods remain therein, becomes a State, shall, on thence passing into another State within two years after the imposition of such duties, be liable to any duty chargeable on the importation of such goods into the Commonwealth, less any duty paid in respect of the goods on their importation.

There is no evidence that Euen was involved in any of the four matters before the Australian High Court between 1988 and 1991 which specifically addressed Section 92.

3. “In 1991, I founded Interlink Shipping Consultancy Pty Ltd”

The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) has no online record of a company of that name registered in 1991 or of a similar registered business name. 

There is a record of ISC Pty Limited, registered in February 1993, based in Sydney and deregistered in March 2004. There is also an ISC Pty Ltd registered in November 2006 and currently based in Caboolture and Lutwyche QLD. However historical records show that Des Euen has never been a director, secretary of shareholder in either of these companies.

4. “In 1994, ISC Pty Ltd was merged with Australian Coastal Shipping Ltd

Australian Coastal Shipping Limited was registered on 10 May 1994 and, by 21 & 22 August 1997 there was a Notification Of Appointment Of Liquidator By The Court (505G) and a Court Order To Wind Up A Company And Appoint A Liquidator (560) recorded by ASIC. The company was finally deregistered on 4 November 2001.

The historical record for this company does not ever list Mr. Euen as either a director, secretary or shareholder.

What Des Euen fails to mention entirely:

Coast-Trans Pty Ltd, formerly Coast Cat Queensland Pty Ltd, registered on 30 April 2002,  Notification Of Appointment Of Liquidator By The Court (505G) recorded by ASIC on 8 November 2004 with this company finally deregistered on 18 December 2004.

Desmond Euen became the sole director, secretary and single shareholder in this $1 company on 30 April 2002 and, except for a two month period in 2002 when an additional director is recorded, remained in these roles until the company was deregistered.

The Courier-Mail,  28 November 2003, page 7:

…..Coast-Trans owner Des Euen said he had decided to name the 360- passenger catamaran Koopa II to "maintain tradition and history".
The Koopa II will arrive early next month from Indonesia and is expected to enter service on December 8, running from Brisbane to Redcliffe, Bribie Island and Mooloolaba.
The Brisbane-Mooloolaba return fare will be $50.
Mr Euen said the vessel would travel at 26 knots, reaching the Sunshine Coast terminus in 3 1/2 hours.
Next year his company would take delivery of a second vessel capable of carrying 450 people at 40 knots. It would be named Doomba II after another bay cruise vessel and also operate to the Sunshine Coast.
The vessels would cost more than $7 million.
Mr Euen said his company hoped to carry some of the 4500 people who commuted daily to Brisbane from the Sunshine Coast.

The Courier-Mail,  26 Dec 2003, page 19:

A NEW high-speed ferry service running between Brisbane, Redcliffe and Bribie Island faces an uncertain future after a rocky maiden voyage.
Refuelling problems meant about 20 passengers were left waiting at the Bongaree jetty at Bribie Island for more than two hours yesterday.
As well, Coast-Trans ferry operator Des Euen is locked in a row with Queensland Transport over access to the jetty.
An angry Mr Euen said the department withdrew permission for Coast-Trans to use the facility at the eleventh hour.
"I have been in discussions with Queensland Transport for more than a year, and no one said, until now, there was a problem," he said.
"I am absolutely astounded."
But a spokeswoman for Transport Minister Steve Bredhauer said Mr Euen was never granted approval to use the jetty.
"The first time he requested use of Bongaree jetty was 11.30am on Christmas Eve," she said.
"Bongaree jetty is managed by Caboolture Shire Council, who say it is not sure whether it is suitable for a commercial venture."
The spokeswoman said proper public consultation would need to be carried out before the facility could be used.
Mr Euen said he had no choice but to berth at the jetty yesterday, defying the department's orders.
"What else could I do, I had to pick up passengers," he said…..
Coast-Trans operations were due to start a fortnight ago, but hold-ups in importing a 40m, $7 million catamaran from Indonesia meant the first voyage was postponed until a chartered catamaran could be brought north from Sydney.
Mr Euen said the 19.58m vessel, which holds up to 220 people, would run daily from South Bank at Brisbane to Bribie Island, via Redcliffe.
An earlier plan to run from Brisbane to Mooloolaba has been shelved.

What the NSW North Coast says about Des Euen and his grand plan.........

The Daily Examiner, 6 June 2016:

The Clarence River is the setting for the towns of Iluka (left) and Yamba (right) contributed

RE: "No plans to expand local port" (Daily Examiner, May 31).
When I started to read this article I had to glance at the top of the page and check the date, just to make sure that it wasn't April 1.
What is it that supplies people like Mr Euen with the abundance of arrogance that is required to feel that they can push through a whacko idea such as that described for Yamba?
Do they - the Des Euens, Clive Palmers and CEOs of coal-seam gas companies - feel that they have some divine right to inflict their nightmare on the populace of locations which are virtually unspoilt, just because they have the financial capability to do so?
Do they wake up in the morning and think: 'Wow! I've got a brilliant idea of how to turn a beautiful part of the country into a steaming pile of industrial crap'?
I didn't move from a major city (two years ago) to paradise (Yamba) in the hope that, maybe within my lifetime I would see the harbour become a major port.
And I am quite sure that there wouldn't be one person living in this area, whether for the past two, 22 or 122 years, who wants to see this happen.
As an aside, it is interesting to see that Mr Euen compares the scale of his nightmare to that of the Snowy River Scheme.
Prior to my retirement I was engaged in work which put me in regular contact with senior personnel from Snowy Hydro and in conversations about the history and engineering of the scheme it became abundantly clear that such a project, if planned today, would never, ever get the required approvals to proceed.
It would be dead in the water before it even started.
Let's hope that Mr Euen's plans also get flushed down the toilet.
Bruce Kennewell, Yamba

Orarariverfella – Braunstone 6 June 2016:

So Mr Kennewell having moved to the area a whole two years ago you think that your personal little fantasy retirement ideal town frozen in time should over-ride the admittedly far fetched but perfectly feasible idea that many before have seriously looked into. Once again it seems self interest and small mindedness will allow the noisy few to stifle any logical and rigorous investigation of any proposal that has merit to drive economic development (oh the horror of that notion) of the Clarence region.
We are in a position today to demand of any large scale proposal that it meet and indeed exceed any environmental restraints and controls that a development on this scale should rightfully, morally and socially have to comply. It just needs a combined will to at the least think about something that's bigger than the few but can succeed and to some degree stem the flow of the young leaving the area giving those that grew up here a viable reason to actually live out their lives and prosper here.

yambaman, 6 June 2016:

What is even more interesting is the lunatic's given address, 5 Shellbach St, Ipswich - Google can't find it for me.
At least they can find his co-Director's address 23 Apple Gum Ct, Robins - pretty disappointing abode for an upwardly mobile businessman.
What a w@nker, while I wish him no personal ill-will, this equally aged but grey-haired NIMBY hopes he drops off the planet before some idiot in government actually takes him seriously!


John Hagger, 5 June 2016:

$50 buys a whole lot of Advertising in Casino.
Sometimes the pace of the needed changes seems painfully slow.
As a local resident doing their best to ensure Our Valley’s long-term survival, the glacial pace of change can be so incredibly frustrating that it is possible to overlook our achievements to date.
Sometimes support comes from the most unexpected of places.
Des Euen generously provided us with evidence of just how far we have already advanced at the Casino meeting with regard to Yamba Port.
As previously noted, the meeting was poorly attended and most of those present came out of concern or to voice their objections.
In the face of comments and questions from his detractors, Dinosaur Des replied with numerous unwanted and patronising references of ‘darling’ and ‘sweetheart’ aimed at local women.
So extreme was the archaic language and the mega claims of Yamba becoming the largest Port in Australia with matching infrastructure extending like a web across NSW and beyond that I was left wondering why.
Why would anyone so alienate their audience or so anger the People of the towns next door to the intended Port’s construction site?
My guess is that Des the truck driver is being used as a canary in the coalmine by whatever political and financing bodies are really in charge of this dog and pony show.
In exchange for the $50 required to book the 400-seat room at Casino’s RSM:
Des and his mates got to spread their message far and wide plus ticked the box marked Community Consultation.
Just in case any of the Puppet Masters ever get to read this:
Local People have made it clear.
We do Not want to be home to Australia’s largest Port.

Tom Porter, 3 June at 20:06
I think I will take a look into Dez Euen's past. I am getting a feeling he could be selling snake oil.
Leigh Barrington:
 Gawd, like days of our lives. Can't wait for the next episode  

Pamela Wickham, 2 June at 08:08:
 Des mentioned things should get a move on within or around 8 weeks eg He said he has invested a huge amount of money into this project and believes in creating jobs and if he does not succeed than he loses millions. 6 June 2016
Carly Woodstock Good. This tool can kiss his millions goodbye. How dare he....
Teresa Eggins Hopefully he loses im sure its not his money anyway

Mat Bell, 2 June at 13:20:
Why the f*uck was there a meeting about yambas future in casino????? [redacted word due to filters in use by some overseas readers]

Teresa Eggins:
 My thought exactly only reason I could think of is that a lot of yamba locals wouldnt know about it or wouldnt be able to attend

2 comments:

NCV Admin said...

North Coast Voices appreciates that the issue of a mega port at the mouth of the Clarence River is one that concerns and upsets local residents.

However, this blog's comment guidelines mean it will not publish comment which may possibly have accidentally crossed over the line into defamation.

The blog remains happy to receive comment which stays within those guidelines set out at the bottom of the right hand column of its home page.

Those whose opinions on this post have not been published are invited to resubmit with the guidelines in mind.

Unknown said...

I just LOVE Fact-check. It is such a powerful tool, for us, the public.