John Kitsis has been found guilty of contempt of court after “wilfully” disobeying orders to remove an unauthorised cheesemaking operation from his West Croydon home, with a court ordering him to pay $123,266.36 in costs.
The Environment, Resources and Development Court found Kitsis had no approval from the City of Charles Sturt council to run the business and was ordered in March 2020 to remove all dairy equipment within 30 days.
Senior Judge Michael Durrant said Kitsis did not comply until June 2025, describing the contempt as “at the higher end of seriousness.”
Kitsis told the court his cheese business “never got up and running” and achieved no sales. Claims he was unaware of proceedings due to limited English were dismissed, with the judge noting Kitsis had corresponded in writing and had family who could translate.
Despite being elderly and on a pension, Kitsis was not given further penalties beyond time already served in custody for failing to appear in court.
Senior Judge Durrant said, “He must now also pay significant costs to the Registrar of this court.”
Source: ABC.
