Northern Territory builder George Milatos has lost his appeal in the NT Supreme Court, leaving him liable for more than $2.7 million in compensation to homeowners of defective Bellamack properties.
According to ABC News, the NT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NTCAT) previously found that homes built by Milatos were structurally unsafe during cyclones and posed significant safety risks.
His appeal, which challenged the validity of NTCAT’s ruling and its authority to impose such a large compensation order, was dismissed on Thursday, December 5 by Justice Jenny Blokland.
The case involves five homeowners who purchased properties in 2013 under an NT government-backed affordable housing scheme in Bellamack, a suburb of Palmerston. Soon after moving in, they reported severe defects, with engineering reports confirming the homes were unsafe.
One homeowner told the ABC he doubted any compensation would ever be received, noting Milatos’ claims of financial hardship and the possibility of bankruptcy.
The NT government has distanced itself from the issue, citing a 2013 regulatory change that switched from an insurance-based scheme to a fidelity fund, leaving homeowners unable to seek recourse from the government for demolishing or rectifying the homes.
Milatos, whose building licence expired in 2021, still has the option to challenge the decision in the NT Court of Appeal.
Source: ABC News.
