Liquidators circle Kalbarri village builder

A WA firm chosen to build a 56-person workforce village in Kalbarri has gone bust one month after being dropped as preferred proponent by the state government.

The Australian Securities and Investment Commission on Monday revealed that RSM Global had been appointed liquidators of Wangara-based Petra Westkey.

Petra was in 2022 selected as the preferred proponent to develop a 6740-square-metre plot in Kalbarri to address housing pressures in the mid-west town.

But revelations the builder had potentially gone under surfaced when the WA Nationals revealed in parliament they had been trying in vain to contact the company for months.

The state government insisted it was still in negotiations with the company even after multiple site visits and attempts to contact the builder by Business News proved fruitless.

Calls to Petra’s office were diverted to Malaysia, the company’s website was down, and the office appeared to have been vacated.

Questions put to the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage about when they had last contacted – and received contact –  from the builder were not answered.

Lands Minister John Carey eventually canned negotiations two weeks after media interest grew.

“The State Government's commitment was to make suitable land available, in consultation with the local government, for workers' accommodation in Kalbarri and we delivered that commitment,” he said of the decision.

“I want to be clear – no financial or contractual agreement was entered into between Petra Westkey and DPLH.

“There is also no financial loss or risk to WA taxpayers.”

Westkey Modular’s NSW branch Petra Westkey was in May placed in liquidation while Petra Westkey (WA)’s local directors were replaced in March.

Domenic Sabatino is listed on LinkedIn as Westkey Modular’s managing director.