The Supreme Court of South Australia has approved a request by the liquidator of Patinack Farm for an arrest warrant for Nathan Tinkler to be issued.
The former mining magnate was due to front up to court this morning to answer questions about the collapse of his thoroughbred racing empire. When he failed to do so, SmartCompany understands liquidator Anthony Matthews and Associates, the plaintiff in the case, applied to Judge Steve Roder for an order to issue an arrest warrant.
The ABC reports Judge Roder said Tinkler had “no reasonable excuse” not to appear in court.
While Judge Roder made the order to issue an arrest warrant, the warrant has not yet officially been issued. The case has been adjourned until September 10.
Patinack Farm Administration collapsed into liquidation in November 2012, owing WorkCover South Australia more than $16,000.
The thoroughbred racing and breeding farm reportedly owed more than $5 million to creditors. According to Fairfax, the Supreme Court is seeking to examine a payment of around the same amount, allegedly made by Patinack Farm Administration to another company controlled by the Tinkler group.
According to Fairfax, lawyers acting for Tinkler had been attempting to have the matter adjourned but the liquidator was informed this morning Tinkler’s legal team had been “sacked”.
Tinkler had previously avoided appearing before the court earlier this year after he agreed to pay $400,000 towards the collapsed company’s debts.
The court case comes after retail magnate Gerry Harvey literally called in the farm on Tinkler in the second half of last year, calling in an estimated $40 million debt associated with Patinack Farm.
Harvey auctioned off horses from the horse farm in September last year and the first day of the sale netted $22.48 million.
SmartCompany contacted a spokesperson for Tinkler but did not receive a response prior to publication.
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Eloise is an experienced business journalist and editor, who has held senior editorial roles at SmartCompany since 2014. Prior to joining SmartCompany, Eloise was news editor at Books+Publishing, the trade press for the Australian book industry. Eloise has degrees in media and communications, marketing and business management, and political science. You can follow her on LinkedIn, and Twitter at @ellykeating.
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