Questions remain over how a man with a history of unpaid debts and a willingness to set-up unlicenced real estate agencies in states around Australia was granted a real estate licence in Victoria.
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Luke Hemmings, who has used a series of aliases in the past while trying to establish his businesses, contacted The Courier last week attempting to place a press release spruiking his agency, Masakali Estate Agents.
Initial investigations revealed Hemmings had attempted the same operation in southern Victoria and NSW in recent years. He had been granted a land agent’s licence in South Australia in late 2016, since suspended. A statement from the Consumer and Business Services Commissioner for South Australia said Hemmings’s licence was suspended ‘following consideration of the matter by the Commissioner’.
It has since been revealed Hemmings also procured a real estate licence in the Northern Territory in May 2018. That licence is also currently suspended.
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Consumer Affairs Victoria issued the following statement to The Courier following inquiries about Hemmings’s suitability to act as an estate agent.
‘Luke Hemmings was granted a Victorian estate agent’s licence with conditions by the Business Licensing Authority (BLA) as a result of the mutual recognition of his Northern Territory estate agent’s licence.
‘The Mutual Recognition Act 1992 (MRA) entitles people holding an occupational licence or registration in one state or territory to an equivalent licence in another state or territory provided the work is licensed in both.
‘Each state and territory has a different licence scheme for estate agents. The BLA is an independent regulator operating under the Business Licensing Authority Act 1998 and manages this process in Victoria.
‘The BLA applies conditions to licences in order to provide the licensee with the equivalent licence they hold in another state or territory.
‘The conditions on Mr Hemmings' licence do not prevent him from running a real estate business. The conditions restrict Mr Hemmings from personally conducting an auction and from being involved in the sale or lease of a “business”, however he is not restricted from being involved in the sale or lease of “real estate.”
‘Consumers Affairs Victoria (CAV) is responsible for compliance matters relating to licensed estate agents. CAV pays close attention to known historically non-compliant and newly registered licensees. CAV is unable to confirm the existence of or comment on active investigations.’
Hemmings has admitted to owing hundreds of thousands of dollars to creditors around Australia, none of whom have been paid. In November this year Hemmings pleaded guilty to a charge of using a carriage service to menace, harass and offend in New South Wales. The charge was subsequently dismissed on mental health grounds.
Ballarat resident Louise encountered Hemmings when she was running a cafe in Lakes Entrance in 2017. She says he came in for breakfast regularly and was very charming and polite to her staff. After he returned to Sydney a giant hamper of food and wine was sent to the business, praising its service.
Shortly after, Hemmings returned to the area with plans for a real estate agency, asking Louise for assistance. He was handing out petrol cards and flight vouchers – none of which had been paid for, as Louise discovered later.
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