A South Australian man has been convicted and fined after falsifying registrations on the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR), the Australian Government’s public noticeboard of security interests in personal property.
Former winemaker Andrew Garrett pleaded guilty to one charge under the Criminal Code after making false and misleading registrations against the property of a bankruptcy trustee, a member of the judiciary and a range of public institutions.
Mr Garrett was ordered to enter a recognizance – with security – that he would be of good behaviour for 3 years. He also received a fine.
Registering on the PPSR is a way to let people know if personal property such as cars, goods or company assets have security interests over them.
The registrations, initially made in 2016 and 2017, were accepted by Mr Garrett as being misleading.
The Australian Financial Security Authority’s Deputy Chief Executive, Gavin McCosker, highlighted the importance of taking action against misuse of the PPSR.
‘The PPSR is an important tool for businesses to manage their risks – but it is equally important to protect individuals and businesses from situations where they may be unfairly disadvantaged by a false registration,’ Mr McCosker said.
‘In this circumstance, the defendant made registrations not based on business dealings, but as payback against the public figures and institutions he believed had slighted him.’
‘Where we see that people are using the PPSR to frustrate others, we will use the full force of our powers to take action.’
‘All instances of suspected misuse are taken seriously, and we took quick action to review and remove those registrations.’
‘This is the right outcome – for them, but also for the overall protection and integrity of the PPSR. A recorded conviction sends a clear message that using the PPSR to cause annoyance, nuisance or commercial harm will not be tolerated.’
For more information about the role of the PPSR, visit ppsr.gov.au.
Suspected misuse of the PPSR can be reported on the PPSR website.
