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Questions on The Block bidder

Updated: Questions will be asked today about how the new CEO of Energy Watch was able to bid on The Block when the company went into liquidation in May.

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Questions will be asked today about how the new CEO of Energy Watch was able to bid for a house on The Block when the company went into liquidation in May.

Last night IT entrepreneur Danny Wallis, who headed a consortium that bought Energy Watch in May, made erratic bids for Mike and Andrew’s house, keeping Hocking Stuart’s auctioneer on his toes. He finally purchased the house for $1,400,001,01.

On Twitter last night, the marketing ploy gained plenty of feedback:

ChrisAnstey13:
The chances of anyone in Australia using Energy Watch from this day forward are ZERO…. and 91 cents

DHughesy:
Shouldn’t have to look hard to find this weeks Tool of the Week? ENERGY WATCH #theblock

Rhett Bartlett:
The one thing I have learnt from watching this final episode of #theblock is that I will never ever call Energy Watch.

Neil Walker
Interesting. Will ‘new’ Energy Watch pay money owed to ‘old’ Energy Watch staff? http://www.smartcompany.com.au/internet/049786-energy-watch-goes-into-administration-and-lays-off-50-staff-but-phoenix-company-looks-set-to-rise.html#.T_ArUjgzAS4.twitter #TheBlock

Earlier this year Energy Watch went into a tailspin after its CEO Ben Polis attacked Aborigines, Asians, women and Julia Gillard on his Facebook page resulting in the company being dumped as a sports sponsor and media advertiser. Polis was also dumped as CEO. Polis now faces a $100,000 fine for misleading and deceptive advertising.

Energy Watch went into administration on May 18 with debts of $8.6 million – including $886,000 in employee entitlements, $1.1 million to a secured creditor and $6.5 million to unsecured creditors. About 50 Energy Watch call centre workers lost their jobs after the company was placed in voluntary administration. Australian Services Union Victorian secretary Ingrid Stitt estimated more than 100 past and present workers were owed about $500,000 in superannuation.

Wallis has previously told media the new Energy Watch International has nothing to do with the new Energy Watch. On the weekend the company was happy to maximise on clever marketing techniques on the first day of the new Carbon Tax, bearing the same name on t-shirts.

Presumably the wild $1,400,001,01 bid was a personal purchase and not made in the name of the company. Despite the t-shirts.

UPDATED: The Age confirms New Energy Watch owner Mr Wallis bought the property with private funds, even though he was wearing a T-shirt with his company’s name and logo at the time he was bidding.

Last week Justice Shane Marshall in the Federal Court in Melbourne expressed concern that Energy Watch was advertising again when the company had been put into liquidation.

Source: smh.com.au, Herald Sun

9 Responses

  1. toriwannabe July 2, 2012 at 8:11 pm –

    Response to Tori, Yes you are completely accurate, Danny Wallis was on Hot Property, and yes he was also on “secret millionaire” and if you recall Danny donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Wollongong, NSW community. Yes, he may be on our big screen televisions and may be considered an “attention seeker” in your on words. However, it’s clear that he is offering attention to those seeking it such as theO’briens family who generously gave over fifty thousand dollars to assist in the medical treatments for their son who had a rare skin disease. Everything he does and stands for is always about others and I guess since you have no relation to the man or know anything about him, I would refrain from making such hostile comments. You in particular Gray, that apparent “whacky” sister of his is actually my mother therefore Danny Wallis is my uncle. Before you start posting absolute bullshit insulting the crap out of someone you don’t know, why don’t you do your research and read about all the good he does in our community, even in your community I am sure. The house he purchased on The Block with his own personal funds is eventually going to be available to parents of sick children staying in Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. I guess this is what you expect from typical ignorant Australians.

  2. Grays, yes, he was on Hot Property, rocking up late to his sister’s auction in a Ferrari. He’s an attention seeker and when I saw him last night, I cringed. Right up front, for all 4 auctions even though he wasn’t bidding on them all. He was also on ‘secret millionaire’.

  3. mojotv: Management of EnergyWatch hasn’t changed. I read that the old co-owner is still around and got hired, the same one that was partner with Ben Polis in his other companies

  4. Annoyingly I used Energy Watch’s service just yesterday prior to The Block being aired. I’d not have gone with them after seeing that tosser.

    I knew about the previous CEO but figured they were a different company now, but appears as the new one is just as unprofessional

  5. lol i was wondering what scandal would hit the block this year. I’m sure that energy watch fella was on hot property a few years back with his whacky sister and his Ferrari?

  8. If a company is going bankrupt, do you really expect managers to start putting their personal money in to bail out the company? He’s probably earned that money from a long career in business.

  9. Maybe Mitre 10 gave him the money?

    This is not the first time supposedly bankrupt people and/or businesses have been able to continue splurging on luxuries and getting away with it.

    Wouldn’t know much else cos I didn’t waste my time watching this reality show rubbish.

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