House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-04-03 Daily Xml

Contents

VAILO Company

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley—Leader of the Opposition) (14:55): My question is to the Premier. Does VAILO, the Adelaide 500's major sponsor, and its founder, Mr Aaron Hickmann, owe any money to the state government, and what assurances can the Premier give that VAILO's reported financial troubles won't affect the future event? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA:The Advertiser reported online on Adelaidenow on 1 April 2025 that:

Australia's tax man wants to bankrupt a South Australian millionaire over unpaid taxes, a court has heard, as the financial crisis engulfing the embattled entrepreneur widens.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee—Treasurer, Minister for Defence and Space Industries, Minister for Police) (14:55): I thank the leader for his question. Of course, VAILO the company is no longer the sponsor of the Adelaide 500. But putting that aside, yes, we are aware that the companies that are owned by VAILO's principal, Aaron Hickmann, owe money—according to the media reports that the Leader of the Opposition cites in his explanation—to the Australian Tax Office. It is also a matter of public record, in fact I think we may have had a question on it previously, about monies owed to RevenueSA for unpaid property taxes as well.

I will have to take on notice that part of the question just to seek an update as to whether those unpaid property tax matters have been resolved. But, of course, given that VAILO the company is no longer in a commercial agreement with the Adelaide 500—or, as I understand it, any other part of the state government—this remains a matter between a private individual who I understand resides now in Queensland, the Australian Tax Office and potentially RevenueSA, as well as other creditors.