Subcontractor Pera Te Amo back in court over supermarket carpark dispute

  • Updated
  • 14/03/2017

A subcontractor who ripped up a new Christchurch supermarket carpark after failing to get paid is back in court, still waiting for his money three years on.

Pera Te Amo, director of Lower Hutt-based Complete Siteworks, has been paid the $306,077.23 that the High Court at Wellington awarded him - a decision later upheld by the Court of Appeal.

But the High Court at Auckland is the latest arena in the long-running battle with Watts and Hughes Construction over another undisclosed sum of money following an arbitration.

A hearing was held before Justice Simon Moore on Tuesday who reserved his decision.

Mr Te Amo's lawyer Gennise Leun told Newshub there had been arbitration between the two companies, but Watts and Hughes Construction was "not satisfied" with what was awarded.

They've filed an appeal and an application to set aside what's been awarded to Complete Siteworks.

"It would not be appropriate for CSC to discuss the contents or the outcome of the awards," she said in a statement.

Three's Campbell Live first aired Mr Te Amo's plight in 2014 and filmed as the brand new Ferrymead Countdown carpark was torn up as the developers and chief contractor watched.

"I've taken a stand and let's hope lots of people out there aren't too scared to take a stand to the big corporates and the big developers and end up with zero," he said at the time.

"I'd not like to wish anybody else in this position because it's not nice."

Work had been in progress on the site since June the previous year.

Mr Te Amo also spoke to politicians about changes which were needed to protect subcontractors, but did not think amendments to the Construction Contracts Act went far enough.

The changes, under then Housing Minister Nick Smith, meant the developer or main contractor is legally obliged to hold money needed to pay subcontractors.

Newshub.