Faulty trucks put drivers and the public at “risk of death and serious injury”.
Still, the NHVR documents say that even after violations, the Ghossayn Group failed to ensure that its own policies were followed. The company’s 94 complaints from 2020 and 2021 related to chipped or leaking tires, oil leaks and brake imbalances.
Ghossayn is a prominent businessman and a member of the Lebanese community in Sydney. One OAM tops the long list of awards in their online bio.
The Ghossayn Group, known as “The Green Machine”, has worked on numerous large public projects.
“He maintains a high level of interaction with aldermen and mayors of councillors, as well as members of parliament at the state and federal levels,” boasts Ghossayn’s website.
Clients on the Ghossayn Group list include the Ministry of Defence, Westfield, Zetlands East Village, Harbor Tunnel, M4, Airport Link Tunnel and Darling Harbour. Clients include the University of Sydney, where the founder’s wife heads the Australian Lebanese Foundation.
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George Ghossayn was not in Liverpool Magistrates’ Court when the judge’s sentence was announced, but prosecutors from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulatory were watching on Friday.
“It is a strong signal that the courts will take seriously the breach of your primary duty to ensure the safety of transportation activities,” Belinda Hughes, acting director of the NHVR, said in a statement.
“While the fine is significant, our focus is more on improving the security of businesses by requiring them to put in place proper security systems and processes.”
A Ghossayn subsidiary, GWG Plant Hire, was also fined $30,000 for two serious violations.
The Ghossayn Group and Mr Ghossayn have been contacted for comment.
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