– The Sick Tycoon Essay, Research Paper
In the early 1980’s a young confident man
named Christopher Charles Skase became world famous by amassing a list
of assets including a multi-million dollar company called Quintex, the
channel 7 network, Mirage resorts and a number of extravagant houses across
the world.
Christopher Skase was born on the 18th
of September 1948 in Melbourne, Australia. He grew up in a rich family
going to Malvern and Caulfield Grammar Schools. He first started making
money as a stockbroker and then as a finance journalist. In 1975 he bought
a small Tasmanian based company called Quintex. Borrowing heavily the Company
expanded into resort developments including 5 Mirage resorts and the media
company, channel 7 network.
Buoyed by his success Skase began to represent
Australia’s entrepreneurs of the 80’s. Brash, extravagant and fearless.
Who could forget his Christmas parties in Brisbane last decade?
The Quintex group of companies collapsed
in 1989. By 1991 Skase a seasoned overseas traveller failed to return to
Australia. Bankrupt and aloof he stayed far from home and fought attempts
to force him to return for trial on the charges brought by the Australian
Securities Commission.
Whilst a resident of Majorca Skase has
developed his business ventures by creating an international company pursuing
interests in resorts. It appears that this strategy has been adopted to
carry favour with the Spanish Government in relation to investment attraction.
Since 1994 in Spanish Courts he has fought
extradition proceedings to Australia, claiming that a life threatening
lung condition prevented him from travelling. This was challenged in the
courts by witnesses to his lifestyle in Majorca where he and his wife Pixie
are living together with step-daughter Amanda and her husband Tony Larkin.
The Spanish had until recently upheld Skase’s testimony.
In May 1998, with Senator Amanda Vanstone
leading the charge, the Australian Government cancelled Skase’s passport.
The Spanish courts moved quickly sending notice to Skase to leave Majorca
by the 23rd July 1998 due to his lack of citizenship. Of course, there
was and continues to be an appeal.
Realising that he could be extradited to
Australia since being stateless, Skase moved quickly to obtain a passport.
In August, 1998 he became a citizen of Dominica and now has a valid Dominican
passport.
Being a new West Indian citizen, Skase
appears to have all the aces up his sleeve. Australia has no jurisdiction
now to legally argue for his extradition from Spain back to his country
of birth.
His notoriety continues, with brother in
law Mr Larkin claiming Skase takes oxygen every day and is so sick he cannot
move properly. This is despite news pictures showing Skase alive and well.
We all wait for the future episodes of
the saga involving Australia’s “Most Wanted Man.”