Petition launched for Miss Universe Australia to step down
A petition is calling for Australia’s Miss Universe Moraya Wilson to step down, following reports that her parents owe $45 million to creditors.
According to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) her parents, Anton and Melinda Wilson, owe $45 million to creditors following multiple company liquidations.
They also owe $21 million to the tax office, with Anton Wilson due in court next month for knowingly signing a false declaration and defrauding creditors of a bankrupt, according to news.com.au.
So where does Moraya come into all of this?
It is reported that she is the director of 10 companies that ASIC is looking to have struck off the business register, although she has denied any knowledge of, or involvement in the businesses.
Moraya said that she had “tendered my resignation from all of the companies”.
However, Anton Wilson's bankrupt trustee Nicholas Crouch, claims that Moraya was listed as the sole director of these 10 companies so that the family business can continue to run despite her parent's bankruptcies.
In a submission to a parliamentary inquiry into ASIC lodged last year, Crouch wrote: “21-year-old daughter is now nominated as the director of the family construction group.
“It would appear the family business has not been disrupted by strategic bankruptcies and liquidations.”
It is also alleged that one of the companies Moraya is a director of owes $13,204 to the Australian Taxation Office, which means that it was operating and trading as a business.
Her father claims that when Moraya was 19, and already successful in her modelling career, she wanted “to carve a career in property development”, so he offered her “general father-daughter advice”.
“I just politely, as a father does to his daughter, said ‘I’ll help you get into business’. Pretty simple,” Anton said.
Now, a Change.org petition has been launched by a member of the public, calling for her to step down as Australia’s top model.
The petition reads: “Miss Universe is an international competition that empowers women and promotes diverse representations of beauty across the globe. This beauty goes beyond appearance and includes character and personality …”
However, Moraya said that she still intends to compete in the international pageant later this month.
“I have become aware of a petition,” she said.
“I intend to fulfil my duties as Miss Universe Australia to the best of my ability with the full support of The Miss Universe Australia management.”
The organiser of the Miss Australia pageant, Troy Barbagallo also said that the controversy was “none of my business," and remains certain of his choice of Moraya as Australia’s top model.
“There is (a) wide range of criteria and a large selection committee who found Moraya to be the best person for the job among 24 exceptional women and we stand by that decision,” he said.
The model is set to travel El Salvador later this month for the international pageant.
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