Everything to know about Greg Josephson: Universal Store co-founder killed at Brisbane house party
New details have emerged about the tragic death of prominent retail entrepreneur Greg Josephson, 58, who was allegedly stabbed by a 15-year-old during a party at his upscale Clayfield home in Brisbane's north.
Police were called to the house shortly after 8pm on Thursday night, where they found Mr Josephson dead on the top floor. The 15-year-old suspect, who was known to Mr Josephson, called triple-0 himself and was later arrested nearby, suffering a minor injury.
He has since been charged with one count of murder. Police confirmed that none of the other approximately 30 teenagers at the party were involved, though some are assisting with the investigation. The scene was described as 'chaotic' and 'confusing' when officers arrived, with many young guests unaware of what had occurred.
Greg Josephson, who co-founded the youth fashion chain Universal Store with his brother Michael in 1999, was a well-known figure in the Australian retail industry.
The business began in the Brisbane suburb of Carindale and, under the brothers' leadership, expanded to 53 stores across six states with an annual turnover of $100 million before being sold to a consortium of private equity investors in 2018 for $100 million.
Universal Store later floated on the ASX and today boasts a market cap of around $570 million, with 80 stores nationwide and more than $244 million in annual revenue as of June 2024.
Mr Josephson hailed from a family with a rich history in Brisbane's fashion scene, stretching back more than a century. His great-grandfather established Josephson's Clothing Factory in 1910, while his grandfather founded Josephson & Sons in 1939, creators of the iconic Can't Tear 'Em workwear brand. The family's retail legacy continued with his uncle, who had ties to the denim brand Lee Cooper.
A Griffith University commerce graduate, Greg Josephson worked in Sydney for major property firms including Lend Lease, Jones Lang LaSalle, and Westfield before returning to Brisbane to launch Universal Store with his brother, a former lawyer. He was described as softly spoken and unassuming, with a keen eye for product selection and a strong commitment to staff, which he credited as key to the company's success.
After the sale of Universal Store, Mr Josephson became CEO of Josephson Holdings Pty Ltd and remained active in business, including as owner of the Noosa Reef Hotel, purchased in 2021 for $13.9 million.
He and his wife Tamra had recently listed their renovated six-bedroom, six-bathroom home for sale, planning to relocate to Noosa for family and business reasons.
The property, which they purchased in 2017 and renovated to evoke a 'five-star hotel,' features alfresco terraces, a pavilion, and a pool. The couple also own the adjoining lot, which is approved for development into a tennis court or guest cottage.
'We're sad to sell, but we're relocating to Noosa where we have a house and business interests,' Mr Josephson told
News Corp
earlier. 'But we're proud that we went all out to create a once-in-a-lifetime forever home, and that's what's on offer for someone now.'
Neighbours described the party as so quiet they didn't realise it was happening until guests began frantically trying to leave after the incident. 'They were just like 'we want to go home, and we're not allowed to leave'. They were devastated,' one neighbour told media. Police said about 30 teenagers were present, and the scene was chaotic and confronting when they arrived.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Rhys Wildman said police allege a household item was used in the fatal altercation between Mr Josephson and the teen. 'There was some sort of altercation that's resulted in this 58-year-old male tragically losing his life,' he said. 'It's not a case of carrying knives, it's unfortunately allotted in a home.'
Police confirmed the party was a planned event and that none of the other attendees were involved in the incident. The rest of the teenagers were taken to Boondall Police Station before being collected by their families. Authorities said the welfare of the young partygoers is a priority as the investigation continues.
Inspector Jane Healy said the 15-year-old was the only person aware of what happened and that he and the other teenagers are assisting police. 'It's still extremely early and the situation was quite chaotic, confusing and confronting when police arrived,' she said.
'There's quite a few young people that need to be interviewed, so until we get that done we won't be able to get a real idea of what has happened here.'
The Child Protection Investigation Unit is involved, and police are urging anyone with information, CCTV, or dashcam footage from the area to come forward.
Universal Store released a statement after the tragedy: 'We wanted to share the sad news that Greg Josephson, who founded our company and played a significant role until 2018, has recently passed away. Our sincere thoughts and condolences are with his family at this very sad time.'
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The Age
32 minutes ago
- The Age
‘He has destroyed my life': Emma's nightmare in the heart of the Terzini empire
Maurice Terzini and Emma Addams had it all: A world-renowned restaurant overlooking Bondi, a flourishing jewellery business that counted pop superstars Billie Eilish and Miley Cyrus as its clients, and a wedding in Paris shot by Vogue. There were plans to take the Bondi Icebergs restaurant brand global with bars and restaurants in Ibiza, Amalfi, Mykonos and Miami and deliver first-class food for Qantas, while Addams designed jewellery worn by Jean Paul Gaultier. Three years later, Addams says their toxic marriage and Maurice's attempts to protect his reputation as 'the King of Bondi' have destroyed the globally successful jeweller's life, drained her savings and left her completely devastated. In March, this masthead revealed that Maurice had allegedly protected his son, Sylvester Terzini, by moving him between his acclaimed restaurants in Sydney and Melbourne while he carved an eight-year trail of destruction that includes allegations of sexual and violent misconduct that have shattered decades-old relationships in the hospitality industry. Now, Addams is speaking out about her volatile relationship with one of the most powerful figures in Australian hospitality. 'I'm just the tip of the iceberg,' she tells The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and 60 Minutes. 'It just sends chills down my spine that these [alleged] victims haven't been acknowledged.' 'I'm horrified that men like this can operate within this industry. The industry has to be held accountable.' There are at least nine alleged victims of Sylvester's sexual and violent misconduct between 2016 and 2023 whose claims include anal and oral rape. Sylvester has denied the allegations. Maurice described the allegations in March as devastating and said he would never 'intentionally ignore violent behaviour or cover up issues within any of my businesses'. Addams has a different view. 'I advised Maurice strongly not to have Sylvester in the business,' she said. 'I was ignored.' Maurice doesn't recall any such warning. 'I will destroy you' When Addams began dating Maurice in 2021, her cult jewellery brand Heart of Bone had celebrities like Miley Cyrus and Billie Eilish walking red carpets dressed head-to-toe in her gothic accessories. 'My business was thriving, and I thought I'd fallen in love,' she said. The accomplished artist, designer and entrepreneur also boasted a successful consultancy business, global trademarks and a recently signed contract with AC/DC. 'I thought I met my match,' she said. 'He wasn't intimidated by my strength or intelligence.' By the time the couple were done, Addams was in hospital suffering from debilitating chronic depression, a nervous system breakdown and post-traumatic stress disorder. 'He has destroyed my life,' she said. 'I was too ashamed to talk to friends'. Vogue photographed the couple's glamorous yet intimate wedding in Paris, but on the balcony overlooking the Eiffel Tower, tensions were simmering. Addams said Maurice was frustrated. Sylvester had turned up in the same clothes he had partied in the night before. Addams was wearing platform shoes that made her look taller than her husband. Then came the promises. 'It was a lot of future faking … pretending that we're going to have this future together,' said Addams. 'It was like 'okay babe, let's buy this massive $10 million house, let's buy a boat, or let's buy this vineyard… let's use your money now to do all these things, and then next year when we make all this money, we're going to have heaps of it.'' They planned to build their dream home, first leasing a trust-fund mansion in Melbourne's inner-city suburb of Richmond. Addams bought expensive furniture and painted it herself after Maurice's promise for painters arriving never eventuated. Several months into their marriage, Addams said Maurice became 'incredibly erratic'. 'I would have conversations with him in the afternoon. Then by the time I'd wake up in the morning, I'd have 20 abusive messages on my phone out of nowhere,' she said. The situation became so volatile that police had to intervene on several occasions. Maurice was led away by police outside their Melbourne home in March 2023 after they found him sitting on the steps with an empty bottle of wine and packed bags. Describing that day to police, Addams alleges that Maurice, drunk at 11am, embarked on an hours-long aggressive outburst and threw suitcases off the balcony. Police were called, and Maurice was handcuffed and arrested, but no charges laid. He accused police of racially profiling Italian-Australians and declared he would start a campaign against police called 'wogs unite'. Then he allegedly threatened to destroy his wife. 'You know what, if you f---ing put me under the f---ing barrel, I will f---ing destroy you and me and everything that we know. That is not a threat,' Terzini told Addams. 'It's just a fact.' Addams claims the relationship continued over the coming months, careening between vows of eternal love and allegations of verbal abuse. There are no allegations of physical violence made against Maurice and no charges were ever laid. In July 2023, when Addams was at a police station to report a cyberattack that crippled her internet network and her businesses' ability to function, Maurice tried to call her 34 times in 10 hours, beginning at 2:38am. Then in August 2023, Addams claimed Maurice called her hundreds of times in 24 hours as she scrambled to stop Maurice from continuing this 'path of self-destruction', which she alleges was fuelled by alcohol, substance abuse and growing claims of sexual abuse against his son. Text messages show Maurice grappling with the claims against his son in 2022, when Sylvester faced charges of choking and sexually touching without consent that were eventually dismissed but cost Maurice $60,000 in legal fees. 'There are three girls that still want to press charges that I know,' Maurice wrote in a text message. 'Sylvester is done for me,' he said in another message. '[I've] lost my best friends of 20 years to support him and his sexual assaults.' But Terzini continued to employ Sylvester in restaurants he owned in Melbourne and Sydney, including Cucina Povera Vino Vero, Jackson's on George, Snack Kitchen and Billy the Pig until at least March this year. Two women allege they were attacked by the 32-year-old while sleeping. Another person claims Sylvester told them 'to lick the dirt' after violently sexually assaulting them in the bathroom of a popular Sydney nightclub. Two women said consensual sex turned violent when they repeatedly tried to stop Sylvester penetrating them anally. 'I haven't been the same since, with lifelong health and financial implications (including the relentless need for therapy) because of Sylvester,' said one alleged victim. Multiple women say they tried to warn Maurice about his son. 'Instead of getting him the help that he needs, putting him in rehab or therapy, he just moved him around his restaurants,' said one alleged victim who messaged Maurice in 2022. None of the alleged sexual incidents occurred inside Maurice's venues, but several of Sylvester's alleged victims first met Sylvester at one of the hospitality veteran's restaurants or connected businesses. Addams said Maurice admitted his son needed help, but would then turn a blind eye. 'There was definitely a writing off of Sylvester's predatory behaviour,' she said. 'Then I had to experience, the hard way, what happens when you try and challenge the Terzinis. You come down. No wonder women have been too scared to come forward.' Red flags Addams said the relationship between Sylvester and Maurice was 'incredibly dysfunctional and toxic'. Addams said she had consensual sex with Sylvester before she and Maurice were in a long-term relationship. 'I have a very open mind. I thought it was dysfunctional,' said Addams. 'Red flag? Absolutely.' There is no suggestion that Maurice knew about Addams' sexual relationship with Sylvester at the time, or before their marriage. Sylvester sent his father a text in 2022 about his sexual encounter with Addams that led to a temporary breakdown in the relationship between father and son and a barrage of abusive threats from Terzini to his wife. 'Get ready, I am a c---t,' Maurice wrote to Addams. 'It will become public….I have already sent solicitors and PR the full story. You're getting what you deserve.' Maurice and Addams reconciled after the dispute, only for the relationship to spiral again after a series of arguments over finances, abusive messages and further allegations against Sylvester. Fearing Maurice would follow through on his threats and publicly shame her, Addams stayed silent. But as the trauma suffered by Sylvester's alleged victims dawned on her, she said she could no longer stay quiet. In March, this masthead revealed that Sylvester had been accused of keeping an album full of photos of naked or semi-naked women and storing the album at Terzini's house. While Addams was packing in preparation for her and Terzini's move from their Darling Point to Potts Point home, she described stumbling across 'incredibly graphic' photos of young women, including those in the hospitality industry, which would 'threaten [their] career or livelihood'. 'It was graphic content that shouldn't be in a family home… and completely inappropriate for Maurice to have,' she said. 'I was incredibly upset and quite shocked at what I was seeing,' said Addams. 'I'm still really disturbed by what I've seen in that house'. In one text message in February 2023, Terzini warned Addams: 'I'm sure there are photos in his collection, perhaps that's why you took [it] away'. Addams said she later reported the photographs to police. 'It's horrifying,' she said. One of Sylvester's alleged victims does not know if there are photos of her in the album. 'That makes me feel so sick,' she said. Maurice has denied that he had the photo album. NSW Police have encouraged any alleged victims to come forward either through a formal statement or through the anonymous online Sexual Assault Reporting Option. 'Police will always encourage victims to engage with support services even if they don't want a legal outcome,' a spokesperson said. 'Follow the sun' While Terzini struggled with personal turmoil, his businesses appeared to be flourishing. Icebergs Dining Room, perched on Bondi Beach's southern cliff, was selling more high-end champagne Veuve Clicquot per square meter than any other venue in the world. There were plans to take the brand global through 5-star hotels and beach clubs in Europe and America under a 'follow the sun' strategy, including a deal with Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy. Addams, who ran a globally successful jewellery business Heart of Bone, brought in her corporate lawyer, signed off on a business contract between Airport Retail Enterprises (ARE) and Maurice for 'Bar Terzini' at Sydney International Airport (now to be called Icebergs Bar + Kitchen'), estimated to generate $3 million in profits for Icebergs Dining Room investors. Addams and Maurice also 'drew up a vertical strategy for growth' involving everything from trademarking the Terzini name, developing a podcast for Qantas, running food and beverages for the first and business class lounges and producing in-house wines and olives. But money was pouring out of Maurice's businesses, leaving Icebergs Dining Room, a two-hatted, globally acclaimed restaurant, struggling to pay its staff superannuation. Maurice was forced to turn to Addams for a $228,000 loan from her company, Heart of Bone Creative Services, with a 14 per cent interest rate. '[Icebergs Dining Room] needed money overnight,' she said. 'I had to sell down shares. I have a security charge over that business'. In 2022, Maurice pulled in new Icebergs investors, hotelier Damien Reed and former magazine publisher Deke Miskin, after a string of failed partnerships at the Bondi clifftop. Terzini retained a third of the shares in the business as a director, and he was paid $150,000 a year as a consultant for the restaurant, with an $18,000-a-year credit card allowance. In February 2023, Addams loaned a further $89,500 to the since-liquidated CicciaBella to help Maurice cover his costs. 'As the over-promising and under-delivering kept going, there were just demands for more money. Like 'I need money tonight. $10,000, $10,000, $10,000',' Addams said. Paper tiger, hidden dragon Maurice's chaotic behaviour has long been known to former business partners, but they remained easily kept secrets because, as one former business associate said, 'even his enemies admired his talent and reputation'. 'He was the prodigal son [of Melbourne] that went to Sydney,' the former business associate said. Like several former colleagues, he spoke on the condition of anonymity due to fear of retribution. Maurice, described as the 'King of Bondi' and the 'Lazarus of Australian dining' by Good Food (published by Nine Entertainment, the owner of this masthead), was renowned for his ability to transform his 25 restaurants in Sydney, Melbourne, Byron Bay and Bali. Maurice traded off his public reputation to win rave reviews and celebrity endorsements. Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson said Icebergs Dining Room was her 'favourite restaurant in the world'. But behind the scenes, it was chaos. 'He's always been a paper tiger, hidden dragon,' said one former partner. 'He was very quick to be in the press, but it was very difficult for him to come to work unless there was a moment for him to shine. He would go through his tantrums and disappear for three days.' One former business partner spent six months auditing one of Maurice's businesses to deliver a 10-year growth plan. 'On the day of presentation, Maurice was nowhere to be found. I couldn't believe it. Five hours later, I went to his house and said, 'What hell are you doing sitting on the stairwell high? That was it. That was the clinching moment when I'm like, I'm done.' Maurice does not recall any such instance. Another former business associate said Maurice was incredibly difficult to work with when he was not sober. 'One chef asked me: 'Do you realise who you have got into business with?' he said. Addams says the dysfunctional behaviour continued. 'I would never have fallen into a relationship with a man this toxic…if he hadn't been painted as this incredible visionary, amazing entrepreneur who was all-powerful,' she said. In March, after this masthead first raised allegations about Maurice protecting his son following multiple sexual assault allegations, Maurice resigned as a director of Bondi's Icebergs Dining Room. On Tuesday, he sold his last remaining shares in the business. He also remains a creative director at DTL Entertainment, run by publican Michael Broome, investor Paul Ford and MoneyMe founder Steve Banningan. The company sold Jackson's on George for $20 million in March. DTL, Broome, Ford and Bannigan have not responded to multiple requests for comment. In May, Maurice was seen painting the front doors of his latest venture with Broome: Billy the Pig, in Bondi Junction. In a statement on Instagram in March, Terzini said the claims of sexual assault against Sylvester were devastating and argued he had been the victim of attacks on his reputation. 'For those who know me, they know that under no circumstances would I ever intentionally ignore violent behaviour or cover up issues within any of my businesses,' Maurice wrote. 'The allegations are not ones against me directly, yet the inferences have been hurtful and damaging to my reputation.' He said in the statement that as a father, his priority has always been his children. 'In this storm, my mother reminded me that sometimes as parents we act with the best intentions, but sometimes we are challenged,' Maurice said. Addams said she felt obligated to go public after reading Maurice's statement. 'I felt that if I did not come forward, there was a possibility that he might get away with this,' she said. 'He made himself the victim. It was just all flying monkeys and smoking mirrors. I was in the most toxic situation that I could ever imagine.' Addams does not want to be seen as a victim. 'But hearing that there are women who have come forward, who Maurice has not acknowledged in any way, I felt that I needed to tell my story,' she said. 'Hopefully, it will help empower women to come forward and not be ashamed. I want to get my life back, I want to put this period behind me, and I want to let the [alleged] victims out there know that, yes, someone will listen to them.'
Sydney Morning Herald
33 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘He has destroyed my life': Emma's nightmare in the heart of the Terzini empire
Maurice Terzini and Emma Addams had it all: A world-renowned restaurant overlooking Bondi, a flourishing jewellery business that counted pop superstars Billie Eilish and Miley Cyrus as its clients, and a wedding in Paris shot by Vogue. There were plans to take the Bondi Icebergs restaurant brand global with bars and restaurants in Ibiza, Amalfi, Mykonos and Miami and deliver first-class food for Qantas, while Addams designed jewellery worn by Jean Paul Gaultier. Three years later, Addams says their toxic marriage and Maurice's attempts to protect his reputation as 'the King of Bondi' have destroyed the globally successful jeweller's life, drained her savings and left her completely devastated. In March, this masthead revealed that Maurice had allegedly protected his son, Sylvester Terzini, by moving him between his acclaimed restaurants in Sydney and Melbourne while he carved an eight-year trail of destruction that includes allegations of sexual and violent misconduct that have shattered decades-old relationships in the hospitality industry. Now, Addams is speaking out about her volatile relationship with one of the most powerful figures in Australian hospitality. 'I'm just the tip of the iceberg,' she tells The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and 60 Minutes. 'It just sends chills down my spine that these [alleged] victims haven't been acknowledged.' 'I'm horrified that men like this can operate within this industry. The industry has to be held accountable.' There are at least nine alleged victims of Sylvester's sexual and violent misconduct between 2016 and 2023 whose claims include anal and oral rape. Sylvester has denied the allegations. Maurice described the allegations in March as devastating and said he would never 'intentionally ignore violent behaviour or cover up issues within any of my businesses'. Addams has a different view. 'I advised Maurice strongly not to have Sylvester in the business,' she said. 'I was ignored.' Maurice doesn't recall any such warning. 'I will destroy you' When Addams began dating Maurice in 2021, her cult jewellery brand Heart of Bone had celebrities like Miley Cyrus and Billie Eilish walking red carpets dressed head-to-toe in her gothic accessories. 'My business was thriving, and I thought I'd fallen in love,' she said. The accomplished artist, designer and entrepreneur also boasted a successful consultancy business, global trademarks and a recently signed contract with AC/DC. 'I thought I met my match,' she said. 'He wasn't intimidated by my strength or intelligence.' By the time the couple were done, Addams was in hospital suffering from debilitating chronic depression, a nervous system breakdown and post-traumatic stress disorder. 'He has destroyed my life,' she said. 'I was too ashamed to talk to friends'. Vogue photographed the couple's glamorous yet intimate wedding in Paris, but on the balcony overlooking the Eiffel Tower, tensions were simmering. Addams said Maurice was frustrated. Sylvester had turned up in the same clothes he had partied in the night before. Addams was wearing platform shoes that made her look taller than her husband. Then came the promises. 'It was a lot of future faking … pretending that we're going to have this future together,' said Addams. 'It was like 'okay babe, let's buy this massive $10 million house, let's buy a boat, or let's buy this vineyard… let's use your money now to do all these things, and then next year when we make all this money, we're going to have heaps of it.'' They planned to build their dream home, first leasing a trust-fund mansion in Melbourne's inner-city suburb of Richmond. Addams bought expensive furniture and painted it herself after Maurice's promise for painters arriving never eventuated. Several months into their marriage, Addams said Maurice became 'incredibly erratic'. 'I would have conversations with him in the afternoon. Then by the time I'd wake up in the morning, I'd have 20 abusive messages on my phone out of nowhere,' she said. The situation became so volatile that police had to intervene on several occasions. Maurice was led away by police outside their Melbourne home in March 2023 after they found him sitting on the steps with an empty bottle of wine and packed bags. Describing that day to police, Addams alleges that Maurice, drunk at 11am, embarked on an hours-long aggressive outburst and threw suitcases off the balcony. Police were called, and Maurice was handcuffed and arrested, but no charges laid. He accused police of racially profiling Italian-Australians and declared he would start a campaign against police called 'wogs unite'. Then he allegedly threatened to destroy his wife. 'You know what, if you f---ing put me under the f---ing barrel, I will f---ing destroy you and me and everything that we know. That is not a threat,' Terzini told Addams. 'It's just a fact.' Addams claims the relationship continued over the coming months, careening between vows of eternal love and allegations of verbal abuse. There are no allegations of physical violence made against Maurice and no charges were ever laid. In July 2023, when Addams was at a police station to report a cyberattack that crippled her internet network and her businesses' ability to function, Maurice tried to call her 34 times in 10 hours, beginning at 2:38am. Then in August 2023, Addams claimed Maurice called her hundreds of times in 24 hours as she scrambled to stop Maurice from continuing this 'path of self-destruction', which she alleges was fuelled by alcohol, substance abuse and growing claims of sexual abuse against his son. Text messages show Maurice grappling with the claims against his son in 2022, when Sylvester faced charges of choking and sexually touching without consent that were eventually dismissed but cost Maurice $60,000 in legal fees. 'There are three girls that still want to press charges that I know,' Maurice wrote in a text message. 'Sylvester is done for me,' he said in another message. '[I've] lost my best friends of 20 years to support him and his sexual assaults.' But Terzini continued to employ Sylvester in restaurants he owned in Melbourne and Sydney, including Cucina Povera Vino Vero, Jackson's on George, Snack Kitchen and Billy the Pig until at least March this year. Two women allege they were attacked by the 32-year-old while sleeping. Another person claims Sylvester told them 'to lick the dirt' after violently sexually assaulting them in the bathroom of a popular Sydney nightclub. Two women said consensual sex turned violent when they repeatedly tried to stop Sylvester penetrating them anally. 'I haven't been the same since, with lifelong health and financial implications (including the relentless need for therapy) because of Sylvester,' said one alleged victim. Multiple women say they tried to warn Maurice about his son. 'Instead of getting him the help that he needs, putting him in rehab or therapy, he just moved him around his restaurants,' said one alleged victim who messaged Maurice in 2022. None of the alleged sexual incidents occurred inside Maurice's venues, but several of Sylvester's alleged victims first met Sylvester at one of the hospitality veteran's restaurants or connected businesses. Addams said Maurice admitted his son needed help, but would then turn a blind eye. 'There was definitely a writing off of Sylvester's predatory behaviour,' she said. 'Then I had to experience, the hard way, what happens when you try and challenge the Terzinis. You come down. No wonder women have been too scared to come forward.' Red flags Addams said the relationship between Sylvester and Maurice was 'incredibly dysfunctional and toxic'. Addams said she had consensual sex with Sylvester before she and Maurice were in a long-term relationship. 'I have a very open mind. I thought it was dysfunctional,' said Addams. 'Red flag? Absolutely.' There is no suggestion that Maurice knew about Addams' sexual relationship with Sylvester at the time, or before their marriage. Sylvester sent his father a text in 2022 about his sexual encounter with Addams that led to a temporary breakdown in the relationship between father and son and a barrage of abusive threats from Terzini to his wife. 'Get ready, I am a c---t,' Maurice wrote to Addams. 'It will become public….I have already sent solicitors and PR the full story. You're getting what you deserve.' Maurice and Addams reconciled after the dispute, only for the relationship to spiral again after a series of arguments over finances, abusive messages and further allegations against Sylvester. Fearing Maurice would follow through on his threats and publicly shame her, Addams stayed silent. But as the trauma suffered by Sylvester's alleged victims dawned on her, she said she could no longer stay quiet. In March, this masthead revealed that Sylvester had been accused of keeping an album full of photos of naked or semi-naked women and storing the album at Terzini's house. While Addams was packing in preparation for her and Terzini's move from their Darling Point to Potts Point home, she described stumbling across 'incredibly graphic' photos of young women, including those in the hospitality industry, which would 'threaten [their] career or livelihood'. 'It was graphic content that shouldn't be in a family home… and completely inappropriate for Maurice to have,' she said. 'I was incredibly upset and quite shocked at what I was seeing,' said Addams. 'I'm still really disturbed by what I've seen in that house'. In one text message in February 2023, Terzini warned Addams: 'I'm sure there are photos in his collection, perhaps that's why you took [it] away'. Addams said she later reported the photographs to police. 'It's horrifying,' she said. One of Sylvester's alleged victims does not know if there are photos of her in the album. 'That makes me feel so sick,' she said. Maurice has denied that he had the photo album. NSW Police have encouraged any alleged victims to come forward either through a formal statement or through the anonymous online Sexual Assault Reporting Option. 'Police will always encourage victims to engage with support services even if they don't want a legal outcome,' a spokesperson said. 'Follow the sun' While Terzini struggled with personal turmoil, his businesses appeared to be flourishing. Icebergs Dining Room, perched on Bondi Beach's southern cliff, was selling more high-end champagne Veuve Clicquot per square meter than any other venue in the world. There were plans to take the brand global through 5-star hotels and beach clubs in Europe and America under a 'follow the sun' strategy, including a deal with Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy. Addams, who ran a globally successful jewellery business Heart of Bone, brought in her corporate lawyer, signed off on a business contract between Airport Retail Enterprises (ARE) and Maurice for 'Bar Terzini' at Sydney International Airport (now to be called Icebergs Bar + Kitchen'), estimated to generate $3 million in profits for Icebergs Dining Room investors. Addams and Maurice also 'drew up a vertical strategy for growth' involving everything from trademarking the Terzini name, developing a podcast for Qantas, running food and beverages for the first and business class lounges and producing in-house wines and olives. But money was pouring out of Maurice's businesses, leaving Icebergs Dining Room, a two-hatted, globally acclaimed restaurant, struggling to pay its staff superannuation. Maurice was forced to turn to Addams for a $228,000 loan from her company, Heart of Bone Creative Services, with a 14 per cent interest rate. '[Icebergs Dining Room] needed money overnight,' she said. 'I had to sell down shares. I have a security charge over that business'. In 2022, Maurice pulled in new Icebergs investors, hotelier Damien Reed and former magazine publisher Deke Miskin, after a string of failed partnerships at the Bondi clifftop. Terzini retained a third of the shares in the business as a director, and he was paid $150,000 a year as a consultant for the restaurant, with an $18,000-a-year credit card allowance. In February 2023, Addams loaned a further $89,500 to the since-liquidated CicciaBella to help Maurice cover his costs. 'As the over-promising and under-delivering kept going, there were just demands for more money. Like 'I need money tonight. $10,000, $10,000, $10,000',' Addams said. Paper tiger, hidden dragon Maurice's chaotic behaviour has long been known to former business partners, but they remained easily kept secrets because, as one former business associate said, 'even his enemies admired his talent and reputation'. 'He was the prodigal son [of Melbourne] that went to Sydney,' the former business associate said. Like several former colleagues, he spoke on the condition of anonymity due to fear of retribution. Maurice, described as the 'King of Bondi' and the 'Lazarus of Australian dining' by Good Food (published by Nine Entertainment, the owner of this masthead), was renowned for his ability to transform his 25 restaurants in Sydney, Melbourne, Byron Bay and Bali. Maurice traded off his public reputation to win rave reviews and celebrity endorsements. Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson said Icebergs Dining Room was her 'favourite restaurant in the world'. But behind the scenes, it was chaos. 'He's always been a paper tiger, hidden dragon,' said one former partner. 'He was very quick to be in the press, but it was very difficult for him to come to work unless there was a moment for him to shine. He would go through his tantrums and disappear for three days.' One former business partner spent six months auditing one of Maurice's businesses to deliver a 10-year growth plan. 'On the day of presentation, Maurice was nowhere to be found. I couldn't believe it. Five hours later, I went to his house and said, 'What hell are you doing sitting on the stairwell high? That was it. That was the clinching moment when I'm like, I'm done.' Maurice does not recall any such instance. Another former business associate said Maurice was incredibly difficult to work with when he was not sober. 'One chef asked me: 'Do you realise who you have got into business with?' he said. Addams says the dysfunctional behaviour continued. 'I would never have fallen into a relationship with a man this toxic…if he hadn't been painted as this incredible visionary, amazing entrepreneur who was all-powerful,' she said. In March, after this masthead first raised allegations about Maurice protecting his son following multiple sexual assault allegations, Maurice resigned as a director of Bondi's Icebergs Dining Room. On Tuesday, he sold his last remaining shares in the business. He also remains a creative director at DTL Entertainment, run by publican Michael Broome, investor Paul Ford and MoneyMe founder Steve Banningan. The company sold Jackson's on George for $20 million in March. DTL, Broome, Ford and Bannigan have not responded to multiple requests for comment. In May, Maurice was seen painting the front doors of his latest venture with Broome: Billy the Pig, in Bondi Junction. In a statement on Instagram in March, Terzini said the claims of sexual assault against Sylvester were devastating and argued he had been the victim of attacks on his reputation. 'For those who know me, they know that under no circumstances would I ever intentionally ignore violent behaviour or cover up issues within any of my businesses,' Maurice wrote. 'The allegations are not ones against me directly, yet the inferences have been hurtful and damaging to my reputation.' He said in the statement that as a father, his priority has always been his children. 'In this storm, my mother reminded me that sometimes as parents we act with the best intentions, but sometimes we are challenged,' Maurice said. Addams said she felt obligated to go public after reading Maurice's statement. 'I felt that if I did not come forward, there was a possibility that he might get away with this,' she said. 'He made himself the victim. It was just all flying monkeys and smoking mirrors. I was in the most toxic situation that I could ever imagine.' Addams does not want to be seen as a victim. 'But hearing that there are women who have come forward, who Maurice has not acknowledged in any way, I felt that I needed to tell my story,' she said. 'Hopefully, it will help empower women to come forward and not be ashamed. I want to get my life back, I want to put this period behind me, and I want to let the [alleged] victims out there know that, yes, someone will listen to them.'
Sydney Morning Herald
2 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Trump tariffs ‘as big an inflation threat as COVID-19'
'Policymakers must act decisively on multiple fronts to ensure price stability and promote sustainable economic growth while preserving economic and financial stability,' he said. There are already signs overseas of the financial hit caused by Trump's tariff agenda. Canada's economy contracted in April as its close trade links to the US were disrupted while data released last week revealed American GDP fell by 0.5 per cent through the first three months of 2025. While the Australian economy grew through the March quarter, this pre-dated Trump's liberation day announcements. But there are signs a rise in American tariffs is already starting to affect local firms. A survey by MYOB to be released this week shows Trump's tariffs have been felt by 17 per cent of small and mid-sized businesses. About 41 per cent of those surveyed said they believed the tariffs would destabilise the global economy, with more than a third expecting the imposts to both lift business costs and inflation. While 45 per cent said they expected the economy to decline this year, 64 per cent said their financial position was either good or excellent. MYOB chief executive officer Paul Robson said the results highlighted the impact of events playing out on the other side of the globe. 'While global policy decisions may feel distant, Australian SMEs are alive to potential local impacts and are pivoting their way around them,' he said. 'The key consideration for impacted SMEs is the cumulative effect of both tariffs and interest rates on the cost of doing business. Supply chain disruption is another concern for this community, given the diverse industry portfolio this sector covers.' The turmoil in supply chains, driven in part by Trump's tariff agenda, has resulted in 17 per cent of surveyed businesses saying they plan to shift where they source their products or services. Just one in 10 expects an increase in customer demand. This impact is not showing up yet in the federal budget, which Treasurer Jim Chalmers forecast in March would show $940 billion in gross debt by the end of the current financial year before climbing to $1.02 billion by the end of 2025-26. Loading But total government debt will end 2024-25 at $928.6 billion due to a better budget bottom line. Chalmers had forecast a deficit $27.6 billion, but in the financial year to the end of May, the deficit was just $5.5 billion due to higher-than-expected company and personal income tax collections. On a pro rata basis, the government had expected the deficit to be at $20.2 billion by the end of May. The government believes the full-year deficit will increase to more than $10 billion as payments, held up in part by the May election, start to flow to states and taxpayers. Even at that level, Chalmers is on track to again fall short of his budget gross government debt forecast. But debt levels are ramping up much quicker among the nation's states and territories. Ratings' agency S&P Global estimates that the states and territories had gross debt of $266.3 billion in 2019 with that on track to reach $900 billion by 2029 – a 238 per cent increase. Over the same period, federal gross debt is forecast to grow by 126 per cent. Victoria is on track to have the highest debt of any state or territory at $274.1 billion, a 397 per cent increase. The largest jump in debt is expected to be endured by Tasmania, climbing by 627 per cent to $23.4 billion. NSW ($252.3 billion) and Queensland ($205.7 billion) will also have high debt levels.
