The Senate inquiry into liquidators, administrators and the role of ASIC has decided to hold hearings in Canberra, Newcastle and Adelaide, according to the Nationals Senator for New South Wales John Williams.

Senator Williams, who initiated the inquiry and is a member of the Economic References Committee which is conducting it, pushed for a Newcastle hearing because of the number of people who were affected by the actions of now banned insolvency practitioner Stuart Ariff.

He said the Committee might consider inviting Mr.Ariff to give evidence.

“Of the more than 60 submissions received, several are from business people who claim they suffered financially through Mr.Ariff’s practices, including one company which estimates it is out of pocket by $11 million.

Many of the submissions also point to inaction by ASIC on complaints.

The first hearing will be held in Canberra on the 12^th of March, but the dates for Newcastle and a hearing in Adelaide have yet to be set, and programmes for all three venues are still to be determined.

The Senate committee will also consider whether to take evidence in other capital cities”, Senator Williams said.

The committee is due to report on the 31^st of August.