Cre8tive Construction Group & Brendan Hawxwell Call Out the Queensland Attorney-General (Yvette D'Ath) and The Media for False and Premature Claims.

Police Investigation Finds NO Criminal Wrongdoing: Cre8tive Construction Groups Director Blasts D’Ath Over 'False' Media Trial. 

Cre8tive Construction Group Pty Ltd and its former director, Brendan Hawxwell have now spoken out publicly addressing false and premature claims made by Queensland’s Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath and several major news outlets. The company says the reports circulating in early 2024 were factually inaccurate, misleading to the public, and damaging to both its reputation and Mr. Hawxwell’s name. The Attorney-General’s comments, made before any investigation had taken place, were widely quoted by media organizations, creating what Hawxwell describes as “a trial by media before a single fact had been checked, and a media stunt.” 

According to Cre8tive Construction Group, the headlines implying that Brendan Hawxwell personally carried out unfinished work or “ripped down fences and disappeared” were entirely false. As company director, Hawxwell oversaw mostly the sales, and management of more than twelve contracting teams, representing over forty staff. He was not personally performing trade work on any job site. 

Media footage also portrayed him as “fleeing” from customers further misrepresenting the facts. Hawxwell continued to live in the same suburb, openly attending court for civil matters related to the company. Footage aired nationally of him moving house captured the expiry of a residential lease — not an attempt to flee or leave unresolved issues behind. Hawxwell says he often worked without pay during the company’s financial difficulties, trying to complete projects at his own personal expense. “The idea that I was hiding or running away is completely untrue,” he said. “I was trying to keep things together for as long as possible, even when I wasn’t drawing a wage, as most business owners would.”

Cre8tive Construction Group maintains that Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath made public statements to the media before any investigation had begun, and those remarks unfairly framed both the company and its director as guilty. Only a week later did the Queensland Police commence a formal investigation, which later cleared Brendan Hawxwell and the Cre8tive Construction Group of any criminal wrongdoing after a thorough examination of the company’s financial records.

Hawxwell believes those comments were politically timed, coming shortly before an election and after unrelated personal matters involving Ms. D’Ath’s husband relating to stalking a co-worker. Adding to the contentious media narrative, Hawxwell highlighted that a government report on securing payments within the construction industry was released shortly after his company's liquidation became public. He claims this report, which referenced his situation, was issued before any formal investigation into his company's affairs was concluded, further contributing to a premature and one-sided public perception. “It seemed like my name was used for political convenience,” he said. “Those remarks created months if not years of damage that no one can undo.” 

Despite being publicly “called out” by the Attorney-General at the time, Hawxwell’s own attempts to contact her directly, as well as her office, went unanswered and ignored. “They used my name in headlines but wouldn’t answer a single call which I found pretty ironic, the headlines said she was calling me out, but she wouldn't answer a single one of my phone calls” he said.

The company also revealed that a small group of disgruntled customers had coordinated online efforts to damage its operations while they where trying to complete projects, including creating group chats and social media posts that falsely claimed the business was a scam, or stealing money.

Several of those individuals later appeared in television interviews, some standing in front of completed fencing work claiming no work had been done. A particularly emotional segment featured a claim that a “cancer patient” had been left without a fence. Company records have confirmed that no such customer existed under contract, and that the individual stating this, was present in private chat messages revealing coordination efforts by a small group of customers with the intention to damage the company's business operations, and that the customer had previously made false claims about a family member’s death, which proved untrue. Hawxwell stated that he believes mental health issues may have played a role, adding that such a project would have been prioritized if genuine. 

As the misinformation spread, Cre8tive Construction Group was voluntarily placed into liquidation, a step Hawxwell says was taken deliberately to bring transparency and end speculation. “I wanted everything examined by an independent liquidator,” he said. “If there were mistakes or any wrong doing, they’d be found. If not, it would prove the truth, and a few people would have some explaining to do.” 

Hawxwell has pleaded not guilty to an Australian Consumer Law charge of failing to supply goods and services within a reasonable timeframe, explaining that the company’s insolvency made completion impossible and that liquidation was the lawful and ethical course of action. He has also indicated plans to pursue civil damages against specific individuals who deliberately interfered with business operations, including one customer who contacted suppliers to falsely claim the company was fraudulent while contractors had been working on-site at her property. 

Now in his late twenties, Brendan Hawxwell has since shifted focus to property development and home renovation projects, following resolutions with former customers and creditors. Founded when he was in his mid-twenties, Cre8tive Construction Group quickly grew into a multi-million-dollar enterprise before its collapse. “This entire experience has been a lesson in how quickly false information can spiral,” Hawxwell said. “The Attorney-General’s comments and sensational headlines and other comments made didn’t just damage me — they hurt dozens of workers, families, customers, and friends who depended on the company.” Independent police investigations confirmed that no criminal charges, such as fraud or theft, were filed against Brendan Hawxwell or Cre8tive Construction Group. The company remains in liquidation, and Hawxwell continues cooperating with creditors and authorities to finalize outstanding matters. 

Reflecting on the challenges faced during the company’s collapse, Brendan Hawxwell says the experience was an enormous learning curve that shaped him both personally and professionally. “Everyone goes through failures,” he said. “If you give up or don’t learn from them, you’ll never succeed. This experience humbled me, taught me how to deal with tough situations, and reminded me just how much work and responsibility comes with managing a large-scale company.”

Hawxwell describes the entire process as a turning point in his life, one that has changed his perspective on leadership and resilience. “In my eyes, you either win or you learn,” he added. “I take full responsibility for everything that happened. I’m not throwing blame on anyone else or trying to run anyone through the mud. I was the business owner, and I should have focused on certain areas and watched over staff more closely.” 

Underscoring the human cost of the collapse, Hawxwell highlighted the severe mental health toll that a company's financial failure, compounded by widespread media inaccuracies and intentional harm from certain clients, can take on business owners. He expressed deep concern for the emotional burden, noting that he considers himself fortunate to have navigated such an intensely challenging period. 

Hawxwell also addressed the widely circulated footage showing him throwing water at a reporter, which he describes as the result of days of persistent harassment while the company and himself where under extreme pressure. He clarified that prior to the incident, he had repeatedly asked the reporter to leave, describing the persistent presence as feeling akin to being 'stalked by a crazy ex misses'. “I was being followed in cars for days. I didn’t even know who was tailing me, it could have been anyone” he said. “The company was under massive stress, I was in the middle of moving houses, and everything felt like chaos.” According to Hawxwell, the confrontation occurred when a reporter approached his car window with multiple cameras, accusing him of stealing customers’ money. “It tipped me over the edge,” he said. “It wasn’t my proudest moment, but if the news is going to report something, at least report the truth. I was sick of the media twisting stories just to sell headlines as ive seen many times prior.”

Hawxwell further commented that the reporter, Zarisha Bradley, later shared footage of the encounter on her personal social media accounts, alongside comments regarding her dating life and "Not being able to get a boyfriend". He suggested this reflected a potential lack of professional objectivity, particularly given what he perceived as incompetent reporting. He added that police officers who conveniently happened to be nearby, instructed him to drive away from the scene for everyone’s safety, with charges from leaving the scene later discontinued upon investigation.

After the company entered liquidation, the Office of Fair Trading issued a public warning incorrectly suggesting that Cre8tive Construction Group Pty Ltd was still operating. Hawxwell said the notice was not only inaccurate but also misleading to consumers. “They also later sent me an email with a link to plead guilty online,” he explained. “A representative even told me I didn’t really need to go to court, that it would just be heard in my absence.” Hawxwell said confusion followed about what plea had been entered. Shortly after, he was sent a court brief containing over ten factual inaccuracies, which have since required to be formally corrected via order of the courts. “The whole thing felt like an attempted stitch-up,” he said. “It was sloppy, and it just added to the damage and stress that had already been done.” 

Hawxwell confirmed that he has since personally made payment arrangements with the company’s creditors, with the companies debt estimated at around $300,000. He believes these proactive efforts will lead to the discontinuation of charges by the Office of Fair Trading, reflecting his commitment to resolving financial matters quickly and responsibly. “I’m not worried about the figure,” he said. “I’ve always had the brains and the drive to make money quickly, and I expect to have everything finalized within twelve months.” He emphasized that the company was not placed into liquidation to escape debt, but rather to ensure transparency while addressing misinformation. “These debts will be settled personally,” Hawxwell said. “It’s the right thing to do, and it always was. Once the truth came out and people calmed down, I was confident everything could be resolved properly.