KEY POINTS:
While thousands of viewers will have their fingers crossed for former business tycoon Suzanne Paul in tonight's Dancing with the Stars grand final, a group of creditors is still hoping to be paid for work done on her failed Rawaka business venture.
A claim by Paul on the
high-rating show that she was eager to resurrect her television career in order to repay creditors has rung hollow with those still owed thousands.
Paul told host Jason Gunn she "really, really, really" wanted to remain on the show so she could "kick-start my TV career ... [and] earn loads of money and pay back all the creditors. Yay".
But builder Brian Gilfoyle is waiting for $77,000 owed for work done on the Rawaka Maori village, and has so far received "not a cent, not a telephone call, nothing" since the cabaret venture folded in 2004.
Potter Building Services office manager Isis McKay told the Herald that Paul still owed the company "just under $10,000" for air-conditioning work, and the purchase of an extractor unit for the Rawaka site.
Ms McKay said the company had been in touch with the liquidators, but had received no good news.
"All they can say is they are trying to get [Paul] in for a meeting, and they have spoken with her - or tried to speak with her - about when this money will be paid back."
Owner John Potter said the business had been going through a rough patch at the time, and Paul's failure to pay "really did affect us".
Electrician Terry Clarkson said he had received a personal guarantee from Paul that his company would be repaid fully for work done at Rawaka, but aside from one $14,000 payment "quite a few months ago", he remains unpaid.
He said further repayment "milestones" came and went without word from Paul.
He has been to his own lawyer to see about chasing payment, but every time he does, it costs him more money.
Mr Clarkson estimated Paul still owed his company $40,000. He described her comment that she wanted a new television career as "a bit of an insult".
Since the Rawaka failure Paul has been selling a new bronzing product along with a pain-relieving electric pen, hair removal gel and a vibrating massage pillow.
Rawaka liquidator Jeff Meltzer yesterday told the Herald that Paul had bailed out of the Rawaka venture owing 110 creditors a total in excess of $1 million.
Though Mr Meltzer praised Paul for having "stood up" and accepted her responsibility to pay her creditors, he said her failure to make repayments had left him feeling like "piggy in the middle".
Paul last night moved to assure creditors they would eventually be repaid.
She told the Herald she was in talks with Television New Zealand about a show. She said she also had a number of new products to be launched.
"Even if I don't get a TV show, I would be paying back my creditors."