Senior 7NEWS reporter Geof Parry and a cameraman clashed with Nicheliving boss Ronnie Michel-Elhaj during an attempt to get answers about his company’s unfinished builds.
Mr Michel-Elhaj was approached by a 7NEWS crew on Saturday after having just met with tradesmen for quotes at his wife’s’ yet to be completed Applecross two-storey property.
“Remember me,” the seasoned journalist asks before the Nicheliving boss swipes a microphone from his hand and lunges at a camera.
“Let it go,” both the cameraman and Parry ask as the Niche co-founder asks not to be filmed.
A scuffle then erupts between Parry and Mr Michel-Elhaj before the pair fall through a fence and to the ground.
“I just wanted to ask you a couple of questions, this is ridiculous,” Parry said during the confronting altercation.
After catching his breath, the journalist jumps back into interrogating the businessman, asking: “Your customers are upset that you are finishing this house before theirs — do you have anything to say to them?”
Moments later, and after refusing to answer more questions, Mr Michel-Elhaj grabs the camera a second time.
And after pleading for him to stop, the building boss lunges at the camera a third time asking not to be filmed, despite it occurring on public property.
After a war with words, Parry manages to de-escalate the situation.
Mr Michel-Elhaj — who is believed to have lost a ring in the clash — was then filmed driving away from the property in his Mercedes-Benz car.
Hundreds of Nicheliving customers have been waiting up to four years to have their own homes completed by the company — including some who been living on the brink of homelessness.
News Director at 7NEWS Perth Ray Kuka condemned the conduct of Mr Michel-Elhaj, saying it “won’t stop us reporting the facts about Nicheliving”.
“Its boss should spend less time trying to cover up the truth and more time engaging with frustrated home buyers,” Mr Kuka said.
The Building Services Board declined to renew Niche’s registration in July, which would have allowed customers to access up $200,000 in home indemnity insurance, until the companies lawyers took the decision to the State Administrative Tribunal.
They argued that their loss of registration would have a “significant, if not fatal” financial impact on the company, with the tribunal eventually ruling their loss of registrations stayed.
The company is back before the tribunal in November — with customers unable to access insurance in the meantime.
The tribunal heard that the builder was $44 million in debt, including more than seven million owed to the tax office.
https://thewest.com.au/news/perth/nicheliving-7news-reporter-geof-parry-and-cameraman-clash-with-nicheliving-co-founder-ronnie-michel-elhaj–c-16218085
