http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,15335216%255E2702,00.html
Dutchman's vision worth a billion
Andrew Fraser and Richard Gluyas
May 19, 2005
A DUTCH migrant who came to Australia in 1961 with 12 brothers and sisters and
could not afford shoes has been named as one of Australia's newest billionaires.
John Van Lieshout, who 25 years ago started discount furniture store Super
Amart in Brisbane's outer suburbs, made his debut on the BRW Rich List with a
personal fortune of $1 billion.
Mr Van Lieshout, 59, is one of six new Australian billionaires in the list. BRW
says a booming share market has expanded the wealth of the nation's 200 richest
people by 17 per cent to $83.4billion.
The annual BRW Rich 200 issue reveals that the resources industry, powered by
China's insatiable appetite for commodities, has played a key role in wealth
accumulation.
It accounts for 11 fortunes worth more than $110million - the entry level for
this year's list - up from six last year.
Despite the recent downturn, the number of people relying on property
investment for their fortunes rose from 54 to 59.
Kerry Packer retains a clear lead as the nation's richest person, adding
$400million to a nest egg now worth a staggering $6.9billion.
Shopping centre magnate Frank Lowy, equal second in 2004 with cardboard box
entrepreneur Richard Pratt, is alone in second spot at $4.8billion, up
$600million. Mr Pratt is third with $4.7 billion.
Gina Rinehart, daughter of Lang Hancock, the father of the iron ore industry in
Western Australia, remains the richest woman. Her fortune jumped $400million to
$900million due to spiralling prices for iron ore.
Mr Van Lieshout remains very hands-on in his Super Amart business and has an
increasing profile in property development. "You wouldn't know he was worth a
billion bucks if you saw him," one longtime acquaintance said.
"John Van", as he is known in the business world, lives with his wife Linda in
Indooroopilly in Brisbane's west, and has three children, Jane, Emma and John.
The billionaire's first home in Australia was the Wacol Immigration Centre
between Brisbane and Ipswich. He left school soon after he arrived in
Australia, frustrated at not being able to speak English and keen to work his
way up. His first job as a cleaner in a furniture store was the beginning of a
lifelong involvement in the industry.
When Mr Van Lieshout bought his first store from a struggling friend in 1973,
he wanted a name that people would think represented good products at cheap
prices.
At the time, the giant US chain store Kmart was creeping into Australia, so Mr
Van Lieshout chose a name as close as possible -- Amart.
In the past decade, as southeast Queensland has become the fastest-growing part
of the country, he adopted a policy of positioning his stores where the new
arrivals were.
Among the other new billionaires is regional television magnate Bruce Gordon,
who almost doubled his fortune to $1.3billion, Sydney property developer Lang
Walker, whose wealth rose from $759 million to $1.16billion, and Rural Press's
John B. Fairfax, whose fortune rose from $750 million to $1billion.
Additional reporting: Cath Hart
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