Luke Sparke, the acclaimed Queensland director behind the sci-fi franchise Occupation, is set to face a four-week trial in the Brisbane District Court next year. The filmmaker has been hit with 17 charges related to alleged misconduct connected to his 2017 bankruptcy.
According to court documents, the charges involve alleged breaches of the Commonwealth Bankruptcy Act 1966. The legal proceedings follow a period of intense scrutiny into Sparke’s financial dealings both preceding and following his formal declaration of bankruptcy on December 5, 2017.
Breakdown of the Charges
The 17-count indictment covers a range of alleged financial deceptions:
11 counts of obtaining credit by fraud between June 2017 and December 2018.
1 additional count of obtaining credit by fraud alleged to have occurred in late 2019.
5 counts of incurring debt or liability by fraud within the 12 months prior to his bankruptcy.
The most serious of these charges fall under Section 265(5)(B) of the Act, which carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.
A Career Under Pressure
Sparke is a well-known figure in the Australian film industry, having directed high-profile projects like Occupation: Rainfall and the recent mob thriller Bring Him To Me. However, his professional success has been mirrored by complex legal and financial hurdles.
In addition to his personal bankruptcy trial, Sparke’s production ventures have faced recent turbulence. In August 2025, Quirky Wars, the production company behind Bring Him To Me, entered voluntary administration. This followed a high-stakes legal battle where Quirky Mama Productions (another Sparke-affiliated entity) unsuccessfully appealed a Screen Australia decision regarding over $30 million in claimed tax offsets.
Trial Schedule
A trial review has been set for August 7, 2026, to finalize preparations. The full trial is scheduled to begin shortly after:
Event Date Location
Trial Review August 7, 2026 Brisbane District Court
Trial Commencement August 17, 2026 Brisbane District Court
Estimated Duration 4 Weeks —
Hush Hush Biz is not suggesting any wrongdoing by Luke Sparke.
