Controversial businessman Jim Byrnes claims the administrators behind Allco are thwarting his attempts to gain control of the failed leasing and property empire.

He said administrators McGrathNicol were 'proving extremely difficult' and had not responded to 12 calls he had made to the accountancy group over the past fortnight.

'The administrators don't want to see this proposal get up, they want to see the company go into liquidation so they can make more money,' Byrnes said.

The Australian