Issue Date:  -  Thursday, 22 February 2001

WA promoter charged over Kakadu scout trip

The Ministry of Fair Trading has charged a Kardinya man with operating as a travel agent without holding a licence.

Stuart James Bromley, 40, of Davies Crescent, Kardinya, who trades as the International Arts Foundation Incorporated and International Museum (Aust Branch) Inc. faces a total of four charges under the Travel Agents Act.

Two of those charges are against Mr Bromley and the others against the International Arts Foundation Inc. The matters are listed for mention in the Perth Court of Petty Sessions on Monday 19 March 2001.

Commissioner for Fair Trading Patrick Walker said the Ministry would allege that in 1999 Mr Bromley approached Scouts Australia (Victoria Branch) proposing a trip to Kakadu for its members in April 2000.

“Mr Bromley distributed brochures through the Scouts Victoria organisation offering the seven day trip, which involved the charter of an aeroplane from Melbourne to Darwin and bus services from there to Kakadu National Park. Payment for the trip was made direct from participating Scouts to the Arts Foundation,” he said.

The Ministry believes Mr Bromley received in excess of $200,000 to organise the trip. The funds are now in dispute after the trip was delayed due to a cyclone, and later cancelled.

Mr Bromley is not licensed to operate as a travel agent.

“Consumers need to be aware that unless they deal with a licensed agent, they don’t have the protection of the Travel Compensation Fund, a national scheme that supervises the financial status of licensed travel agents,” Mr Walker said.

The scheme accepts claims from consumers who have lost out when licensed agents have gone out of business or taken customers’ money in other ways.

“In this instance, the Ministry will allege Mr Bromley was not a licensed travel agent. Any loss suffered by Scouts Victoria, which took over the debt on behalf of participants, could not be recovered through the Travel Compensation Fund. This loss may amount to tens of thousands of dollars,” Mr Walker said.

Offences under the Travel Agents Act carry a maximum penalty of $50,000 or 12 months imprisonment.