Issue Date:  -  Friday, 8 November 2002

$90,000 windfall for Scouts.

Stuart James Bromley (41) of Davies Crescent Kardinya who was found guilty of operating as a travel agent without a license and relieved Scouts Victoria of almost $90,000 has discontinued his appeal to the Full Court against the decision.

Mr Bromley was fined $15,000 and was ordered to pay the Victorian Branch of the Scouts Association $89,000 plus legal cost of $9,000.

In 1999 Mr Bromley approached Scouts Australia (Victoria Branch) proposing a trip to Kakadu for its members in April 2000.

He distributed brochures 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. The trip never occurred.

Scouts Victoria's subsequent proceedings to obtain their money from Mr. Bromley were stymied when he lodged an Appeal earlier this year. That appeal was dismissed by Justice Roberts-Smith in July of this year, but Mr Bromley then appealed further to the Full Court.

"Although a long time coming, hopefully the discontinuance of the Appeal will open the way for the Scouts to recover the money they paid to Mr. Bromley in good faith.

Unless consumers deal with a licensed agent, they don't have the protection of the Travel Compensation Fund.

This fund protects consumers in the event of an agent failing to account for any money they have paid, such as when an agency collapses or a tour operator cancels a trip," Consumer Protection Commissioner Patrick Walker said.