The Minister for Consumer and Employment Protection details legal action taken against an individual for breaching the Travel Agents Act, highlighting the government's commitment to consumer protection.

AnsweredQoN 360Legislative Assembly
Asked
27 November 2002
Portfolio
Consumer and Employment Protection

QuestionView source ↗

Could the minister, in a non-vindictive way, please advise on the status of legal action by the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection against an individual for breaching the Travel Agents Act? Mr J.C. KOBELKE

AnswerView source ↗

It is appropriate that the question from the member for Perth, who takes an interest in consumer matters, should give an example of how the Government ensures we have decent consumer protection. In 1999, Mr Stuart James Bromley offered Victorian branches of Scouts Australia an expedition to Kakadu in the Northern Territory to be undertaken in April 2000. Mr Bromley was the public officer of an organisation called the Art Foundation, which it has since been discovered did not fulfil its obligations under the Associations Incorporation Act in Western Australia, where this body was set up. Mr Bromley and his organisation were not registered as a travel agency. As a result of the planned seven-day trip, the scouts put the money forward and a charter was to be organised through Qantas. The Victorian scouts were out of pocket to the tune of $200,000. The Scout Association stepped in to ensure its members were not out of pocket - the organisation lost out. Mr Bromley was charged with two breaches of the Travel Agents Act 1985 for holding himself out and carrying on a business as a travel agent. If he had been dealing as a licensed travel agent and things had fallen through, a form of compensation would have been available under the travel compensation fund. As he was not a licensed travel agent, it was not the case. Mr Bromley was convicted and fined $15,000 and ordered to pay $9,000 in costs. He was also ordered to repay $89 000. Mr Bromley was placed in custody by the court, which obviously took a very serious view of the matter, until the fine was paid. He spent one night in custody, before a third party paid his fine. In this case, someone set up to offer organised travel when he had no right to do so. He was also operating through this Art Foundation, which has been found not to meet the requirements of the Associations Incorporation Act, and he has been prosecuted and fined on nine charges under that Act. I congratulate the officers of the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection, who have made sure that they do everything possible to protect consumers and take action when it is found that people are not upholding the laws of this State.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: It is appropriate that the question from the member for Perth, who takes an interest in consumer matters, should give an example of how the Government ensures we have decent consumer protection. In 1999, Mr Stuart James Bromley offered Victorian branches of Scouts Australia an expedition to Kakadu in the Northern Territory to be undertaken in April 2000. Mr Bromley was the public officer of an organisation called the Art Foundation, which it has since been discovered did not fulfil its obligations under the Associations Incorporation Act in Western Australia, where this body was set up. Mr Bromley and his organisation were not registered as a travel agency. As a result of the planned seven-day trip, the scouts put the money forward and a charter was to be organised through Qantas. The Victorian scouts were out of pocket to the tune of $200,000. The Scout Association stepped in to ensure its members were not out of pocket - the organisation lost out. Mr Bromley was charged with two breaches of the Travel Agents Act 1985 for holding himself out and carrying on a business as a travel agent. If he had been dealing as a licensed travel agent and things had fallen through, a form of compensation would have been available under the travel compensation fund. As he was not a licensed travel agent, it was not the case. Mr Bromley was convicted and fined $15,000 and ordered to pay $9,000 in costs. He was also ordered to repay $89 000. Mr Bromley was placed in custody by the court, which obviously took a very serious view of the matter, until the fine was paid. He spent one night in custody, before a third party paid his fine. In this case, someone set up to offer organised travel when he had no right to do so. He was also operating through this Art Foundation, which has been found not to meet the requirements of the Associations Incorporation Act, and he has been prosecuted and fined on nine charges under that Act. I congratulate the officers of the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection, who have made sure that they do everything possible to protect consumers and take action when it is found that people are not upholding the laws of this State.
It is appropriate that the question from the member for Perth, who takes an interest in consumer matters, should give an example of how the Government ensures we have decent consumer protection. In 1999, Mr Stuart James Bromley offered Victorian branches of Scouts Australia an expedition to Kakadu in the Northern Territory to be undertaken in April 2000. Mr Bromley was the public officer of an organisation called the Art Foundation, which it has since been discovered did not fulfil its obligations under the Associations Incorporation Act in Western Australia, where this body was set up. Mr Bromley and his organisation were not registered as a travel agency. As a result of the planned seven-day trip, the scouts put the money forward and a charter was to be organised through Qantas. The Victorian scouts were out of pocket to the tune of $200,000. The Scout Association stepped in to ensure its members were not out of pocket - the organisation lost out. Mr Bromley was charged with two breaches of the Travel Agents Act 1985 for holding himself out and carrying on a business as a travel agent. If he had been dealing as a licensed travel agent and things had fallen through, a form of compensation would have been available under the travel compensation fund. As he was not a licensed travel agent, it was not the case. Mr Bromley was convicted and fined $15,000 and ordered to pay $9,000 in costs. He was also ordered to repay $89 000. Mr Bromley was placed in custody by the court, which obviously took a very serious view of the matter, until the fine was paid. He spent one night in custody, before a third party paid his fine. In this case, someone set up to offer organised travel when he had no right to do so. He was also operating through this Art Foundation, which has been found not to meet the requirements of the Associations Incorporation Act, and he has been prosecuted and fined on nine charges under that Act. I congratulate the officers of the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection, who have made sure that they do everything possible to protect consumers and take action when it is found that people are not upholding the laws of this State.
In 1999, Mr Stuart James Bromley offered Victorian branches of Scouts Australia an expedition to Kakadu in the Northern Territory to be undertaken in April 2000. Mr Bromley was the public officer of an organisation called the Art Foundation, which it has since been discovered did not fulfil its obligations under the Associations Incorporation Act in Western Australia, where this body was set up. Mr Bromley and his organisation were not registered as a travel agency. As a result of the planned seven-day trip, the scouts put the money forward and a charter was to be organised through Qantas. The Victorian scouts were out of pocket to the tune of $200,000. The Scout Association stepped in to ensure its members were not out of pocket - the organisation lost out. Mr Bromley was charged with two breaches of the Travel Agents Act 1985 for holding himself out and carrying on a business as a travel agent. If he had been dealing as a licensed travel agent and things had fallen through, a form of compensation would have been available under the travel compensation fund. As he was not a licensed travel agent, it was not the case. Mr Bromley was convicted and fined $15,000 and ordered to pay $9,000 in costs. He was also ordered to repay $89 000. Mr Bromley was placed in custody by the court, which obviously took a very serious view of the matter, until the fine was paid. He spent one night in custody, before a third party paid his fine. In this case, someone set up to offer organised travel when he had no right to do so. He was also operating through this Art Foundation, which has been found not to meet the requirements of the Associations Incorporation Act, and he has been prosecuted and fined on nine charges under that Act. I congratulate the officers of the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection, who have made sure that they do everything possible to protect consumers and take action when it is found that people are not upholding the laws of this State.
Mr Bromley was charged with two breaches of the Travel Agents Act 1985 for holding himself out and carrying on a business as a travel agent. If he had been dealing as a licensed travel agent and things had fallen through, a form of compensation would have been available under the travel compensation fund. As he was not a licensed travel agent, it was not the case. Mr Bromley was convicted and fined $15,000 and ordered to pay $9,000 in costs. He was also ordered to repay $89 000. Mr Bromley was placed in custody by the court, which obviously took a very serious view of the matter, until the fine was paid. He spent one night in custody, before a third party paid his fine. In this case, someone set up to offer organised travel when he had no right to do so. He was also operating through this Art Foundation, which has been found not to meet the requirements of the Associations Incorporation Act, and he has been prosecuted and fined on nine charges under that Act. I congratulate the officers of the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection, who have made sure that they do everything possible to protect consumers and take action when it is found that people are not upholding the laws of this State.

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