Caravan park operators may need to revisit their operating procedures in light of Tribunal decision
THE owner of the Blairgowrie Caravan Park has been fined $1000 after a tribunal found he had ruined a family's holiday.
James Galea of Reservoir took caravan park owner Ross Hartnett to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal in a dispute over a holiday booking.
Mr Galea told the tribunal that after initially being told a site was available, Mr Hartnett refused the booking, saying he was concerned Mr Galea's two sons, aged 18 and 21, could cause trouble if left unsupervised.
Mr Hartnett denied a booking had been made or that discrimination was involved, saying he had many young people stay in the park.
In her ruling last month, VCAT member Anna Dea found Mr Galea had been discriminated against under the Equal Opportunity Act's parental status provisions and ordered Mr Hartnett to pay him $1000 plus $90 for a wasted trip to Blairgowrie in which he was supposed to finalise the booking.
"That amount is significant enough for Mr Hartnett and the broader community to appreciate the seriousness of discrimination of this kind," Ms Dea said.
