High-flyer accused of stiffing workers

DRIVERS of a Gold Coast airport transfer company allege they are owed thousands in wages while the owner operates his high-flying tourism company 1200km away.

Former workers at Airport Transfer Company (ATC) have lodged complaints to ASIC alleging the company traded while insolvent, and to Queensland Transport for using vehicles that were not roadworthy.

The Bulletin spoke to four drivers who claim they are owed wages, ranging from a few hundred dollars up to $8000.

ATC is owned by Trent David Brown, of Airlie Beach.

Social media pages show he and his wife Bianca celebrating their wedding in June 2018 in a French chateau, which costs more than $7000 for venue hire alone, enjoying drinks in business class at 35,000 feet and celebrating their six-month anniversary at the exclusive Emirates One and Only Resort in NSW’s Wolgan Valley, a $5000 per weekend stay.

Multiple requests to speak with Mr Brown, the sole director of ATC who also owns GSL Aviation, a tourist joyflight company out of Airlie Beach and Cairns, were unsuccessful. His father-in-law Terry Clarke helped operate the business since it opened in 2017.

“I’m leaning on a jetty on Daydream Island at the moment,” Mr Clarke said when contacted last week. “(ATC) was never my business, I operated it for the owner.

“The business has been closed but we are currently running out a few jobs in progress. It got to a stage that it was difficult to make it profitable so we made the decision to close it.”

ATC vacated its former base in Molendinar three weeks ago, while the website has also been taken down.

Darren Ackland said he started as a driver with ATC in October last year.

He claims he completed all of the requirements to drive the vans, which cost him upwards of $500 for medicals and licensing.

Mr Ackland alleges he had to chase Mr Clarke for weeks to get paid and before long he was owed more than $4500.

“I’d had enough by then so I told him that unless he paid an invoice, I wasn’t working for him any longer,” he said.

He claims he was paid about $2500 but has not received any more money since January.

Mr Clarke vowed that all “drivers will be paid” but refused to reveal when that would happen.

“I’ve been in contact with the drivers to confirm any outstanding amounts to ensure that everyone gets paid on their invoices,” he said.

Other drivers have told the Bulletin they had not received any communication from ATC regarding payment plans.

Mr Ackland said: “The last time I saw him he said I would definitely get paid. However, that was two months ago.

“He has not contacted me since and doesn’t answer my calls. He has not talked to me about a payment plan.

“First I’ve heard of that.”

THE LAST TIME SAW HIM HE SAID I WOULD DEFINITELY GET PAID. HOWEVER, THAT WAS TWO MONTHS AGO

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