Panda Motel owner evicts lessees

Panda Motel owner Vince Brockfield is hoping that new management will recover the reputation of his motel.

Darryn Smith

PANDA Motel owner Vince Brockfield has reclaimed his establishment in a bid to salvage its reputation, after backpackers revealed they had been mistreated at the hands of formers lessees Calie and Max Posun.

Mr Brockfield terminated the lease and took back control of the Childers backpacker accommodation on Monday afternoon, saying the pair had breached their contract several times.

“The Panda has enjoyed a good reputation for more than 45 years and it only took 10 months for them to destroy it,” he said.

“They have completely wrecked the good name it has held so long.”

The pair, who are rumoured to have left town, took over the Panda Motel lease on May 1, 2009 and were accused of intimidation, incorrectly paying workers and refusing them water by more than seven backpackers in the NewsMail.

Mr Brockfield said about 10 travellers remained at the hostel, unable to move on due to financial troubles.

“A few of them have no food or money,” he said.

“A lot have not been paid and their $50 key deposit was not returned to them.”

The sympathetic owner has allowed the travellers to stay for a rent-free period until they have enough money to move on or find new accommodation.

“We have been supplying food to a lot of them,” Mr Brockfield said.

“We have been able to find work for some of them to help them get on their feet.”

Mr Brockfield said he believed the picking industry need to be cleaned up.

“It’s just unbelievable,” he said.

“I have been in the industry since 1965 and I have never seen anything like this.”

The owner yesterday awarded the Panda Motel’s new lease to the lessees of the nearby family-run Sugar Bowl Caravan Park.

Mr Brockfield said the accommodation would be rebranded as the Childers Backpacker Motel and he was looking forward to restoring the motel’s former reputation.

“We want to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our backpackers as a priority,” Mr Brockfield said.

“If we can provide honest work and accommodation for them, that will, in turn, satisfy us.”

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