The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has instituted Federal Court proceedings against Voyages Hotels and Resorts Pty Ltd alleging misleading and deceptive advertising regarding tours to Aboriginal land near Uluru.
The ACCC allegations include that:
- Voyages represented that a tour to Yulara Pulka Aboriginal Homelands near Uluru would be offered, when there was no agreement that would entitle Voyages to take tours to the Yulara Pulka.
- Voyages represented that they had an exclusive right to conduct tours into Yulara Pulka when another company had been conducting tours in Yulara Pulka since December 1999.
- Voyages represented that traditional Aboriginal owners would meet with Voyages tour groups at Yulara Pulka when there was no agreement between any of the traditional Aboriginal owners and Voyages to assist in, attend or meet the tour groups.
- Voyages represented that the traditional Aboriginal owners would receive a significant amount of the tour price from Voyages when there is no agreement whereby the traditional Aboriginal owners would receive a significant amount of the tour price.
The ACCC is seeking interim injunctions, permanent injunctions, the publication of public notices, declarations, costs and a trade practices compliance program.
The matter will be before the Federal Court, Darwin, on Wednesday 31 July 2002 at 9am.