Patrick Bedford, charged over fatal bus crash, re-elected chair of Tourism Central Australia
The Red Centre’s independent tourism body has re-elected its chair – who has stayed mum on calls to stand down after being charged over a fatal bush crash.
A charged chief executive has been re-elected to his position as chair of the Red Centre’s tourism not-for-profit advocacy group.
Patrick Bedford has been re-elected chair of Tourism Central Australia, a position he has held since 2020.
“The board directors see me fit to hold that position and the support they show me is great,” he said.
“I look forward to lobbying for the Mereenie Loop to be still finished, and also lobbying for tourism and for TCA and its members to make sure that the future of Alice Springs goes in the right direction.”
Mr Bedford, his company Emu Run Tours, and mechanic Ian Jackson were charged by WorkSafe under the Work Health and Safety Act in June last year.
The charges were laid over a fatal 2022 rollover on Larapinta Dr, 127km west of Alice Springs, in which a 69-year-old man died.
The company has been charged with four breaches of the Act, allegedly for breaching it’s primary duty of care for failing to ensure passenger’s health and safety.
Mr Bedford has been charged with failing to exercise due diligence resulting in workers being injured, passengers being injured or killed and road users being exposed to a work health and safety risk, and for failing to comply with his health and safety duty to ensure Emu Run complied with work health and safety laws.
Mr Jackson has been charged with failing to ensure his actions or commission did not affect the health and safety of others.
Combined, the three parties face $6.5 million in fines if found guilty.
Mr Jackson faces a fine of up to $500,000, Mr Bedford of up to $1m, and the company could be fined $5m.
No plea was entered when Mr Bedford, the company, and Mr Jackson first appeared in court last year.
In the wake of the crash, survivor Joshua Clements has called for Mr Bedford to step down from his role as chair of TCA.
Asked about Mr Clements call, Mr Bedford said “no comment”.
Mr Jackson, the company, and Mr Bedford last had their matter in Darwin’s Local Court on October 27.
The matter returns to court in Darwin on May 18.
