Brent Stevenson says Townsville Barra Fun Park investigated for forklift race

A fun park operator says he is under investigation for a forklift race with his young son. See why he thinks the government has its priorities wrong.

The owner of Townsville’s largest fun park says that he and his young son have been unfairly targeted by a government investigator for racing forklifts when they should be focusing on the juvenile criminals terrorising the city’s streets.

Barra Fun Park owner Brent Stevenson said he was reported to Workplace Health and Safety Queensland by a “whinger” after posting a social-media video beating son Klay, 10, in the sedate forklift race on the property over the weekend.

He said he was shocked when a WHSQ investigator came knocking on Tuesday about an underage forklift operator.

“I said, ‘really? It was on my property under my supervision, I’ve done nothing wrong’,” he said he told the investigator over the phone.

Brent Stevenson with his son Klay, 10, and one of his transport business's forklifts. Picture: Evan Morgan

Mr Stevenson, who also operates Anything Goes Transport, said the investigator had insisted that he would carry out an audit of the business encompassing checks of the licences of the forklift operators and the service histories of the vehicles.

“I said, ‘well OK, how about you helping me with all the underage and unlicensed driving of the cars on the road, which are killing people.”

He said the inspector responded that that was a “police matter”.

“I said, ‘no, you are targeting me because I’m an easy target’.”

Mr Stevenson said he eventually hung up on the investigator.

“I drive a truck for a living. Who is making my workplace safe for me every day?”

Klay Stevenson, 10, comes in second in a forklift race with dad Brent at the Barra Fun Park in Townsville over the weekend.

Barra Fun Park owner Brent Stevenson said he was reported to Workplace Health and Safety Queensland by a “whinger” after posting a social-media video beating son Klay, 10, in the sedate forklift race on the property over the weekend.

He said Townsville was littered with vehicles abandoned by kiddie crims and was recently struck by gravel as juvenile thieves in a stolen car did a burn out as he made a delivery to a local school.

“I can’t see what I’ve done wrong and surely there are bigger fish to fry than me having a forklift race with my son on my own property,” he said.

“Any young boy on a farm learns to drive all the machines, my boy drives a buggy, he drives a ride-on mower … that’s what you want boys to be doing, you don’t want them stuck inside (with) an iPad.

Brent Stevenson with his son Klay, 10, and one of his transport business's forklifts. Picture: Evan Morgan

“Or stealing cars for that matter.”

Mr Stevenson said he did not hold a grudge against the investigator who was only doing his job.

“Some ****head has whinged (about the video) and they have to react to the whinge, I’m not disputing any of that.”

He said surely common sense would have to prevail.

Enquiries into the complaint lodged with Workplace Health and Safety Queensland

WHSQ said on Wednesday that enquiries into the complaint were ongoing, saying it will “always respond to complaints and concerns about work-related safety and possible non-compliance with the Work Health and Safety Act 2011”.

Originally published as Brent Stevenson says Townsville Barra Fun Park investigated for forklift race