Mr Harradine's licence was cancelled 4 years ago.
Members of the public are being warned by the Minister for Tourism and Fair Trading Peter Lawlor about this character.
Hopefully, Harradine has learnt his well-deserved lesson the hard way.
This is the full text of today's media release by the Minister:
Minister for Tourism and Fair Trading
The Honourable Peter Lawlor
24/09/2009
Doolandella man fined $23,000
A Doolandella man has been fined a total of $23,000 after pleading guilty to selling motor vehicles without a licence.
Michael James Harradine appeared in the Richlands Magistrates Court on the 14th September and pleaded guilty to one charge of unlicensed motor dealing and five charges of making false and misleading representations from an address at Doolandella and one charge of unlicensed motor dealing from an address in Toowoomba.
Minister for Fair Trading Peter Lawlor said the charges were a result of an investigation by Office of Fair Trading officers.
"Mr Harradine's motor dealers' licence had been cancelled in 2005," Mr Lawlor said.
"However, when OFT officers attended his home in Doolandella they found he had several vehicles at his residence for sale," he said.
"These vehicles were advertised in newspapers and on the internet as being for sale.
"In addition, Mr Harradine gave false information to the purchasers about the background of the vehicles he was selling.
"The misleading information included that the vehicles had been owned by various relatives of Mr Harradine and that he had personally worked on one of the vehicles as a mechanic.
"Mr Harradine told investigators he told fibs or stretched the truth when telling people details about the vehicles.
"OFT officers also identified that Mr Harradine was operating out of business address in Toowoomba dealing in used motorcycles.
"The Property Agents and Motor Dealers Act is in place to protect consumers against unscrupulous people who operate outside the law.
"Mr Harradine received a significant fine for these offences which is indicative of how seriously these types of offences are viewed.
"Consumers should be able to have confidence that they are working with a licensed motor dealer and that details about the vehicle they are interested in purchasing are correct."
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PAUL TULLY: paul@tully.org.au
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