A TRIBUNAL has ruled a tenant of Cooloola Cabins and Caravan Park should lose his site agreement because he assaulted another homeowner.
Steven Tribel had been living at the caravan park since 2007.
In 2014 the park’s owners applied to the Queensland Civil and Administration Tribunal (QCAT) to get permission to terminate Mr Tribel’s contract.
The owners alleged Mr Tribel had a history of being abusive towards other homeowners and that some homeowners were in fear of the man.
Under the agreement Mr Tribel signed, the caravan park could terminate his contract if he assaulted a person who was lawfully in the park.
They told the tribunal that a homeowner had complained to police after Mr Tribel allegedly assaulted her.
It was alleged a woman knocked on his door and asked him to turn his music down and he allegedly told her to get off his property and pushed her.
But Mr Tribel disputed this. He said she had pushed herself through his doorway and assaulted him by hitting him with an umbrella.
He also said there was no evidence to prove that he abused others or had assaulted anyone. He also said claims that he was abusive or intimated others were hearsay.
A judgment from QCAT Member Graham Quinlivan said Mr Tribel presented at the hearing as an intimidating and aggressive man. He also said Mr Tribel had tendered references attesting to his good character.
But Mr Quinlivan said the woman appeared to be a credible witness. He said he preferred the woman’s evidence over Mr Tribel’s.
Mr Quinlivan found Mr Tribel did “touch and move” the woman and that constituted assault.
He ordered the site agreement between Cooloola Cabins and Caravan Park and Mr Tribel be terminated, effective from October 2014.
