VIC Airfield hanger owner - trespass

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Palmac

Active Member
26 September 2018
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Hello,
Im am the owner of private property, an aircraft hanger based at a local airport (vic). The hanger is apart of a body corporate of which I am a member. I run a small aviation engine business from the same hanger and have done so since 2013. I have been flying at the same airport as pilot since 2005. My body corporate has access rights to use the airfield and its runways. A stipulation of the access agreement is that the individual of the body corporate must be a financial member of the aero club.

For arbitrary reasons the aeroclub decided to cancel my membership, their reasoning was ridiculous. The net result is with the club cancelling my membership the aeroclub claim I can no longer access the airport as they say I must be a member to envoke my access rights. Each time I atempt to pay my fees they are refunded immediately. I was invited and went to their committee meeting with the aeroclub to resolve the matter and have my membership reinstated, but my application was rejected.

It is no secret I do not get along with the club president who simply put does not like me.

I continued to peacefully use the airport, without incident and soon after received letters from the aeroclub to stop and if I continued they claim I would be committing a trespass. I ignored their demands.

Months passed.
Then on Friday 12 November, the local police visited me and served me a charge sheet and summons to attend the magistrates court Frankston March 2022. It was a summary charge below.

9(1)e from the Summary offences act 1966
9. Wilful destruction, damage etc. of property
(e) without express or implied authority given by the owner or occupier or given on behalf of the owner or occupier by a person authorised to give it or without any other lawful excuse, wilfully enters any private place or Scheduled public place, unless for a legitimate purpose; or

Me not being able to access the airport puts a massive imposition on my operations and dramatically reduces the usefulness of my hanger of which Im invested heavily in.

I do not understand why this is has become a public matter as opposed to a civil matter, perhaps it has something to do with the local police receiving donation from the takings of airport airshows, and the police are doing the aeroclub a favour????

Any advice would be much appreciated.
 
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