MOTEL CHARGES $500 BOND AT ABORIGINAL FUNERAL TIMES

Image courtesy Google Maps.

GEOFF VIVIAN

A Yamaji woman who stayed at her favourite Carnvarvon Hotel earlier this month noticed she had unexpectedly been charged a $500 “holding fee”

Jordyn Merritt said she queried this as she was checking out.

“A lady told me that was due to Indigenous funerals being held in Carnarvon that weekend,” she said.

Jordyn Merritt said she checked with other Aboriginal guests, who said they had also been charged the bond, and with non-Aboriginal guests who said they had not had to pay it.

“If you’re taking $500 out of people’s accounts then they should be made aware of it,” she said. “I didn’t give permission. I had no knowledge of it at all and I just feel bad for people who are travelling and are relying on this money the next day to get home, especially if they are travelling for funerals. It’s stressful.”

Screenshot taken from the Carnarvon Motel website last Friday.

Ms Merritt said she and her family had stayed in the motel many times over the years.

“I’ve never once been charged for damages or cleaning issues in any of the rooms,” she said. “This is the first time I’ve been there and heard of this new rule that they have.”

Carnarvon Motel managing director Peter Barratt said he had seen no formal complaints from any guests or incident reports from any of his staff about this type of matter.

He declined to be interviewed.