A vehicle examiner found to have engaged in corrupt activities has been banned by the State Administrative Tribunal from holding a motor vehicle repairer’s business licence or being involved in a licensed repair business for three years.

Troy Pintabona of Walliston, Director of Mustang Holdings (WA) Pty Ltd, was also reprimanded and ordered to pay a fine of $1,500. The company has agreed to surrender its motor vehicle repairer’s business licence by 31 January 2019 or be banned permanently from holding the licence.

An investigation carried out by the Corruption and Crime Commission (CCC) found Mr Pintabona, while acting as a vehicle examiner for the Department of Transport (DoT) in 2014 and 2015, had:

• Passed vehicles that he had not examined;
• Passed vehicles that still required rectifications;
• Examined vehicles for a cash fee that was higher than the DoT prescribed amount; and
• Examined vehicles other than at the authorised business premises.

The CCC reported in January 2017 that Mr Pintabona had engaged in serious misconduct by corruptly using his position to gain benefit by taking bribes and passing vehicles that should not have been assessed as roadworthy. It was further found that he entered data in the DoT database that was tainted or fraudulent.

Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard said the findings of corruption against Mr Pintabona rendered him and his company unfit to hold a licence.

“The basis of the licensing system is to ensure that only fit and proper people hold licences and certificates to work in the industry and, in this case, Mr Pintabona has demonstrated that he is indeed not a fit and proper person,” Mr Hillyard said.

“The actions of Mr Pintabona seriously undermined the system of vehicle checks that ensure they are roadworthy and he has put the safety of all road users at risk by allowing unroadworthy vehicles to be able to operate on public roads.”

Information about the licensing of the motor vehicle repair industry is available on the Consumer Protection website www.consumerprotection.wa.gov.au or enquiries can be made by email consumer@demirs.wa.gov.au or by phone 1300 30 40 54.

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Media Contact: Alan Hynd, (08) 6552 9248 / 0429 078 791 / alan.hynd@demirs.wa.gov.au