A CAIRNS tourism operator has launched a multi-million dollar lawsuit against Tourism Australia with claims the organisation stole his idea to bring Oprah Winfrey Down Under.
John Heuvel, boss of dive company Reef Encounter, told The Cairns Post he was “screwed over” by Tourism Australia after it hijacked his plan to bring the talk show queen to Australia in back in 2004.
Litigation specialists Slater & Gordon are acting on his behalf in a claim against Tourism Australia.
His claim is backed by a number of Cairns tourism operators.
Reports by News Ltd indicate Tourism Australia has acknowledged Mr Heuvel’s pitch to Ms Winfrey’s production company Harpo, to which TA gave in principle support.
But the organisation claims that it partnered with a book publishing company to float a similar proposal before Mr Heuvel, which also proved to be unsuccessful until a third proposal based around the Sydney Opera House shows was finally approved by Oprah’s production company.
