Federal Minister Addresses AVG Travels Collapse Without Committing to Compensation Fund
The Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury, Dr. Andrew Leigh, has expressed sympathy for consumers affected by the collapse of AVG Travels. However, he has not committed to reinstating the Travel Compensation Fund (TCF). In a letter to an affected customer, Leigh acknowledged the distress caused by AVG Travels' liquidation but emphasized that his office cannot intervene in individual cases. He directed affected customers to contact the liquidator McGrath Nichol or regulatory bodies like the ACCC or ASIC if misconduct is suspected. AVG Travels' conduct, whether it breached Australian Consumer Law, is a matter for the courts to decide. Affected customers, as unsecured creditors, are paid after secured creditors and employees. A parliamentary petition has been launched, calling for a compensation scheme similar to the UK's ATOL, following AVG Travels' accreditation cancellation in 2022 and its continued operations until liquidation in 2026. 
