Lion Man to pay Zion Wildlife Gardens $20k

Lion Man Craig Busch. Photo / Northern Advocate

Lion Man Craig Busch has been ordered to pay more than $20,000 to his former employer Zion Wildlife Gardens for breaching terms of his employment agreement.

The order is contained in a latest decision which was released by the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) more than two years after hearing arguments from Mr Busch and Zion Wildlife Gardens regarding the employment issue.

Zion claimed that a number of actions by Mr Busch breached the employment agreement it had with him and took him to the ERA to recover damages.

Zion said in its claim that in his capacity as the park's licensed operator on May 17, 2008, that Mr Busch stopped all interactive tours without justification, resulting in lost revenue of about $537,000.

During the 12 months preceding his dismissal in December 2008, Zion claimed that he unlawfully converted, stole or locked away a number of its possessions including a bandsaw, five vehicles, trailers, a ladder, excavation equipment and a chainsaw.

The third claim was that as a result of him assaulting, intimidating and threatening staff, the park had to spend $96,378 in security costs.

Zion also claimed that Mr Busch allowed Match Photographers to take pictures of a tiger in return for a payment of $3712 which he pocketed.

ERA member Yvonne Oldfield ruled that as the licensed operator, Mr Busch was entitled to cancel interactive tours.

She said even Zion's witnesses concluded the licensed operator was entitled to cancel tours if there was a valid reason to do so.

However, she ordered him to pay damages of $10,657 for the bandsaw and a further $10,742 for other items.

On security costs, Ms Oldfield was not satisfied that the principal reason for engaging security was to protect or to reassure staff while at work.

"I conclude that security services were engaged to make Mrs [Zion managing director Patricia] Busch feel more secure at night when she was alone in her home and in response to Mr Busch having removed animal records," Ms Oldfield said.

Reacting to Match Photographers' fee, Mr Busch did not deny retaining the payment but said he used it to buy items for the park.

Mrs Busch said permission to photograph the animal was given in consideration for a fee to be paid to the park, not to himself.

Ms Oldfield agreed, saying Mr Busch was in breach of his duties by retaining the money.

In November 2009, the ERA ordered Mr Busch to return equipment he took after being sacked from Zion, including a 2005 Nissan Patrol, two trailers, a tranquiliser gun, auger drills for an excavator, power tools, a raceway for the big cats, an air compressor, a water pump, hoses and a motor, a saw bench, computers, ladders and gates.

Zion spokeswoman Sara Reid confirmed Mr Busch had yet to comply with the ERA ruling to return the property.

Mr Busch is believed to be in Africa and could not be contacted for comment.