Page 322 - Week 01 - Thursday, 11 February 2010
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MR CORBELL: There were no instances of unsafe practice in the ACT being reported to authorities and to date there have been no instances of unsafe practice reported to the regulatory authorities. In those circumstances, it is entirely appropriate that our agencies remind installers and consumers of potential risks consistent with some of the very bad stories of bad practice that have occurred in other states. But we have had no reports to ACT WorkCover, no reports to the Planning and Land Authority—as far as I am aware, and Mr Barr can probably better answer that—and no reports to fair trading about dodgy installations. We have had reports about high pressure sales tactics, and we have taken action in response to those reports.
MR SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Seselja?
MR SESELJA: Yes, a supplementary. Minister, has the legal principle that the greater the danger, the more action is needed to warn and protect been adequately met in relation to this issue?
MR CORBELL: The regulatory agencies have issued repeated warnings, Mr Speaker. Those warnings include providing a hazard alert, which is a detailed warning of the potential risks to every—does Mr Seselja think this is an important issue or not? He is not paying attention to the answer.
Mr Speaker, we have issued a hazard alert to every installer operating in the ACT. We have publicly put out a media release to all media outlets drawing attention to the fact that that hazard alert has been issued. We have provided that hazard alert to industry representatives such as the MBA to ensure that the industry bodies are also aware of it.
We have not issued the hazard alert; we have had the commissioner for work safety and the Office of Regulatory Services also issuing other media advisories. There have been interviews taking place on radio advising of these concerns—on 2CC, on 666—with the Construction Occupations Registrar. There has been repeated advice from ACT agencies about potential risks.
But let me emphasise that these are potential risks. We have not seen any reports of dodgy installation to the regulatory authorities. We have taken, I believe, every appropriate step to warn of potential risks in the light of what has been poor practice in other places around Australia.
MR SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Coe?
MR COE: Minister, I refer to your repeated claims that you did not receive any complaints about dodgy installation. In the June 2009 Office of Regulatory Services monthly electronic news bulletin, on page 9 it says that a consumer complained that his bedroom lights did not work after a trader installed insulation. It goes on to say that the trader offered to pay half the cost of electrical repair, and this amount was eventually recovered, after much follow-up from the ORS advice and complaints team. How does that reconcile with what you just said?
MR CORBELL: I would have to look at the details of that particular matter, but I think what is quite clear is that Mr Coe has not been able to substantiate that those
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