Busy year for Fair Trading in 2009
Posted by editor (editor) on Jan 06 2010
2010 >>

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has had another successful year protecting consumer rights and ensuring businesses do the right thing.

Fair Trading Minister Peter Lawlor said teams of investigators, inspectors and other staff from the OFT had a busy year handling complaints, undertaking proactive compliance and spot checks and gathering information on unethical trading activity.

“We’ve got teams on the ground across Queensland with offices in Brisbane, Cairns, Southport, Mackay, Rockhampton, Maroochydore, Toowoomba, Townsville and Hervey Bay,” Mr Lawlor said.

“It’s also been a busy year educating and keeping local residents aware of consumer issues like dodgy door-to-door salesmen.

"Where it's thought there were possible breaches of the Fair Trading Act 1989, OFT launched investigations and took appropriate legal action.

"Legal outcomes in 2009 as a result of our state-wide investigations included:

• 941 warnings issued
• 806 infringements issued
• 97 matters before a court or tribunal
• 67 conduct deeds
• 8 enforceable undertakings.

Mr Lawlor said throughout the year OFT investigators conducted compliance checks on businesses on a range of issues including price scanning, product safety and security, real estate and motor dealer licence compliance.

“In addition to these types of checks we also take calls from consumers who report issues affecting them," he said.

“A total of 15,165 complaints were received by the OFT from consumers in 2009."

Mr Lawlor said 2009 action included a state-wide credit industry blitz in which dubious 'payday lenders' from Beenleigh to Cairns were made to pay back in excess of a million dollars to more than 1,680 customers who were charged excessive interest rates and fees.

"In the South East this year a Browns Plains security provider had to pay $8,000 for working unlicensed and a Doolandella man was fined $23,000 for selling cars without a licence," Mr Lawlor said.

"An Ipswich convenience store copped a $4,000 fine for overcharging its products and a Brisbane northside shop was fined $3,000 for selling dangerous toys.

"Numerous outcomes on the Gold Coast in 2009 included a car dealer who was busted and fined for winding back the odometer of a motor vehicle by tens of thousands of kilometres and a Surfers Paradise real estate agent who was banned for life from holding a real estate licence.

"Meanwhile in North Queensland, a Cairns scammer was ordered to pay $25,000 for duping hopeful job seekers with the promise of mining positions that didn't exist.

"All up 2009 has been another successful year for the OFT across its wide range of responsibilities and I expect 2010 will be even busier as it continues its efforts to ensure Queensland has a fair and competitive marketplace.”

Regional breakdown of OFT outcomes for 2009

Last changed: Jan 07 2010 at 2:33 PM