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Scam-savvy in Armidale
Minister for Fair Trading, Anthony Roberts with Community Liaison Officer Steve Widders. Image supplied
by Teresa Mullan
Minister for Fair Trading Anthony Roberts visited Armidale this week to promote scam awareness and consumer rights as part of NSW Fair Trading’s five-day My Place program in the region. The program finishes today, with Mr Roberts and Fair Trading experts hosting a series of information sessions and seminars on a wide range of consumer issues. Mr Roberts began his tour at Armidale Dumaresq Council Chambers where he met with the Mayor, Jim Maher, and local Aboriginal Elders and community workers, led by Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer Steve Widders. Mr Roberts opened Fair Trading’s Revved Up seminar, a program that educates young people on the rights and responsibilities involved in purchasing their first car and the pitfalls to avoid. Mr Roberts said Fair Trading
received thousands of complaints each year from people buying cars. “Buying your first car can be a defining moment on your journey into adulthood, but as first time car buyers you can often be seen as a prime target for unscrupulous traders,” he said. “The Revved Up program is designed to inform you about the pros and cons of buying a car and how to avoid unpleasant surprises.” Mr Roberts also met with local real estate and strata agents at the Armidale Bowling Club, where he opened an information session on agents’ rights and responsibilities under the Property, Stock and Business Agents Act 2002, Residential Tenancies Act 2010 and Strata Schemes Management Act 1996. In addition to information sessions on scam awareness, consumer rights, car purchasing and property trading, Armidale’s five-day My Place program also included seminars for motor vehicle dealers and repairers, home
builders, landlords and members of incorporated associations and owners corporations. My Place programs give Fair Trading keen insight into local communities and often help pick up problem areas in compliance. Compliance checks help the agency remind industry participants of their obligations at law and can lead to fines and prosecution. My Place programs bring Fair Trading services and support in a concentrated way into targeted communities for a week, with education and compliance activities, trader visits, school events, work with councils, other government agencies and business and community groups, information displays and a whole range of activities. More than 20,000 people attend Fair Trading seminars every year. Fair Trading conducted compliance checks on retailers, motor vehicle dealers and repairers, home builders and real estate agents as part of the Armidale My Place program. Page 1