TRADE MEASUREMENT INSPECTIONS

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN (15:21): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Consumer Affairs a question about recent trade measurement inspections in the South-East.

Leave granted.

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN: Trade measurement inspectors from the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs periodically check the measuring instruments of businesses to ensure that they deliver correct measurements for consumers and traders alike. Will the minister advise the council of recent actions taken to ensure that weights and measures used by retailers in the state's South-East are accurate?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Energy) (15:22): It is obvious that members opposite do not care about the sorts of consumer protections that we put in place to make sure that people are not taken advantage of—they do not care at all.

As part of the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs' monitoring program of regional areas, trade measurement inspectors recently visited 29 traders in the South-East to check that measuring instruments, such as scales and rulers, were accurate. Similar to recent inspections in the Riverland, the inspections focused on pharmacies, jewellers, delicatessens and automotive and hardware retailers.

I am disappointed that once more hardware stores were the worst performers, with inspectors finding 12 instances where incorrect length measures were being used. Not all incorrect length measures were to the benefit of hardware stores, with the retailers also found to be short-changing themselves, in some instances, by giving customers more than they paid for. Food retailers were also found in breach of trade measurement laws, with three examples of prepacked fruit and vegetables being found to have no weights marked on their labels.

Following the recent inspections in the South-East, warning notices were issued and follow-up visits will be undertaken to ensure compliance. Traders who continue to flout this state's trade measurement laws by selling underweight or undersize products can face a penalty of up to $20,000.

I will continue to inform this council about the results of OCBA's monitoring exercises. Clearly, ripping off customers, through intent or ignorance of the law, is not acceptable to this government or the South Australian community, and inspectors of the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs will continue to hold traders to account.