Consumer and Business Services

119 The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (25 October 2018). Can the Attorney-General advise:

1. Why is there a reduction in the percentage of investigations resulting in enforcement forecast for Consumer and Business Services?

2. Of a breakdown of data about investigations resulting in enforcement including what areas, what is the maximum and minimum amounts, what is the average payment time and are there outstanding payments from previous financial years?

3. Why didn't Consumer and Business Services meet their target of issuing 80 per cent of birth, death and marriage certificates within five days?

4. Why have Consumer and Business Services reduced their target for the number of birth, death and marriage certificates applied for online from 74 per cent in 2017-18 to 60 per cent in 2018-19?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer): The Attorney-General has provided the following advice:

1. The compliance and enforcement branch has improved workflows and developed a triage assessment and escalation process. This has resulted in an improvement in the percentage of investigations resulting in enforcement outcomes.

2. CBS prosecutions /disciplinary action, assurances, undertakings and inspections are outlined in detail in the Attorney-General's Department Annual Report. In 2017-18, CBS has reported 19 prosecutions, 38 assurances and undertakings, 28 expiations and 24 licence cancellations /suspensions.

There is one current court order requiring payment of costs to CBS as a result of the Commissioner for Consumer Affairs v LukeLeo Pty Ltd and Farrell. The court ordered payment of $10,000 within 28 days, followed by $2,000 per month over 25 months. CBS continues to receive these payments. There are no further outstanding payments.

CBS does not keep data on average payment times for penalties imposed by the courts.

3. The births, deaths and marriages section experienced a high turnover of staff in 2017-18 which necessitated a greater focus on training. Measures are now in place to improve this, as evidenced by 2018-19 first quarter statistics (81%).

4. At the time of preparing the 2016-17 budget papers, the target figure was inadvertently published as 75%. This figure should have been 55%. In 2017-18 the target figure was 75% but should have been 60%.