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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-07-02 Daily Xml
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UNLICENSED TRADESPEOPLE

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (15:10): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Consumer Affairs a question about unlicensed tradespeople.

Leave granted.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Will the minister advise the chamber of the results of a phone-in conducted by OCBA last month regarding unlicensed tradespeople?

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) (15:11): I thank the member for his question. During a two day phone-in held on 24 and 25 June, reports of tradies behaving badly have emerged. The phone-in, conducted by the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs (OCBA) in relation to unlicensed builders and tradespeople, resulted in allegations of dodgy unlicensed conduct, a fraudulent development application to a council, tradesmen threatening a consumer and reports of shoddy work.

I am advised that the problems reported in some calls were of concern, and many callers did not wish to identify themselves for fear of reprisals. OCBA received more than 30 calls during the two day phone-in, including reports from consumers who felt that they had been treated badly by unlicensed tradespeople and information from reputable tradespeople obviously wishing to rid the industry of illegal operators and shoddy work.

Calls came in from right across the state including allegations of well-known companies, I was disappointed to note, hiring unlicensed contractors, and unlicensed contractors boasting that they did not have a licence and providing false business details. The phone-in has given OCBA many leads to investigate. The tip-offs relate to tradespeople across all fields of building, plumbing, gasfitting and electrical work. The results of this phone-in raised some areas of concern and obviously South Australians should be commended for having the courage to report these sorts of practices.

OCBA is now sorting through these latest allegations recorded during the campaign to independently verify information and launch relevant investigations. OCBA has already sent out 374 written warnings for unlicensed contracting in the 2008-09 financial year and eight people have been prosecuted in the courts. Penalties up to $20,000 can be imposed for those convicted of engaging in unlicensed work, and unlicensed tradespeople can continue to be reported to OCBA's licensing compliance team.

For consumers wishing to check whether someone is licensed, we have a licensing public register online which is at www.ocba.sa.gov.au/licensing. I encourage people who are contemplating having work done to check the business details of the tradespeople concerned and to make sure that they are licensed and, if people have any concerns, to please call OCBA.

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