Minister for innovation and better regulation

There have been more complaints this year about private building certifiers in NSW than in any of the previous five years, ­as the NSW government moves to crack down on dodgy operators and create independence between developers and certifiers.

According to the NSW Department of Fair Trading, there have been 163 complaints this year — more than one every two days — and penalties worth more than $104,000 have been handed out. There were 116 complaints last year and $96,500 in penalties.

The State’s most at-risk workers are the focus of a new strategy launched today by the NSW Government.

Young, migrant, culturally and linguistically diverse, and labour hire workers will be at the center of a five-year project led by SafeWork NSW.

Minister for Better Regulation Matt Kean said this strategy was another example of the Liberal National Government putting worker safety first.

“Everyone with a job in this State has the right to a safe and healthy workplace, regardless of your age, background, occupation or industry,” Mr Kean said.

ONE of the state’s biggest councils repeatedly snubbed Fire and Rescue NSW demands to manage deathtrap cladding — the only council in the state to do so.

A Western Sydney company has been fined more than $110,000 after a 20 year old worker’s hand was crushed by a hydraulic brake press.

Duct Australia Pty Ltd, a sheet metal company in Wetherill Park, was sentenced at the District Court of NSW for failing to ensure the health and safety of its workers.

Minister for Better Regulation Matt Kean said the incident occurred when the victim was operating a machine that bends and folds sheet metal.

Almost 7000 Hunter residents have registered for inspections of their roof insulation over the past two months following the discovery of deadly loose-fill asbestos at a Lake Macquarie home.

The State Government’s offer to conduct free asbestos checks closed on Friday with 6931 people registering. The majority of those came from the Newcastle (2463) and Lake Macquarie (2356) local government areas. 

Electronic gadget retailers have dominated the July NSW Fair Trading Complaints Register, with a total of nine electronic companies featuring on the monthly list.

Kogan and Samsung took out the top two spots, with 42 and 33 complaints, followed by Harvey Norman with 31.

Minister for Better Regulation Matt Kean said the majority of complaints against electronic retailers were around defective products and poor quality goods.

“Consumers reported issues with a range of electronic gadgets, including laptops, mobiles phones, cameras, and even drones,” Mr Kean said.

The quality of some products sold by the country's top electronic retailers, including Kogan, Samsung and Harvey Norman, is "not good enough", says NSW Fair Trading Minister Matt Kean.

His comments come as the latest monthly list of consumer complaints was dominated by claims of defective and poor quality goods sold by the country's biggest and most well-known electronic retailers.

Of the 18 companies generating 314 complaints on the monthly register, nine were electronic retailers.

These related to laptops, mobile phones, cameras and drones.

Homeowners in Greater Newcastle have until 31 August 2018 to register for free testing for loose-fill asbestos insulation.

Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation Matt Kean said he had extended the registration period and thousands of homes were now signed up.

“We’ve had a great response to the program so far. More than 6,600 homeowners in Greater Newcastle have registered, and more than 1,250 properties have already been tested,” Mr Kean said.