Matt Kean

Sub-contractors would be better protected from late payments and insolvencies under NSW Government reforms being released for community feedback today.

Minister for Better Regulation Matt Kean said the proposed Building and Construction Security of Payment Act reforms aimed to ensure this important sector continued to grow and strengthen across the State.

“The construction industry is a vital contributor to growth in NSW, and employs more than 300,000 people,” Mr Kean said.

Commonwealth State and Territory Building Ministers have supported new warnings signs against dangerous cladding after a ban was called on by NSW Fair Trading. 

Minister for Innovation and Better Regulations Matt Kean told 2SM the reform is the best solution to guarantee the right products are used.

Students at Mount Kuring-gai Public School will have a new protected space thanks to a grant from Member for Hornsby Matt Kean MP.

The Mount Kuring-gai P&C awarded $7,500 a Community Building Partnership grant to construct a shaded play and learning space in the school. 

This gives funds to local community groups such as P&C association to make improvements without having to rely on fundraising. 

"The P&C at Mount Kuring-gai work very hard and I look forward to seein the new space once its completed," Mr Kean said. 

A company in Sydney's northwest and its director have been fined after a worker's hand was crushed while cleaning machinery.

Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation Matt Kean told 2SM they have failed to ensure the health and safety of workers.

Grieving families are increasingly being taken advantage of when planning a funeral, with the number of complaints to NSW Fair Trading jumping to record levels.

It prompted a warning from Minister for Better Regulation Matt Kean, who said consumers should know their rights when choosing a funeral package, to avoid dodgy operators who don’t properly disclose fees and charges.

“Losing a loved one is a heartbreaking and stressful experience. It’s possibly one of the hardest challenges a person can face,” Mr Kean said.

Mobile phone and electronics retailers have been given a big thumbs down from consumers, claiming the top four spots on the latest NSW Fair Trading Complaints Register.

Samsung Electronics topped the list with 42 complaints, while Kogan (35 complaints), Apple (33), and Android Enjoyed (26), rounded out the top four. 

Minister for Better Regulation Matt Kean said the register helps consumers get the best bang for their buck by giving them the information they need to make more informed choices on where to spend their hard-earned cash.

A shonky car dealer who traded without a licence and withheld more than a million dollars from his customers will spend up to three years in jail.

Mathew David Hale, the director of Gasoline Machine – trading as Gasoline Motor Co – had pleaded guilty to 12 counts of fraud, three counts of larceny and one count of trading without a motor vehicle trader's licence. He was sentenced in the Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday and was given a 20-month non-parole period.

A real estate agent in Sydney’s Inner West has pleaded guilty to dishonestly claiming more than $210,000 from the NSW Rental Bond Board.

Minister for Better Regulation Matt Kean said Matthew Thomas Williams, 36, was sentenced in the Parramatta Local Court to two 15 month jail terms, for dishonestly claiming the refund of 42 rental bonds.

The jail terms were suspended on the condition that Williams enter a good behaviour bond. He was also disqualified from holding a real estate licence for a period of 10 years.

Three Sydney children have become ill after using an eyeliner almost entirely made of lead.

The Hashmi Kohl branded product was 84 per cent lead and also contained high levels of dangerous metals including arsenic, cadmium, chromium and mercury, NSW Better Regulation Minister Matt Kean said on Tuesday.

"Some of the product packaging even specifically states that no lead is present, which is a total disgrace," Mr Kean said in a statement.