NSW Fair Trading will lead an aggressive, new national strategy to stamp out illegal itinerant traders including bitumen bandits, dodgy roof painters, van scammers selling cheap and unsafe electrical products and the snake oil salesmen that prey on remote Aboriginal communities.

All consumer protection regulators in the country today agreed to a proposal from the NSW Minister that will provide unprecedented cross border co-operation on illegal trading and involve a range of law enforcement agencies.

Operations will focus on: the home renovation and improvement market, the home entertainment products market and, products and services supplied into Indigenous communities in regional and remote areas.

NSW Fair Trading Minister Anthony Roberts told the Ministerial Council on Consumer Affairs in Canberra that NSW Fair Trading would invest $1.4 million in 2011/12 on the new strategy and work closely with the NSW Police Force, the NSW Crime Commission and the NSW State Debt Recovery Office.

“We will use the new Australian Consumer Law against the persistent and pernicious practices of illegal itinerant traders who prey on the vulnerable, the trusting and the poor,” he said. “Work has already commenced.”

All jurisdictions will conduct concerted, nationally coordinated operations under the Australian Consumer Law, using new prosecution powers and remedies to remove the proceeds of unlawful selling from itinerant traders.

All jurisdictions will work with their police services to help stop, detain and arrest offenders.

All jurisdictions will seek to have illegal itinerant traders who are not Australian nationals removed from Australia and have them barred from re-entry to Australia.

Mr Roberts said illegal itinerants structured their unlawful operations to minimise the ability of consumers to get remedies in courts and consumer tribunals, or through dispute resolution.

“This is organised, criminal activity that creates market distortions as legitimate businesses face unfair competition,” he said. “Consumers caught by these crooks experience loss of money and loss of face.”

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