New 2012 Fair Trading and Gas Supply (Consumer Safety) Regulations

New and improved Fair Trading and Gas Supply (Consumer Safety) regulations start today, 1st September 2012.

Gas, fuel, funerals, fines, fibre content, motor industry code and jobs are under new regulations.

NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Rod Stowe said the Fair Trading Regulation 2012 supported the objectives of the Fair Trading Act by providing for product and service information standards applying to: fibre content labelling of textiles; fuel price signs; employment placement services; and, funeral goods and services.

Also covered are the declaration of an industry code for motor vehicle insurers and repairers and the delegation of functions conferred on the Commissioner for Fair Trading by section 83 of the Gas Supply Act 1996.

Mr Stowe said the regulation provided for a number of offences under the Fair Trading Act to be penalty notice offences, with prescribed penalties.

“It also provides for a number of offences under the Australian Consumer Law to be dealt with by penalty notice,” he said.

Petrol stations have a year from today to comply with new requirements for petrol price boards.

The regulation amends the fuel price sign information standard to require the price of four fuels to be displayed at each service station.

Signs will have to feature the top-selling fuels at the service station and must include LPG and diesel, if sold.

The only price displayed on fuel price signs is to be the price available to all consumers. The research octane number of E10 and other unleaded petrol will have to be displayed on the fuel pump.

The funeral information standard in the regulation provides for the inclusion of a NSW Standard Death Certificate from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages in a basic funeral, at the consumer’s request.

“Funeral price information has to be provided to the consumer within 48 hours of request or within such other time period agreed between the consumer and the funeral provider,” Mr Stowe said.

The Commissioner said the Gas Supply (Consumer Safety) Regulation 2012 was important to maintain consumer and community safety through regulation of gas appliances, gas installations, autogas installations and the components connected to them.

“This regulation provides for a certification system for gas appliances and requirements for gas fitting work and autogas work, as well as disclosure requirements,” he said.

“Gasfitters, consumers, suppliers, everyone, should be able to clearly see, up front, if a gas appliance or gas or autogas installation is safe. The regulation requires metering of gas supplied from gas networks and makes provision for testing of gas meters and gas meter testing equipment.”

Gas Supply Consumer Safety: IMPORTANT INFORMATION @ http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/Tradespeople/Gasfitters.html

Media Release: www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au