Mr TIM JAMES (Willoughby) (11:38): My question is directed to the Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading. What measures does the New South Wales budget contain to stamp out greenwashing and misleading or deceptive conduct in the State?
Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG (Macquarie Fields—Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology, Minister for Building, and Minister for Corrections) (11:39): I thank the member for the question. I have been peppered with a lot of questions from the Opposition, but finally I have been asked a question by my counterpart in the shadow Ministry. I have always thought that the member for Willoughby is very popular amongst his progressive colleagues. The question is about greenwashing, which the Minister for Local Government has just answered. When the member for Vaucluse actually answered, I would have thought—
The SPEAKER: Opposition members will come to order. The Minister has the call.
Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG: Given that the shadow Minister has a portfolio that deals with one of the most important issues facing the people of New South Wales, which concerns housing—
Mr Matt Kean: What are you doing? Consumer protection, mate.
Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG: —and protection. We do a lot for consumer protection, that is certain.
The SPEAKER: The member for Hornsby will come to order. The member is ignoring me.
Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG: One would have thought that given—
Mr Tim James: Point of order: It is Standing Order 129, relevance. The question was about greenwashing and misleading and deceptive conduct. The Minister has made no attempt to address either topic.
The SPEAKER: I uphold that well-articulated point of order. The Minister will be directly relevant.
Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG: I thank the member for his interest in this question. The New South Wales Government is certainly committed to protecting consumers from dodgy operators.
The SPEAKER: Members will come to order.
Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG: NSW Fair Trading protects consumers by administering and enforcing Fair Trading legislation and Australian Consumer Law. The ACL provides consumers with a number of guarantees, including that the goods and services they accept are fit for purpose. New South Wales consumers also have additional protection against specific harms under the Fair Trading Act 1987.
Ms Eleni Petinos: Point of order: It is Standing Order 129. The Minister should be directed to the question and not deliver an education on what Fair Trading does, which he should know by now.
The SPEAKER: I have already ruled on that point of order. I directed the Minister to be relevant.
Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG: The Government is absolutely about consumers. That is the purpose of Fair Trading. Am I supposed to talk about consumer protection without talking about Fair Trading? How does that work? The Government is always committed to protecting consumers and has budgeted for Fair Trading to do that.
Mr Tim James: In the absence of an answer, I seek an extension of time.
The SPEAKER: The Minister has concluded his answer.
