Consumer Protection

Feature: NSW Govt pushed DIY safety checks for controversial roof insulation

jfield — 2010-03-12T07:35:55Z

NSW Fair Trading Minister Virginia Judge is now crowing about a successful prosecution of one installer whose work resulted in a house fire, after her own agency effectively washed their hands of responsibility for home safety.

Introduction

While the Federal Government’s Energy Efficient Homes Package was still operating, the NSW Office of Fair Trading advised homeowners and tenants to conduct their own risk assessments for installing insulation. Households were encouraged to obtain the insulation installers’ sign off on their amateur risk assessments.

In many cases insulation installed under the Package became an electrocution and fire hazard. On average, one house fire a week was caused by incorrectly installed insulation in 2009.

The NSW Government, despite its responsibility for safety at work, allowed unqualified people to work in the confined roof crawl spaces.

The Energy Efficient Homes Package program has been suspended and the Minister responsible, Peter Garrett, effectively demoted.

Fair Trading

There is no requirement under NSW Fair Trading for insulation installers to hold qualifications in roofing installation.

Information provided by the NSW Office of Fair Trading encouraged householders to inform installers of the risks in their homes and to confirm they understood the guidelines for safe installation.

This was in contravention of the NSW government’s own workplace safety laws, which place responsibility for the completion of risk assessments before work commences with employers.

The advice provided by the NSW Office of Fair Trading on their website[1] was for households to complete a self-assessment checklist.

There was no requirement for householders to enter their roof space to verify any of the items on the NSW Office of Fair Trading checklist.

The NSW Office of Fair Trading then encouraged households to obtain the installer’s signature on the checklist and acknowledgement of the standards for fitting insulation around potential heat sources.

Safety Checklist

Below is a copy of a section of the Office of Fair Trading checklist[2]:

Questions to ask yourself	Yes	No
Does your ceiling have TV boosters or security alarms installed in the roof space?
Does your ceiling contain halogen 12 volt down lights?
Does your ceiling contain incandescent 240 down lights?
Does you home contain a flue from a gas heater that goes into the roof space?
Does you home contain a chimney from a fire that goes into the roof space?
Does you home have any transformers in the roof space, for example to service a door bell or other low voltage equipment?
Does you home have high intensity heating lamps in the bathroom?
Do you have an exhaust from the kitchen or bathroom that vents into the roof space?

Risk from ceiling insulation

In 2009 over 53 house fires in NSW were attributed to incorrectly installed ceiling insulation[3]. Fifteen of these occurred in October/November 2009 following a large number of households taking up the Federal Government’s Energy Efficient Homes Package.

The program has been linked to the deaths of four roofing installers nationally.

A recent prosecution of ABC Insulation resulted in an installer receiving a $10,000 fine for work that caused a house fire in western Sydney. Minister for Fair Trading Virginia Judge welcomed the courts decision and issued a press release over the matter. The release said that Fair Trading was investigating other installers.

Comments from John Kaye

Dr Kaye said: “It is a bit rich for Minister for Fair Trading Virginia Judge to crow over the successful prosecution of a home insulation installer.

“It was her agency that helped open the floodgates for dodgy home insulation installers by recommending do-it-yourself risk assessments to households.

“The NSW Office of Fair Trading put amateurs in charge of assessing and managing fire and electrocution risk. The Minister’s own agency failed in its duty to protect households from poorly qualified roof insulators.

“Homeowners and tenants should not have been expected to have to give installers a lesson in electrical wiring guidelines before they started work.

"The risk from working in confined spaces is well recognised. An entire section of the NSW OHS Regulations is dedicated to it, yet assessment and management was handed over to homeowners, many of whom may have never even been in their roof cavities.

“With over 70 house fires linked to poorly installed insulation in NSW last year, Minister Judge should explain why her dodgy information continues to be peddled on the Fair Trading website,” Dr Kaye said.

For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455

[1] http://www.nswfb.nsw.gov.au/news.php?news=1486 and

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/heatwave-death-fuels-insulation-safety-fear-20091124-jhed.html

[2] http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/pdfs/Tenants_and_home_owners/Installation_of_ceiling_insulation_consumer_self_assessment_and_acknowledgement_form.pdf

[3]http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/Tenants_and_home_owners/Home_building_and_renovating/The_building_process/Ceiling_insulation_and_down_lights.html

Food labelling review must put consumers first

jfield — 2010-03-08T05:01:12Z

Commenting on a story in today's Sydney Morning Herald ('Made in Australia:
if only it was sown and grown here', page 9), Dr
Kaye said: "From foods that come from overseas but labelled 'Made in
Australia' to the lack of warnings about genetically engineered or
nanotechnology ingredients, consumers are being denied the right to make
healthy and ethical choices about the foods they purchase.

"The large supermarket chains and the multinational food processing
companies have called the shots and left Australians without meaningful
warning about transfats, brightly coloured artificial food dyes and salt,
sugar and fat contents.

"The food regulator's labelling inquiry has a huge task ahead if it is to
restore consumer confidence.

"The discussion paper released yesterday deals with most issues in a neutral
fashion.

"However the commentary and questions relating to the use of nanotechnology,
irradiation and genetically modified foods display a singular level of bias.

"The paper suggests that labelling of these technologies should not be
allowed to unduly inhibit their economic development.

"This is an extraordinary assertion of the right of a new technology to be
tested on consumers without their informed consent.

"Even the discussion question related to these technologies is prejudiced
against full disclosure labelling.

"The qualifier 'given the present state of scientific knowledge' pre-empts
the right of consumers to make up their own mind about their willingness to
expose themselves to risks that may not have yet been scientifically
established," Dr Kaye said.

For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455

Queensland beating NSW in race to safer restaurants

jfield — 2010-02-22T03:35:33Z

Commenting on a story in today's Sydney Morning Herald ('Hygiene scorecard for eateries', page 7), Dr Kaye said: "Two city councils in Queensland are moving to follow international best practice and post hygiene inspection score cards on the doors on restaurants.

"Thousands of food poisoning cases in NSW could be avoided by providing restaurant goers with immediate and clear information on inspection results.

"The Queensland scoring system will not only alert potential diners to businesses that have cut corners on food safety. It will also put pressure on restaurants to clean up their act and maintain high standards of hygiene.

"Former Minister Ian Macdonald hid behind his so-called 'name-and-shame' website while ignoring the international evidence that score-on-doors reduces illness and improves profits for restaurants that do the right thing.

"A similar system introduced in Los Angeles County in California in 1997 is credited with a 20 percent reduction in hospital admissions for food poisoning.

"Restaurants rapidly improved their performance and the good ones became more profitable.

"Diners in NSW deserve the same standard of food safety as those in Brisbane, Los Angeles, Toronto and other cities where the food regulators have listened to the evidence and opted for scores-on-doors.

"The Keneally government is ignoring the urgent need to reduce the 1 million cases of food poisoning each year caused by outlets that don't maintain high standards," Dr Kaye said.

For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455

NSW govt sacrifices food safety for elderly and sick

jfield — 2010-01-20T00:59:53Z

Commenting on a story on page 1 of today's Sydney Morning Herald 'Fears for sick, elderly in food safety overhaul', Dr Kaye said: "The NSW government has kick started a regulatory race to the bottom in the highest risk food businesses in the state.

"Hospitals, food delivery services and aged care facilities will be able to shop around and find the least demanding auditor.

"Market forces will compel even the best of auditors to lower their standards to survive in a competitive industry.

"It is the aged and infirm who will lose out as their health is put at risk.

"The NSW government is sacrificing the health of the state's most vulnerable people to pressure from the food businesses to lower their compliance costs by cutting corners.

"People in nursing homes and respite care are about to have a much lower standard of food safety auditing.

"Dairies and businesses handling seafood and meat will also be able to shop around to find the least demanding auditor.

"Food poisoning outbreaks are much more likely in a regulatory system that is driven by profit.

"The Greens call on Food Minister Steve Whan to reverse this decision.

"The Keneally government must ensure that all high risk food businesses are audited by inspectors who are free from economic pressures to turn a blind eye to breaches of safety," Dr Kaye said.

For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455

Buck passing leaves babies at risk to dangerous chemical

jfield — 2010-01-11T00:17:15Z

Commenting on a story on page 3 of today’s Daily Telegraph, ('Plastic
bottle can make babies sick') Dr Kaye said: "Australian babies are being
exposed to a chemical that has been banned in Canada and France.

"New British medical evidence strengthens the case against using BPA as
a coating on the inside of bottles, yet Australian agencies are passing
the buck.

"The Keneally government should stop NSW becoming a dumping ground for
baby products banned elsewhere in the world.

"Minister Whan should show leadership at the Food Ministerial Council
and demand an immediate ban, subject to a more detailed analysis of the
international evidence.

"While the nation’s politicians fiddle, babies are being needlessly
exposed to a chemical that is both cancer causing and interrupts
development.

"As the evidence mounts against BPA, it is time for rapid action to
protect the health of the youngest Australians," Dr Kaye said.

McDonalds' 'shame' gong shows need for better food labelling

justin — 2009-11-17T05:46:40Z

Dr Kaye said: "The Parents Jury has named and shamed both McDonalds and Kellogg's Nutri-Grain for irresponsible marketing behaviour that undermines healthy eating in young people.

"Incoming NSW Food Minister Tony Kelly needs to break with his predecessor's blind support of the industry over the pleas of parents.

"In the absence of laws to restrict fast food outlets and manufacturers marketing unhealthy products to kids, childhood obesity and diet-related diseases will continue to destroy the health of a generation and impose massive costs on the state's budget and the economy.

"It is time to get tough on the profiteers who are exploiting the innocence of children.

"Minister Kelly should hit the ground running and start a new push for front of package traffic light labelling to warn parents against food rich in salt, sugar and fat content.

"Products like Nutri-Grain should be outed, particularly when it is promoted as a healthy choice for young people in sporting competitions.

"Tony Kelly should persuade Premier Rees to follow Anna Bligh in Queensland and move for a junk food advertising ban during children's television time.

"And he should persuade Education Minister Verity Firth to ban the McMaths tutoring package from NSW schools. Guerrilla marketing of junk food has no place in the education system.

"Minister Kelly must use his seat at the Ministerial Food Council to push tighter regulating of food labelling and marketing.

"The Parents Choice award to Weet-Bix and the Socceroos shows that healthy food can be marketed successfully to kids," Dr Kaye said.

For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455

New laws needed to stop misleading 'free range' labels

justin — 2009-11-13T07:11:43Z

Commenting on today's release of the Humane Society International's survey of 3,085 consumers, Dr Kaye said: "Consumers seeking food that comes from humanely treated animals are being misled by food product labelling that is largely unregulated.

"Clear and honest labelling should ensure that the manufacturers' and retailers' claims live up to community expectations.

"Instead, terms like 'free range' and 'barn laid' have little or no meaning in the hands of the big food processors and retail giants.

"Food industry self-regulation is not working. The processors have been given a free hand to market products as being ethically produced when by any acceptable standard the animals are kept in appalling conditions.

"Consumers seeking ethical products are being exploited.

"Honest farmers using sustainable and ethically sound management practices are being driven out of business and the relationship of trust between farmers and consumers is being damaged.

"The Greens are introducing a bill to begin the process of restoring honesty to ethical food labelling.

"By defining what makes an egg 'free range' and creating enforceable penalties for misleading labelling, the Greens want to stop consumers being misled and exploited.

"The Humane Society International's survey shows that consumers want tighter, clearer labelling laws.

"It is time for the Rees government to stop acting as a mouthpiece for food manufacturers and wholesalers and support legislation that will provide consumers and ethical producers with effective food labelling," Dr Kaye said.

For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455

Kraft: you've dropped the bad name, now drop the bad fat

justin — 2009-10-05T22:11:06Z

Commenting on a story in today's Sydney Morning Herald ('Kraft spread saga gets iRonic', 3 October 2009), Dr Kaye said: "Kraft have messed up not just the name, but also the recipe with their new product tablemate for Vegemite.

"With Australians increasingly battling obesity, the last thing they need is a product that contains more saturated fats.

"Nutritional information listed on the new product's label shows that fat content per serve has gone from less than one gram for Vegemite to 17 grams.

"Saturated fats have gone from less than a gram to 11.8 grams.

"There is also less protein than Vegemite, more salt and a 32 percent increase in kilojoule content.

"Unlike the traditional Vegemite, the spread formerly known as iSnack2.0 is not a vegan-friendly product.

"From a nutritional perspective this spread is a step backwards from Kraft. If they can't fix this recipe they will be toast in the eyes of consumers.

"Australian consumers will not be happy Vegemites with Kraft's massive increase in saturated fat content," Dr Kaye said.

The SMH story

For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455

New research casts doubt on Australian approval of endosulfan

justin — 2009-09-21T01:06:46Z

A recently published University of Pittsburgh study shows that the full effect of endosulfan is not accurately measured by the US EPA testing methodology.

The study, published in a highly respected peer-reviewed journal, demonstrated that while tadpoles mostly survived exposure to endosulfan in the US EPA's regime, they suffered substantial and in the case of one species almost complete mortality if tracked for an additional four days after the exposure had finished.

A 2005 review by the Australian regulator permitted the on-going use of the pesticide, in part based on the 2002 re-registration study of endosulfan by the US EPA that used the now suspect testing methodology.

Dr Kaye said: "The University of Pittsburgh study casts grave doubt on the safety of continued use of endosulfan.

"The Australian regulator blindly followed the US EPA tests that have now lost credibility.

"Endosulfan should be immediately removed from use subject to a new study of its potential to disrupt hormone functioning in amphibians and other models for human biology.

"Consumer and environmental health should be put ahead of industry profits.

"The Australian regulator must join the sixty other countries and ban this dangerous pesticide," Dr Kaye said.

For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455

NSW kids let down by weak food laws

justin — 2009-09-14T00:53:44Z

Commenting on a story in today's Sunday Telegraph ('Banned in Europe, but we'll eat it', page 18-19), Dr Kaye said: "NSW Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald and his state and federal colleagues continue to allow themselves to be run by an unholy alliance of do-nothing bureaucrats and an aggressive and selfish food industry.

"While the world is moving to ban artificial transfats, the Australian and New Zealand food regulator FSANZ provides the nation's food ministers with a long list of sophisticated excuses for inaction.

"The now-proven impacts of six bright artificial colourings on the behaviour of some young people have been swept under the carpet in Australia.

"While the European regulatory agency is lending a helping hand to parents fighting obesity in their children, Australia's food ministers have buckled under industry pressure and rejected front of package 'traffic light' labelling.

"Forcing parents to rely on the confusing and often illegible nutritional information panel makes it almost impossible to police the amount of sugar, fat, saturated fat and salt in their children's diet.

"The health and safety of Australians is being sacrificed to industry profits by a ministerial council that refuses to exercise its responsibilities to protect and warn consumers.

"The Greens are again calling on NSW Minister Ian Macdonald to lead the charge at the Council of Food Ministers meeting next month for much tighter regulations.

"He must go to the October meeting armed with advice that is independent of FSANZ and ready to take action to protect the health of all Australians,"” Dr Kaye said.

The Sunday Telegraph story is available at http://tinyurl.com/FSANZ-Tele

For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455