NSW implements new laws to benefit motorists

Anthony Roberts, Minister for Fair Trading NSW,(pictured) has announced new laws to protect both consumers and vehicle dealers in New South Wales.

The new bill seeks to amend many of the outdated policies in both the Motor Dealers Act 1974 and the Motor Vehicle Repairs Act 1980, consolidating them into the Motor Dealers and Repairers Act 2013.

These new laws offer many benefits for consumers and add further protection from unscrupulous car dealers. These updates include increasing the penalty of odometer tampering to $22,000, and the Motor Dealers Compensation Fund increasing its limits to $40,000, to augment existing protection for customers left out of pocket by dodgy motor dealers and repairers in New South Wales.

The new Act also streamlines the process of licensing and regulating dealers and repairers. These amendments allow the option of choosing between an annual or a three-year licence renewal, making it a little more flexible for dealers and repairers to keep their businesses running. Licence exemption for simple repair work is available under the new act, as long as it does not compromise vehicle safety, meaning that the turnaround time for small repair jobs will be greatly reduced.

Plans for this Act have been in place for two years, starting with consultation and discussion between consumers and key figures in the automotive industry since November 2011.

Greg Pattern, Chief Executive of the Motor Traders’ Association NSW, which represents the state's smash repairers, has supported the new Motor Dealers and Repairers' Act all the way.

“The legislation is mutually beneficial to both consumers and business,” he said. “This is truly a win-win for everybody.”

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