[Greens-Media] Fair Trading Minister compromised consumer safety

[John Kaye]

Fair Trading Minister compromised consumer safety

Media release: 11 July 2014

As more evidence emerges about the sacking and reinstatement of NSW Fair
Trading Commissioner Rod Stowe, it is hard to see how Minister Mathew
Mason-Cox can continue in his job, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.

('Commissioner back, minister under fire', Sydney Morning Herald, 11 July,
page 11, http://j.mp/smh140711)

Dr Kaye said: "Having mishandled the original media opportunities around
the tragic death of a young woman using a USB charger, Fair Trading
Minister Matthew Mason-Cox attempted to shift the blame for his own
incompetence onto a well-respected and highly effective bureaucrat.

"The result has been chaos in a critical frontline government agency.

"Missing a few media opportunities is no excuse for attempting to destroy
the career of an experienced public servant.

"The Minister may have been scrambling for a fall guy but he should have
had the maturity to recognise the problems were all his own.

"While people's lives were at risk from faulty chargers, the Minister was
busy inventing excuses for his failure to front the media.

"It's now clear that Commissioner Rod Stowe was not on leave but indeed
dismissed. Mr Mason-Cox's failure to be up front with the public has cast
an even greater shadow over his future as a minister.

"Mathew Mason-Cox must take responsibility for failing to recognise that he
was ill-advised by the temporary staff placed in his office by a senior
public servant seeking to undermine Mr Stowe.

"Fair Trading was always seen as the portfolio with training wheels yet
Matthew Mason-Cox destabilised a key agency and plunged the Baird
government into an embarrassing controversy.

"Premier Mike Baird should put consumer safety and rights ahead of the
expediency of maintaining a stable front bench. He should stand Mathew
Mason-Cox aside and look for someone who can handle the portfolio," Dr Kaye
said.

For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455

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John Kaye
Greens NSW MP
phone: 0407 195 455
web: www.john.nsw.greens.org.au
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