MPs to ponder consumer complaints system_7516

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MPs to ponder consumer complaints system
But Mr Lawlor, who was briefed on the Kleenmaid case by administrator Deloitte this week, said Queensland authorities had only received 11 complaints against the company in the past 18 months.
But Mr Greig said he did not foresee any return to unsecured creditors, including customers who had paid for goods but not received them.
Queensland Fair Trading Minister Peter Lawlor said it was possible a trend could have been detected if consumer information was shared nationally.
Nine complaints were rectified by the company after being followed up by fair trading officers,You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login, but two are outstanding, coming just before Kleenmaid went into administration.
"There's a good argument for a central register for consumer complaints or a protocol to share information and alert others that there is a problem with a company."
He said his full findings would be provided in a report to creditors before the next meeting.
"If there's any evidence that this company was trading insolvently then the directors should feel the full force of the law and I'll be encouraging ASIC to bring charges against those directors,You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login," he said.
But at this stage it appeared secured creditors such as Westpac were owed $28 million, customers $27 million, trade creditors and suppliers $16 million,You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login, landlords and warehouse operators $2 million and employees $3 million.
"I'll be meeting with my counterparts in Hobart in May,You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login," Mr Lawlor said.
He said it was "mind-boggling" that the company was using about $27 million in customer deposits as working capital.
The Queensland-based appliance retailer went into administration on April 9. Creditors owed $76 million are expected to vote to liquidate the group of 14 companies next month.
Mr Lawlor said his own department had no power to investigate or get money back for consumers.
Administrator John Greig said in a statement on Friday that a meeting of creditors in May would discuss liquidation.
Mr Lawlor said the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) should throw the book at Kleenmaid's directors if the administrators found the group had been trading while insolvent.
Mr Lawlor said while such a low rate of complaints would not have triggered a red light for authorities, he understood there were many more complaints interstate.
Australia's fair trading ministers will discuss a scheme to share consumer complaints information in the wake of the Kleenmaid group collapse.