Petition targets rogue operators
Lemon laws campaigner calls for signatures to help ’clean up industry’Consumer rights campaigner Tracy Leigh, has joined a growing list of identities calling for a government-led inquiry into the multi-billion dollar Australian RV industry.
Leigh, who has waged war with Lotus Caravans over alleged defects of a Freelander caravan she bought in 2015, recently initiated a government e-petition into what she calls “systemic issues” that are “causing significant consumer detriment and danger on the roads”.
She joins other ‘lemon law’ lobbyists calling for an official inquiry including Barry Davidson, author of the ‘Rogues Gallery’ on the online Caravanners Forum and founder of Caboolture Caravan Repairs.
“The issues are so wide spread and so serious that only a government inquiry, preferably a Senate inquiry, will get to the bottom of the issues,” Leigh claimed. “This industry has gotten away with breaching laws and regulations for far too long. Consumers and road users are at severe risk.
“There has been little to no help from government enforcement agencies and an inconsistent application of the ACL (Australian Consumer Law) by the judiciary.”
Leigh runs the ‘Lemon Caravans and RVs in Aus’ Facebook support group for people who have bought faulty caravans or experienced poor service from dealers. The members-only forum has 26,000 people on its database.
“It is just so bad out there,” she claimed. “I helped a group member with an NCAT (NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal) case today and the abuse of process and bias towards the supplier was shocking. This is about the 10th now. I have made so many complaints to them it is ridiculous.
“That's on top of the complaints to enforcement agencies such as ACCC and Queensland Office of Fair Trading. On top of helping members write letters to suppliers which are just ignored. It has got to stop.”
Leigh said the ACCC’s recent action against Jayco was “only the tip of the iceberg”.
“It has taken almost seven years since the inception of the Australian Consumer Law for one RV company to be prosecuted,” she said. “There are thousands of consumers who have suffered economic loss and health problems in that time, their holiday dreams shattered.”
The petition can be accessed here.
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