SYKES – THE NATIONALS WANT INTRUSIVE TELEMARKETING BANNED

The Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes, says if the Government takes The Nationals advice then telemarketers interrupting time with the family will cease to be a problem.

The Nationals Peter Hall put forward a Private Members Bill to amend the Fair Trading Act making it illegal to engage in telemarketing outside of normal business hours.

Dr Sykes said, “This Bill makes sense and I implore every member of the Parliament to support it.

“Time with the family is precious and rare in these busy times… and it is frustrating and intrusive to be contacted when you’re having dinner or helping the kids with their homework.

“We constantly receive phone calls from constituents at our office asking us to do something about it and we have. Now it’s time to see if the Bracks’ Government is prepared to support The Nationals initiative.

“Whilst I am happy to make myself available at all times to help constituents I, like many other people, believe that mealtimes and evenings should not be invaded by telemarketers.

“The Fair Trading Act currently prohibits telemarketing calls being made after 8pm. The window between finishing work and 8pm is, in many families, (especially those with young children) a prime time for cooking, eating dinner and spending quality time as a family and people in the Benalla Electorate are telling me they want this time protected.

Dr Sykes concluded, “I still strongly support the call for a national ‘do not contact’ registrer, but until such time as state and federal governments achieve an agreement on this issue this proposed amendment is an excellent interim measure.

Media contact: Bill Sykes (03) 5762 2100 or 0427 624 989