Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It could be a song! Do yourselves a favour: don't give them any information, don't sign a contract, take them nowhere, give them nothing. Protect what is yours—protect your hard-earned money. As a barrister, I saw the impact that breaches of these and many other consumer law provisions can have on everyday consumers. I saw how much more serious these impacts can be on vulnerable Australians, particularly our older Australians.

This is something that happens, unfortunately, very much in the online space. I hope my dad doesn't mind me saying this, but someone recently tried to rip him off as he tried to buy a car. The banks cop an absolute shellacking here, there and everywhere, but he literally got as far as the bank teller to get a bank cheque drawn, and the bank teller said: 'Mr Wallace, there's something about this transaction that doesn't sound right to me. Do you mind if I make some inquiries?' She went out the back and made some inquiries. My dad is 84. The teller came back out the front and said: 'Mr Wallace, I think you've been scammed. I can write this bank cheque for you if you like, but I really suggest that you don't do it.' Sure enough, Dad came to within an inch of being scammed for $10,000-odd. So, whatever you do, be very careful online. These are important reforms and I commend them to the House.

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