Web directory under fire from WA minister - News - Business

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This story was printed from ZDNet Australia.
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Web directory under fire from WA minister

By Andrew Colley, 0
February 12, 2003
URL: http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/business/soa/Web-directory-under-fire-from-WA-minister/0,139023166,120271993,00.htm

Western Australia's Minister for Consumer Protection, John Kobelke, has issued a public warning about Web-based business service Australian Trade Register, describing its services as "questionable".

ATR, an online business registry owned by Thailand resident Gary John Solah, invites small businesses to join www.traderegister.com.au to attract business for a fee of AU$227. The business is registered at a Canberra mailing address that forwards on to a Gold Coast post-office box.

The Minister said the design of the registration form that ATR sends to invite business to join the site was a major concern. Kobelke said the "looks like a fee is payable to government agency".

"The Web site, although in existence, is very basic and falls short of Mr Solah's claims in his letter and does not represent value for money," said Kobelke.

He added later that businesses should consider whether the fee that the service demands could not be spent better.

However the Minister's power to take action against Solah appears to end at public criticism.

A spokesperson for the Minister conceded that the consumer protection investigators that Solah had breached any consumer codes or trade practice laws.

The Minister said Solah had "not been very cooperative" with consumer protection investigators. Consumer investigators had requested to meet with Solah in Thailand and Australia but so far he has refused.

"He has declined to provide any kind of personal contact details other than those of his secretarial service," said the Minister

However a spokesperson for Kobelke conceded that Solah had spoken to the minister's investigators.

The warning had been issued as consumer protection investigators were "not satisfied" with Solah's explanations regarding their concerns, said the spokesperson.