The Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading is a minister in the Government of New South Wales responsible for administering legislation and policy in relation to consumer affairs and SafeWork regulation in New South Wales, Australia.

The current minister is Anoulack Chanthivong since 5 April 2023, who also serves as the Minister for Industry and Trade.

The minister assists the Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government administer his portfolio through the Customer Service cluster, in particular NSW Fair Trading.

Ultimately the ministers are responsible to the Parliament of New South Wales.

Roles and responsibilities Co-operative Societies (1949-1995) The Registrar of Co-Operative Societies was established under the Building and Co-operative Societies Act 1901. The Registrar of Co-operative Societies could inquire into the working and financial condition of a society or authorise any public servant, accountant, or actuary to inspect any minutes or books or to examine into, and report upon, the affairs of a society. In 1923 an advisory council was established by the Co-operation, Community Settlement and Credit Act 1923, to make recommendations to the Treasurer. The Council submitted recommendations about the rules and regulations relating to societies and any action to be taken by the Treasurer, including the appointment of committees. The Registrar of Co-operative Societies was an ex officio member of the Council and the Treasurer could attend any meeting, and would preside over such meetings. The ministerial position was created in a ministerial reshuffle in the second McGirr ministry October 1949 with responsibilities transferring from the Treasurer to the Minister for Co-operative Societies. The inaugural minister Clarrie Martin held the portfolio in addition to his portfolio of Attorney–General.

From February 1983 the ministerial responsibilities were transferred to the Minister for Housing. The responsibilities were transferred to the Attorney General in January 1986, with the portfolio being formally re-created in February 1986 and filled by Terry Sheahan, who was also the Attorney General. The portfolio was abolished in the first Greiner ministry in March 1988 with the responsibilities allocated to the Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs. It was re-created in the second Greiner ministry. It was abolished in April 1995 and the responsibilities transferred to the Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs.

Consumer Affairs (1973-1995) The portfolio was established in December 1973 in the sixth Askin ministry and the major task of the portfolio was to ensure consumers were treated fairly. This was handled by consumer education, providing a complaints service, licensing some occupational groups, investigating prices and charges, responsible for weights and measures and landlord and tenant matters. The administrative units responsible to the Ministry included the Consumer Affairs Council and Consumer Affairs Bureau, the Weights and Measures Office, the Prices Branch and Registry of Consumer Claims Tribunals. The establishment of the Ministry also coincided with three entirely new acts of Parliament dealing with important aspects of consumer protection, namely the Consumer Claims Tribunals Act 1974, the Pyramid Sales Act 1974 and the Motor Dealers Act 1974.

The Fair Trading Minister is responsible for the regulation of various occupations, organisations and industries including incorporated associations, hairdressers, charitable fundraisers, pawnbrokers, biofuels and co-operatives.

List of ministers Ministerial title Minister Party Ministry Term start Term end Time in office Notes Minister for Consumer Affairs

Askin (6)Lewis (1) (2)Willis 4 December 1973 14 May 1976

Wran (1) (2) (3) 14 May 1976 2 October 1981

Wran (4) 2 October 1981 1 February 1983

Wran (5) (6) (7) 1 February 1983 10 February 1984

Wran (7) 5 April 1984 6 February 1986

Wran (8) 6 February 1986 4 July 1986

Unsworth 4 July 1986 21 March 1988

Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs

Grieiner (1) 25 March 1988 6 June 1991 Minister for Consumer Affairs

Greiner (2)Fahey (1) 6 June 1991 3 July 1992

Fahey (2) 3 July 1992 26 May 1993

Fahey (3) 26 May 1993 4 April 1995

Carr (1) 4 April 1995 6 December 1995

Minister for Fair Trading 6 December 1995 1 December 1997

Carr (2) 1 December 1997 30 April 1998

30 April 1998 8 April 1999

Carr (3) 8 April 1999 21 November 2001

21 November 2001 2 April 2003

Carr (4) 2 April 2003 21 January 2005

1 February 2005 3 August 2005

Iemma (1) 3 August 2005 2 April 2007

Iemma (2) 2 April 2007 5 September 2008

ReesKeneally 5 September 2008 28 March 2011

O'Farrell 3 April 2011 9 December 2013

Baird (1) 9 December 2013 6 May 2014

6 May 2014 2 April 2015

Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation  

Baird (2) 2 April 2015 30 January 2017

Berejiklian (1) 30 January 2017 23 March 2019

Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation  

Berejiklian (2)Perrottet (1) 2 April 2019 21 December 2021

Minister for Fair Trading

Perrottet (2) 21 December 2021 3 August 2022

3 August 2022 28 March 2023

Minister for Transport

Minns 28 March 2023 5 April 2023

Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading 5 April 2023 incumbent

Former ministerial titles Co-operative Societies The Minister for Co-operative Societies, later Minister for Cooperatives was a ministry in the government of New South Wales, with responsibility for regulating and registering co-operative societies, including housing societies, friendly societies, Starr-Bowkett Societies, credit unions and building societies. It has had three iterations, from September 1949 until February 1983, from February 1986 until March 1988 and from June 1991 until April 1995. Title Minister Party Ministry Term start Term end Time in office Notes Minister for Co-operative Societies

McGirr (2) 21 September 1949 30 June 1950

McGirr (3)Cahill (1) (2) 30 June 1950 1 April 1954

Cahill (2) (3) 1 April 1954 1 April 1959

Cahill (4)Heffron (1) (2)Renshaw 1 April 1959 13 May 1965

Askin (1) (2) (3) (4) 13 May 1965 17 January 1973

Askin (5) 17 January 1973 3 December 1973

Laurie McGinty

Askin (6)Lewis (1) (2) 3 December 1973 23 January 1976

Willis 23 January 1976 14 May 1976

Wran (1) (2) 14 May 1976 29 February 1980

Wran (3) (4) 29 February 1980 1 February 1983

Minister for Co-operative Societies

Wran (8) 6 February 1986 4 July 1986

Unsworth 4 July 1986 21 March 1988

Minister for Local Government andMinister for Cooperatives

Greiner (2) 6 June 1991 26 May 1993

Minister for Local Government and Co-operatives Fahey (1) (2) 26 May 1993 27 June 1994

Fahey (3) 27 June 1994 4 April 1995

Regulatory Reform Ministerial title Minister Party Ministry Term start Term end Time in office Notes Minister for Economic Reform  

Carr (4) 21 January 2005 3 August 2005

Minister Assisting the Treasurer on Business andEconomic Regulatory Reform  

Iemma (1) 17 February 2006 2 April 2007

Minister for Small Business and Regulatory Reform Iemma (2) 2 April 2007 27 June 2007 Minister for Regulatory Reform Iemma (2)Rees 27 June 2007 17 November 2009 Rees 17 November 2009 4 December 2009

Keneally 8 December 2009 28 March 2011

See also

List of New South Wales government agencies

References