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Launched in January by the Minns Labor Government, the "Name and Shame" register, as it is officially called, provides a searchable database of disciplinary actions taken against real estate agents, strata managers, and stock and station agents. For a region like the Hawkesbury—where agricultural land, heritage residential properties, and expanding strata developments coexist—the tool offers a new layer of due diligence for residents engaging in real estate transactions.
Local Oversight for Property and Livestock Agents
The inclusion of stock and station agents is particularly relevant to the Hawkesbury’s peri-urban landscape. Property owners in areas such as North Richmond, Wilberforce, and Bilpin now have the ability to verify the regulatory standing of agents handling not only residential sales but also livestock and rural land dealings.
The register aims to mitigate risk for local consumers by disclosing:
- Licence Cancellations and Suspensions: Identifying individuals currently prohibited from operating.
- Prosecution Outcomes: Details of legal actions and court results.
- Public Warnings: Immediate alerts issued by the Commissioner regarding specific entities.
- High-Risk Penalty Notices: Records of significant financial penalties for non-compliance.
Data-Driven Decision Making for Residents
As the Hawkesbury experiences ongoing shifts in housing density and rental demand, the register serves as a centralised resource for tenants and landlords alike. By entering a name, suburb, or licence number, users can access a factual history of an agent's professional conduct, moving beyond marketing claims to verified regulatory data.
The NSW Fair Trading Commissioner’s official statement on the creation of the Register affirmed that "Sharing this information helps build trust in the community and supports people to make informed choices about who they work with." The move is intended to ensure that the small percentage of operators who breach the Property and Stock Agents Act are held publicly accountable.
Future Expansion of Transparency
The current iteration of the register focuses on the property industry, but NSW Fair Trading has confirmed that the platform will eventually expand. Future updates are expected to include other licensed trades, which will broaden the scope of consumer protection for Hawkesbury homeowners engaging in renovation and construction services.
The register is now live and accessible to the public via the NSW Fair Trading website. https://www.nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/fair-trading/how-we-regulate/name-and-shame-register
