Anthony Carbines, Ivanhoe MLA

Door-to-door sales in a significant problem in West Heidelberg, Ivanhoe MLA Anthony Carbines told State Parliament last week.

Speaking to new legislation, Mr Carbines said he wanted to speak about banning door-to-door sales and cold calling by energy retailers.

“If there is one thing we have to put up with more often than not in the 3081 postcode of West Heidelberg in my electorate, it is door-to-door salespeople.

“Thankfully there is not much that COVID can recommend itself for, but one thing is the lessening of the numbers of people seeking to exploit and seeking to bang on the doors—but certainly it does not stop the phone calls from energy retailers—trying to sign up people in vulnerable communities, in vulnerable financial circumstances.

“You do not see them out there banging on doors in other parts of my electorate—you do not see them banging on the doors in Eaglemont too often, or banging on the doors down at Fairy Hills, or banging on the doors in East Ivanhoe – but they are pretty keen to bang on the doors down there in West Heidelberg and surrounds and see if they can sell to people very confusing, very costly and very underwhelming and lack-ing in any great scrutiny offers in those door-to-door sales and cold calling by energy retailers.,” Mr Carbines said.