Odometer tamperer hit with fine of $17,000

A Gold Coast man was ordered to pay $17,000 in fines (12 September 2016) by the Southport Magistrates Court after being charged by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) with odometer tampering and acting unlicensed.

Paul Mladenis, who did not appear in court, was charged with two counts of false representations about mileage, and one count of unlicensed motor dealing. He was fined $17,000, and will face 170 days in prison if he fails to pay it within two months. ​

When purchasing an affected vehicle, consumers still have the full protection of the law. Motor dealers and suppliers are obliged by law to fully disclose to prospective buyers if a vehicle contains a defeat device and will be subject to the recall. As further information about the impact of any necessary repairs to affected vehicles becomes available, including for example a change in the fuel economy of the vehicle, this information must also be disclosed to prospective buyers. ​ In Queensland, it is an offence for a motor dealer or salesperson to make a false representation about a vehicle. The maximum penalty is a $65,826 fine. A false representation includes the wilful concealment of a ‘material fact’. All issues surrounding the emissions defeat devices are material facts, and must be disclosed to prospective buyers.