Fair Trading Commissioner Rod Stowe, the consumers’ champion, is facing a political death

ARE we, as consumers, as safe this week as last? Arguably no-one has done more than Rod Stowe to protect us over the past 20 years, yet he was dumped as Fair Trading Commissioner.

Pictured Rod Stowe Commissioner for Fair Trading NSW at his office in the CBD.

ARE we, as consumers, as safe this week as last?

Arguably no one has done more than Rod Stowe to protect us from shonks over the past 20 years, yet he was dumped as Fair Trading Commissioner last Friday and there is still no proper ­explanation why.

The new Minister, Matthew Mason-Cox, won’t even acknowledge Mr Stowe has been sacked.

Earlier this week The Daily Telegraph reported the possible reason was a nine-day delay in Fair Trading telling Mr Mason-Cox a knock-off phone charger was suspected in the electrocution of Sheryl Anne Aldeguer.

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But I understand the Minister’s office was informed on the same day Mr Stowe was first briefed on the apparent link. I’ve also been told his ousting may be the result of him losing a power struggle within the department.

Sheryl Anne Aldeguer, pictured here with her husband, was electrocuted by a faulty USB charger, not approved for use in Australia.

It’s understood the first Mr Stowe knew of the role the non-compliant USB-style charger played was when his office received a written briefing from its Home Building Service division on the morning of June 26.

The briefing said Ms Aldeguer’s laptop had been investigated following her death in Gosford in April but was not to blame. The computer was being charged at the time. Using the same power point, she was also charging her smartphone via the USB-style device.

“Investigators now suspect that the unapproved and non-compliant USB style charger charging the smart phone had failed, and may have caused the (deadly) shock,” the briefing said.

“Fair Trading investigators are working closely with NSW Police investigating Ms Aldeguer’s death for the State Coroner. The causes of Ms Aldeguer’s death will be determined by the Coroner and should not be referred to in public statements at this time”.

However, it went on to say that “due to the large number” of unapproved and non-compliant USB style chargers in the market place, “it is timely to issue a media release alerting the public to the risk”.

Mr Stowe acted on the ­advice and Fair Trading ­issued a “safety alert” that evening, with the knowledge of Mr Mason-Cox’s office.

Premier Mike Baird and Fair Trading Minister Matthew Mason-Cox have refused to say what Mr Stowe’s status is.

In it Mr Stowe warned “consumers about the potentially fatal risk of using non-compliant USB style chargers following the recent death of a consumer where an unapproved USB charger was ­potentially implicated”.

So where is the proof Mr Stowe knew nine days earl-ier? And, despite repeated ­denials of Mr Stowe having been sacked, the commissioner’s office in Haymarket has been swept of his personal effects.

Officially, Mr Stowe is on “leave”. The last time he was away, holidaying overseas, an impromptu investigation into his office was established. It is not known what, if anything, was unearthed.

The Telegraph understands there are deep divisions within the department about how it should be structured, what it should focus on and how it should communicate with the public.

It is also struggling with having had three different ministers since December.

Mr Stowe would not comment when contacted by The Daily Telegraph.

Mr Mason-Cox’s spokeswoman said: “The Minister has no further comment to make on this matter.”