Australian politician links Irish accent to scammers

An Australian politician who launched an anti-scam campaign has apologised after she warned the public to “automatically” refuse people with Irish accents entry to their homes.

Marlene Kairouz, minister for consumer affairs in the Victorian government, admitted she “delivered her message poorly”, when launching the ‘Say No To Travelling Con Men’ campaign on Monday.

The campaign warns of the dangers of door-to-door tradesmen who offer cheap deals, and who pressure people to pay cash upfront, before disappearing and leaving behind unfinished or poor quality work.