After a week of absence and confusion, the NSW government said Fair Trading Commissioner Rod Stowe had "returned from leave".
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Mr Stowe told Fairfax Media that he was sitting behind his desk and that he was back to his regular duties. "It's business as usual," he said.
His return comes after a week of scrutiny into the mysterious absence of the long-standing commissioner, who has served the Fair Trading department for 23 years.
Rumours emerged he had been sacked on Friday night. Fair Trading Minister Matthew Mason-Cox repeatedly dismissed the reports, insisting Mr Stowe was "on leave". He refused to answer questions on the nature and circumstances of the leave.
But today he said in a statement: "I am pleased to confirm Commissioner for Fair Trading Rod Stowe has today returned from leave. I had a few questions regarding communications between NSW Fair Trading and my office and wanted to ensure that this was running smoothly."
He was confident these had been addressed, he said.
A senior departmental source told Fairfax Media that Mr Stowe had indeed been sacked last Friday and that his Parramatta office had been swept of his possessions.
On Thursday morning he was back on duty.
"I'm pleased to be back behind the desk to continue doing the job the people of NSW want me to do. I am certainly undertaking my duties as I would always, and it's business as usual," he said.
Fairfax Media reported earlier this week that Premier Mike Baird had given Mr Mason-Cox a “tongue-lashing” for not being as active in the media as Mr Stowe had been in alerting the public to dangerous electrical goods.
Mr Stowe had been at the forefront of the campaign to alert the public about faulty USB chargers after Sheryl Anne Aldeguer, 28, was electrocuted in April. He spearheaded the media blitz and orchestrated raids on NSW retailers spruiking unapproved products.
Mr Baird refused to answer questions on whether he had expressed dissatisfaction about the news strategy to Mr Mason-Cox, instead saying he "had full confidence in the minister".
Mr Mason-Cox is the third fair trading minister in eight months. He said John Tansey has been appointed as the acting commissioner of Fair Trading "in accordance with usual practice when the commissioner is on leave".
The day Mr Stowe was reportedly sacked, two senior spokeswomen in the media unit went on stress leave.
The Fair Trading Department has failed to issue any of its usual daily warnings on products and services for more than five days.
On Wednesday, Mr Mason-Cox refused three requests for an interview to discuss the growing furore over his department's handling of the death of Ms Aldeguer on the central coast.
