A new tool has been launched to help people from non-English speaking backgrounds understand their rights as consumers under the new Australian Consumer Law, said Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, David Bradbury, at the beginning of World Consumer Rights Day.
Mr Bradbury joined Member for Calwell, Maria Vamvakinou, in Broadmeadows to announce that from today, there will be versions of the Your Shopping Rights fact sheet available in 29 community languages.
Mr Bradbury said that under the Australian Consumer Law, which began 1 January 2011, consumers had clear rights that were now applied consistently around the country and it is important that people have the information they need to understand those rights.
"The Australian Consumer Law gives consumers clarity and certainty about their rights when dealing with businesses.
"In January this year I released a fact sheet for consumers called Your Shopping Rights, which tells consumers about the key rights they have when they buy goods and services. Today I'm pleased to be able to release versions of Your Shopping Rights in 29 community languages.
"Every person in Australia is entitled to know that under the Australian Consumer Law they have rights to things like consumer guarantees that guarantee the quality of goods and services, no matter whether the product was purchased at home, interstate or online.
"Your Shopping Rights gives consumers – whether they speak English, Mandarin, Dinka, Spanish or Croatian – practical information about their rights and where to go if they have questions or concerns.
Member for Calwell, Maria Vamvakinou said that as a former language teacher, she was particularly excited that the fact sheet will be available in different languages.
"Languages other than English have an important role in Australian society as we are a multilingual community. Our language capacity is one of our greatest strengths and should be reflected in our daily activities," she said.
"There are now a wide range of information tools available to consumers, including an iPhone app, that will help them understand their rights, and I am pleased that we can now also make these tools available in a large number of commonly-spoken community languages," said Mr Bradbury.
World Consumer Rights Day also marks 75 days since the start of the Australian Consumer Law, which commenced on 1 January 2011.
"Through the efforts of Australia's governments, every State and Territory now has the same consumer laws, and these laws apply to every business in Australia in the same way. This is a major win for consumers and significantly cuts down on red tape for businesses operating in more than one State and Territory," said Mr Bradbury.
"I am pleased that our national, state and territory consumer agencies have made a great start in jointly educating and informing Australian consumers and businesses about the ACL, and are taking robust enforcement action against those who breach it."
If consumers encounter any problems when dealing with goods and services supplied by a business, they should contact their State or Territory's fair trading office, or the ACCC on 1300 302 502.
To download a copy of the Your Shopping Rights fact sheet, or for more information on the ACL, go to www.consumerlaw.gov.au.
15 March 2011