22 December 1999

Consultation Extended on E-Commerce Consumer Model

The Minister for Financial Services & Regulation, Joe Hockey, today extended the consultation period for: Building Consumer Confidence in Electronic Commerce: A Best Practice Model for Business and issued a revised draft of the document.

"I am committed to developing Australia as a centre of excellence in the area of consumer protection and electronic commerce, " the Minister said.

"The Best Practice Model builds on the OECD Guidelines for Consumer Protection in the Context of Electronic Commerce and will provide guidance to Australian businesses."

Following an extensive first round of national consultation, which involved workshops and written submissions, the Minister’s Expert Group on Electronic Commerce, revised the draft Best Practice Model. It is this document which is the subject of further consultations.

"In order for the document to truly represent ‘best practice’ it is important that we receive the views of as wide a range of business and consumer representatives as possible.

"For this reason, I have decided to seek further comment on the practicality of adopting the Best Practice Model."

The second round of consultation will involve a limited number of workshops in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra.

A copy of the revised Best Practice Model, together with further information about the workshops and written submissions, is available at www.treasury.gov.au/ecommerce