Today, the Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs, Chris Bowen MP, announced the appointment of new members to the Commonwealth Consumer Affairs Advisory Council (CCAAC).
"I am pleased to announce the appointments of Mr Colin Neave, Ms Carolyn Bond, Professor Stephen Corones, Ms Deborah Healey, Mr Michael Malone, Ms Robynne Quiggin, Mr Ray Steinwall and Mr Gordon Renouf to the Commonwealth Consumer Affairs Advisory Council," Mr Bowen said.
"The Commonwealth Consumer Affairs Advisory Council will play an important consultative role as we work towards a single, national generic consumer law over coming months.
"I will be consulting the Council on their views on the key recommendations of the Productivity Commission's comprehensive Review of Australia's Consumer Policy Framework, which will be of major benefit in the lead up to the next Ministerial Council on Consumer Affairs meeting on 15 August 2008.
"In preparing a wide range of important consumer law reforms over the coming years, the government will need to draw on the knowledge and experience of experts on consumer issues, covering policy development and analysis, business, law and economics."
In making these appointments, Minister Bowen has refocused CCAAC's operations to appoint a smaller number of members providing expert consumer policy advice. CCAAC will have eight members drawn from across Australia who represent a diversity of expertise.
"In making these changes I want to address the Productivity's Commission's recent recommendation that the operations of CCAAC should be enhanced through ensuring that the Council has members who have consumer policy expertise and bring a national perspective to its advisory functions," Mr Bowen said.
"I have re-appointed Mr Colin Neave AM as the chair of CCAAC. Mr Neave brings a wealth of public policy experience to this role, through his experience as a senior public servant, Banking and Financial Services Ombudsman and lawyer.
"I thank the previous members of CCAAC, who showed a public-spirited willingness to give the benefits of their expertise to the previous minister responsible for consumer affairs.
"I look forward to working closely with the new members of CCAAC to further the interests of Australian consumers."