Yesterday the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, the Hon. ChrisPearce, in his capacity as Chair of the Ministerial Council on Consumer Affairs (MCCA), along with Mr Len Kiely MLA (on behalf of Northern Territory Minister for Justice and Attorney-General, the Hon. Peter Toyne MLA) and the Western Australian Minister for Consumer and Employment Protection, the Hon. JohnKobelke, launched the National Indigenous Consumer Strategy – Taking Action, Gaining Trust – in the First Australians Gallery at the National Museum of Australia.
Taking Action, Gaining Trust aims to improve Indigenous consumers’ knowledge of their rights and obligations under consumer protection laws and achieve greater access to consumer protection programmes; improve the behaviour of traders in the marketplace, through education and compliance activity that will reduce detriment experienced by Indigenous consumers; and promote effective engagement and partnership between consumer protection agencies, Indigenous organisations, business and other government agencies to improve consumer outcomes for Indigenous people.
“Taking Action, Gaining Trust is an important initiative that recognises the need for change in the way consumer protection agencies interact with Indigenous consumers,” Mr Pearce said.
The strategy provides a framework for agencies to share information and education materials, to collaborate in the enforcement of consumer rights and to coordinate research and policy development.
“All Australians deserve to have confidence that the market is safe, reliable and efficient. Moreover, we as governments are collectively committed to any program that can help educate Australians about their rights in an ever changing world,” Mr Pearce said.
The strategy identifies eight national priorities for action and it is anticipated that a reference group, including non-government Indigenous representatives, will oversee its implementation. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) also will be involved in implementing the strategy.
Copies of the strategy will be available online at www.consumer.gov.au or from state and territory offices of fair trading.
2 September 2005, Canberra
Contact: Gillian Harvey (02) 6277 2088, (03) 9887 3890, 0411 567 060