Australian consumers are marking the 50th anniversary of World Consumer Rights Day today, said Assistant Treasurer, David Bradbury.
"Today marks the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's speech to the US Congress in which he spoke about the need for consumer rights to be enshrined in public policy, a day which has since come to be known as World Consumer Rights Day," said Mr. Bradbury.
"The Gillard Government is committed to a strong and robust consumer law framework.
"We introduced the Australian Consumer Law, the biggest reform to our consumer law in a generation.
"The Australian Consumer Law replaced 20 separate State and Territory laws with a single, national law.
"This means that no matter where you are in Australia, you have access to the same rights as a consumer.
"This includes a national system for product safety enforcement and new laws to protect consumers from unfair terms in standard consumer contracts.
"The Australian Consumer Law also provides statutory consumer guarantees that apply to consumer goods and services and certain purchases made by businesses up to the value of $40,000.
"The Australian Consumer Law is also backed up by strong enforcement from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and fair trading agencies in each State and Territory.
"Using its new powers under the Australian Consumer Law, the ACCC has already secured penalties of more than $11 million against businesses that have breached the law.
"Through the Australian Consumer Law, the Gillard Government will continue its commitment to having effective consumer protection laws to provide consumers with clear rights that are backed up with strong enforcement."