M-Commerce Comes Under Expert Group's Eye

The latest emerging trend in electronic purchasing - using mobile phones to buy seats at entertainment venues, for example - will be one area of e-commerce to be examined by the Federal Government's revamped E-commerce Expert Group.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, Senator Ian Campbell, said m-commerce was in its infancy in Australia, but was bound to take off as mobile phone capacities increased. It was already well underway in a number of countries overseas.

"With the introduction of advanced technology, consumers of mobile devices will be able to access content and services anytime, anywhere," he said.

"They will be able to access bank accounts and pay bills, trade on the stock exchange, buy tickets to the football or movies and so on. In England, for example, customers of one phone company can already browse the company's website via a mobile phone and buy wine, compact discs or appliances.

"What we have to address are consumer protection issues that will emerge from these developments. There are bound to be new marketing and selling techniques which will leave consumers vulnerable. Getting in front of these issues is a priority for the Expert Group."

Senator Campbell will discuss a range of e-commerce issues with the new-look group of leading industry and consumer professionals at its first meeting in Sydney tomorrow.

Chaired by the executive chairman of Wizard Financial Services, Mr Mark Bouris, the group has 12 members, three more than the foundation group appointed in 1999. Seven of the members are new (see attachment).

Senator Campbell said the Government's objective was to build a world-class consumer protection environment for electronic commerce in Australia.

"We want Australians to be at the forefront of global commerce both as online consumers and traders and Australia to gain a reputation as a centre of excellence in consumer protection in e-commerce," he said.

"It is the Expert Group's role to advise the Government how these objectives can be met."

He said the foundation group's main achievement was the development of a model for best practice in e-commerce based on OECD guidelines. When released two years ago, the Best Practice Model was one of the world's first self-regulatory responses to OECD guidelines on e-commerce. It has been adopted by a number of Australian businesses.

Senator Campbell said technology in e-commerce was advancing rapidly and it was time for the expert group to conduct an extensive review of the model to ensure business in Australia remained at the forefront of e-commerce developments.

The best practice model can be accessed on www.ecommerce.treasury.gov.au.

PERTH
13 March 2003

Contact: Wayne Grant 08 9421 1755 or 0407 845280

Membership of E-commerce Expert Group