The Minister for Financial Services & Regulation, Joe Hockey, today launched a free information resource which provides rural Australians with consumer information from a range of Government agencies.
Country Focus: Consumer Information for Rural Australians will help rural consumers by bringing together resources of Government departments and agencies for Australians living outside cities.
Compiled by the Department of the Treasury, participating departments and agencies include the Australian Taxation Office, Centrelink, the Department of Health and Aged Care, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
"Wherever we live, we need relevant and reliable consumer information,'' the Minister said. "This is especially the case for rural Australians the greater the distance from shops, businesses and government offices, the greater the challenges to participating in the marketplace."
Country Focus provides information on the agencies and organisations that help consumers when they have a complaint. It also includes a value for money checklist, a guide to shopping from home, and information on issues such as good money management, accessing health services, identifying consumer scams and product safety.
"Rural Australians often miss out on resources to help them deal with issues as consumers. Country Focus, which will be widely distributed throughout regional Australia to organisations working with consumers, will help fill that gap."
Some of the information in Country Focus will also be made available soon on the Consumers Online website (www.consumersonline.gov.au).
"As a result of Government departments working together, we have produced a very comprehensive resource that will be of great benefit to country people," the Minister said.
For copies of Country Focus call 02 6263 3024 or email consumer.affairs@treasury.gov.au