Ms LAWRIE - 2003-08-20
Could you please update the House on what is being done to inform consumers and business people about consumer rights and responsibilities?
ANSWER
I thank the member for her question. It is fair to say the consumer affairs area has been transformed since the Martin government came to power. We now have an Office of Consumer Affairs and a commissioner who is able to take strong and appropriate action against any business or individual who is actively subverting the rights of consumers. We now have a Consumer Affairs Council that is very proactive, very talented, and is getting out and starting to align the work of the Office of Consumer Affairs to the needs they are seeing out in the Territory community. We now lead the nation, both formally and in spirit, with the development of a whole new raft of activity in indigenous consumer affairs.
Following on the statement I made in this House earlier this year, today we had the absolute pleasure of opening the NT Consumers Summit for 2003. Over 100 people were at the venue, and every significant group that would have an interest in developing and settling these issues was in attendance. I found it very stimulating, because each event that we have had in furthering consumer affairs issues seems to be getting stronger and more enthusiastic, and I really welcome that, because it is the community that is ultimately going to drive this.
The summit is jointly hosted by our Office of Consumer Affairs, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and the Australian Securities Investment Commission. Under the theme, ‘Rights: responsibilities and the way forward’, speakers will provide valuable information for consumers and businesses on issues such as the role of the Australian Consumers Association and how it can help NT consumers; dispute resolution and insights into understanding dissatisfied customers; indigenous consumer expectations; and dealing productively with complaints. This is the first time a summit like this has been held in the Northern Territory, and consumers, traders, customer service officers and retailers were all there getting into the proceedings.
With our geographic isolation, the Territory is sometimes prey to unscrupulous dealers, and our unique population make-up means that retailers and other businesses need to be skilled in dealing with a wide range of people.
I look forward to the outcomes of the summit today, when they report back. I made it very clear that, not only will consumers in the Northern Territory gain from the insights that we are getting and the initiatives that are being launched at the moment, but our businesses also will. The work that we have done to date in the area of motor trading has actually repaired and protected the reputation of motor traders in the Northern Territory. Far from putting any one of the legitimate people under attack, we have actually supported their industry.
ANSWER
I thank the member for her question. It is fair to say the consumer affairs area has been transformed since the Martin government came to power. We now have an Office of Consumer Affairs and a commissioner who is able to take strong and appropriate action against any business or individual who is actively subverting the rights of consumers. We now have a Consumer Affairs Council that is very proactive, very talented, and is getting out and starting to align the work of the Office of Consumer Affairs to the needs they are seeing out in the Territory community. We now lead the nation, both formally and in spirit, with the development of a whole new raft of activity in indigenous consumer affairs.
Following on the statement I made in this House earlier this year, today we had the absolute pleasure of opening the NT Consumers Summit for 2003. Over 100 people were at the venue, and every significant group that would have an interest in developing and settling these issues was in attendance. I found it very stimulating, because each event that we have had in furthering consumer affairs issues seems to be getting stronger and more enthusiastic, and I really welcome that, because it is the community that is ultimately going to drive this.
The summit is jointly hosted by our Office of Consumer Affairs, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and the Australian Securities Investment Commission. Under the theme, ‘Rights: responsibilities and the way forward’, speakers will provide valuable information for consumers and businesses on issues such as the role of the Australian Consumers Association and how it can help NT consumers; dispute resolution and insights into understanding dissatisfied customers; indigenous consumer expectations; and dealing productively with complaints. This is the first time a summit like this has been held in the Northern Territory, and consumers, traders, customer service officers and retailers were all there getting into the proceedings.
With our geographic isolation, the Territory is sometimes prey to unscrupulous dealers, and our unique population make-up means that retailers and other businesses need to be skilled in dealing with a wide range of people.
I look forward to the outcomes of the summit today, when they report back. I made it very clear that, not only will consumers in the Northern Territory gain from the insights that we are getting and the initiatives that are being launched at the moment, but our businesses also will. The work that we have done to date in the area of motor trading has actually repaired and protected the reputation of motor traders in the Northern Territory. Far from putting any one of the legitimate people under attack, we have actually supported their industry.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016