John Lenders MLC Minister for Consumer Affairs

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CAVS CONSUMER PROTECTION STRATEGY FOR THE
COMMONWEALTH GAMES
Tanya Sewards Corporate Programs
Coordination Consumer Affairs Victoria
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Consumer Affairs in context

• Goal To protect promote the interests of
  consumers, particularly the vulnerable
  disadvantaged, to do so in the context of
  making markets work better
• Target issues affecting vulnerable
  disadvantaged consumers
• Quickly identify emerging issues take action
• Efficient effective interventions

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Framework of Protection

• General protection
• framework
• Fair Trading Act
• Business Names Act
• Consumer Credit Act
• Trade Measurement Act
• Cooperatives Act
• Associations Incorporation Act
• Subdivisions Act (bodies corporate)

• Protections relating to
• particular goods or
• services
• Estate Agents Act
• Motor Car Traders Act
• Second-Hand Dealers Pawnbrokers
• Liquor Control Reform Act
• Prostitution Control Act
• Introduction Agents Act
• Domestic Building Act
• Residential Tenancies Act

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Core business functions

• Provide information advice to consumers,
  traders, tenants and landlords on their rights,
  responsibilities and changes to the law
• Seek to reduce disputes between consumers and
  traders
• Licensing and business registration
• Promote and ensure compliance with consumer laws
• Ensure the regulatory framework is effective

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Regional Compliance and Enforcement Exercises
2004/05
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Structure of CAV

• Melbourne central office / call centre
• Five regional offices
• Geelong plus Warrnambool
• Ballarat
• Bendigo plus Mildura
• Wangaratta
• Morwell
• Each Regional Office will operate a mobile
  service to each local government area
• Contracts with community based agencies in each
  rural region and the metropolitan area to deliver
  face to face support and assistance at VCAT

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Regional services

• Information
• Dispute Resolution
• Community Education and Awareness

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Why a strategy for the Commonwealth Games?

• Promote Victoria as a fair and economically
  efficient state to tourists and business by
• Preventing and eliminating unfair trading
  practices to ensure effective competition
• Raising awareness of Victorias consumer
  protection framework
• Providing immediate assistance to tourists and
  consumers who may have a consumer problem

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Key elements of the Strategy

• Eight key elements driving the Strategy
• National commitment to the Games
• Research and data analysis
• Promoting consumer rights
• Overseeing marketplace activities
• Strategic responses to identified issues
• Resolving problems
• Responding to diversity and vulnerability
• Reflecting on experience

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Focus of the Strategy

• Awareness raising activities to ensure that
  visitors to Victoria and all Commonwealth Games
  attendees understand their rights as consumers
• Providing a quick and effective enquiries and
  complaint resolution process for consumers that
  are seeking advice or may have a problem
• Preventing unfair trading practices from emerging
  in the marketplace and
• Addressing any unfair practices using a range of
  enforcement options.

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Promoting consumer rights

• Consumer education
• Trader education
• Raise awareness of CAVs role among other
  agencies, local governments, volunteers etc to
  refer complaints

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Resolving complaints

• Call centre with officers trained to handle
  possible Games-related events
• Referral processes with other Government agencies
  and ADRs
• Fast-track problems that cannot be resolved
  quickly to VCAT
• Coordination with other M2006, police and other
  officers (Local government, security officers
  etc) to respond quickly

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Overseeing marketplace activities

• Active monitoring of trading conduct in key
  tourist areas Melbourne regional areas
• Covering Internet and classifieds ads (ebay)
• Product safety inspections of authorised
  products, souvenirs and trinkets
• Inspect trade measurement equipment and devices -
  M2006 caterers and other venues
• Responsible serving and monitoring compliance by
  licensed venues

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Enforcement

• Using a range of enforcement options
• Seizing goods
• Warnings
• Enforceable undertakings
• Injunctions
• Prosecutions

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Why we are talking to you

• Raise consumer awareness
• Raise your awareness and improve understanding of
  consumer legislation among the tourism industry
• Assist in referrals on fair trading issues

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Linking with other CAV strategies and activities

• Refunds strategy
• Unfair contract terms
• Inbound tourism