Consumer policy under the new Government

Speaking at the  National Consumer  Congress the Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs, the Hon Chris Bowen MP discussed the current policy debates of developing truly national approaches to Australia’s consumer policy framework.

His comments included:

• increasing meetings of the Ministerial Council on Consumer Affairs to twice a year to progress reforms and clear any bottlenecks to those reforms that will benefit consumers.
• the need to ensure that any regulation is well focussed and will deal with the mischief we are trying to fix – without creating an undue burden for those businesses which are doing the right thing.
• increasing use of a range of tools designed to assist consumers in being more effective – like education, awareness and better information provision – and tools that can encourage improvements in supplier behaviour – such as codes of conduct, standards and accreditation.
• The Government is committed to introduce the necessary amendments regulating cartel conduct within 12 months of taking office.
• the harmonisation and review of the existing mandatory product safety standards and bans.
• He also discussed grocery prices, petrol prices, bank switching and the Productivity Comnmission's upcoming report on consumer policy.