MR O’BRIEN ASKED THE MINISTER FOR TOURISM AND FAIR TRADING (MR LAWLOR) —
QUESTION:
Will the Minister advise what work his department is doing to educate my constituents about consumer issues?
ANSWER:
I thank the Member for the question. Representatives from the Office of Fair Trading visited several communities in the Cook Electorate from 19 to 29 April 2010. The Office of Fair Trading’s road show brings consumer information and advice to rural and remote communities.
Fair Trading staff conducted several free public presentations in Bamaga, Cooktown and Weipa, covering important consumer issues such as refunds, using warranties, signing up for credit, hiring products, avoiding scams, buying a second hand car and dealing with door-to-door traders.
Attendees at the information sessions had an opportunity to gain clarification of consumer issues and to lodge a complaint if they had consumer issues with which they required assistance. The road show helps Fair Trading highlight its role to communities, listen to people's concerns and gather information that might otherwise go unreported.
Presentations for local businesses and Incorporated Associations were also held in Weipa and Cooktown.
Officers also visited schools and Community Justice Groups in Injinoo, Umagico, New Mapoon, Seisia, Hope Vale, Wujal Wujal, Mapoon and Napranum. School visits helped students in the Cook Electorate gain a greater understanding of their rights in the marketplace and teach them important budgeting and money management skills. The visits also helped promote the Office of Fair Trading’s Buy Smart competition aimed at enhancing young people’s consumer and financial skills and knowledge.
Remote communities can be at greater risk of being caught out on consumer issues due to their isolation and reduced choices in their local marketplaces. These community visits provide extra support and information for people in the Cook Electorate so they know what to do and where to go for help.
The Bligh Government has also recently entered into a partnership with the Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network (ICAN). ICAN deploys specially trained officers into a number of remote Indigenous communities throughout
Cape York. The officers are available to discuss the concerns of locals and advise them on their consumer rights and where to go for help. This partnership has already reaped rewards for Far North Queensland consumers after a door-to-door trader agreed to cancel 800 contracts and pay back more than $13,000 to affected consumers.
The Bligh Government, through the Office of Fair Trading, is funding ICAN for two years as part of a broader Indigenous Strategy. The ‘Know Your Rights’ campaign includes a radio and newspaper advertising campaign and specialised information on the Fair Trading website for Indigenous consumers.
The Cairns regional Office of Fair Trading delivers fair trading services to the constituents of the Cook electorate. Last financial year the Cairns office completed 562 consumer complaints, undertook 215 proactive visits to businesses, commenced 71 enforcement actions and obtained consumers more than $228,000 in redress. In addition the Cairns office also provides information and advice to consumers and traders through education sessions and conducts presentations at schools.
As with all Queenslanders, consumers and businesses in the Cook Electorate have access to the Office of Fair Trading’s website at www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au. The website contains extensive information on consumer and business rights and responsibilities.
