Page 2501 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 9 August 2016
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changes and built on the best practice framework for gender recognition that already existed in the territory.
Members would be aware that much of the work in the Australian consumer law space is work which occurs with interstate colleagues. In this role, I advocated for changes to improve the standards for labelling of free range eggs. A national information standard will be developed to improve the labelling of free range eggs. This will assist consumers in understanding what they are purchasing. This will lead to better welfare outcomes for chickens. On behalf of the ACT, I advocated for a stronger standard than the one that was ultimately adopted by the ministerial council.
Nationally, as part of the Consumer Affairs Forum, the ACT has also been contributing to the review of the Australian consumer law, which affects all consumers and traders in the ACT, and the development of an information standard for country of origin food labelling.
As part of the Consumer Affairs Forum, I have also given my endorsement to a number of strategies that seek to benefit the ACT and Australian community. The national strategy for improving the safety of button batteries will commence later this year, with Access Canberra participating in this compliance and consumer awareness activity.
The ingestion of button batteries is a significant health hazard to our children. Based on the figures provided to Access Canberra, it is estimated that across Australia 20 children per week present to an emergency department because they have ingested or inserted a button battery. Of these, five will be injured as a result. Children under five years old are considered to be most at risk. In 2015, a Queensland coronial investigation concluded that ingestion of a button battery led to the death of a four-year-old child. Another investigation into the death of a fourteen-month-old toddler is still under way in Victoria.
Preventing injuries to vulnerable consumers is a priority and the ACT government supports the one-law, multiple-regulator model of the Australian consumer law as it provides an effective basis for strengthening coordinated national actions that benefit Australian consumers. Ensuring compliance with the broad suite of consumer protection law is pivotal to consumer wellbeing. Access Canberra undertakes a range of proactive compliance activities to engage with and to educate businesses about their consumer law obligations.
Over the past year, Access Canberra has engaged with the motor vehicle sale and repair industry to provide compliance advice and guidance. Consumer protection and electrical safety inspectors have visited a number of retailers to ensure that electrical products offered for sale meet mandatory safety standards and to provide information about the importance of selling compliant goods. Three hundred and fifty four products have been inspected, from lamps to heaters, battery chargers and USB chargers. Overall compliance rates were high, which is a very positive outcome. Access Canberra has also focused on advertising representations within the building and construction trades industry. The aim of this activity was to ensure the legitimacy
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