tasha1188 said:
i have a legal assessment its hand in wit a length of 2000-2500 wrds n yeh its pretty annoying coz like i dunno wat to write n stuf the question is:
Consider the factors needed to assess the effectiveness of Consumer Law and evaluate whether the current legal controls effectively protect the consumers
so like im not sure if im meant to tlk about the issues that consumers face like the use of credit, advertising etc etc...n e help
legal controls:
a) State [NSW]:
* NSW Government home page
www.nsw.gov.au
* Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC)
www.icac.nsw.gov.au
Exposes and minimises corruption in the NSW public sector through
investigation, corruption prevention and education This site is part of the ICAC's
educational role. Information here is particularly relevant to those working in or
dealing with the NSW public sector.
* Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal of NSW (IPART)
www.ipart.nsw.gov.au
Sets maximum prices and undertakes pricing reviews of monopoly services
supplied by NSW government agencies. It regulates natural gas pricing and third
party access to gas networks; undertakes general reviews of industry, pricing or
competition; registers agreements for access to public infrastructure assets and
arbitrates disputes about such agreements.
* LawAccess Online
www.lawaccess.nsw.gov.au
Provides quick and easy access to plain language legal information (including
resources in community languages) and related assistance services in NSW. A
legal topic index can be used to find resources on different areas of the law such
as family law, drink driving and domestic violence. Resources can be searched by
language, keyword and other methods.
* Motor Vehicle Repair Industry Authority (MVRIA)
www.mvria.nsw.gov.au
A NSW government statutory authority, its main purposes are the licensing of
motor vehicle repairer businesses, the certification of tradespeople working in
repair businesses, the promotion of improvements in the standard of motor vehicle
repair work and the settlement of disputes between motor vehicle owners and
repairers.
* Office of Industrial Relations
www.industrialrelations.nsw.gov.au
The Office provides information about industrial relations issues such as award
wages and working conditions.
* WorkCover
www.workcover.nsw.gov.au
WorkCover NSW manages the State's workplace safety, injury management, and
workers compensation systems.
b) Federal:
* Commonwealth Government
www.fed.gov.au
* Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)
www.accc.gov.au
An independent statutory authority, the Commission administers the Trade
Practices Act 1974 and the Prices Surveillance Act 1983 and has additional
responsibilities under other legislation.
* Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)
www.asic.gov.au
Ensures fair play in business, protects investors and consumers, prevents
corporate crime and helps Australia's business reputation. Formerly called
the Australian Securities Commission.
* Commonwealth Ombudsman - Australia
www.comb.gov.au
Investigates complaints about Commonwealth government departments' and
agencies' actions to see if they are unlawful, wrong, unjust or discriminatory.
* Consumers online
www.consumersonline.gov.au
The Commonwealth Government's one-stop-shop for consumer protection in
Australia.
* Dept. of the Treasury. Competition and Consumer Policy Division
www.treasury.gov.au/content/consumer_affairs.asp?ContentID=270&titl=Consu
mer%20Policy
Ensures consumers' interests and rights are recognised and accepted in Australia.
It is also responsible for the implementation of service charters, consumer law,
product safety, consumer policy and consumer information.
* ipaustralia
www.ipaustralia.gov.au
Responsible for granting rights in patents, trademarks and designs in Australia.
* Ministerial Council on Consumer Affairs
www.consumer.gov.au
The Council consists of all Commonwealth, State, Territory and New Zealand
Ministers responsible for fair trading, consumer protection laws, trade
measurement and credit laws. Its role is to consider consumer affairs and fair
trading matters of strategic national significance and, where appropriate, develop
a consistent approach within the framework of an agreed Strategic National
Consumer Affairs Agenda.
* National Competition Council
www.ncc.gov.au
The Council administers some aspects of the National Competition Policy (NCP)
reforms, assesses governments' progress in implementing the reforms, advises on
areas where more work is needed and provides public information on the NCP
process generally.
* National Consumer Credit Code
www.creditcode.gov.au
In response to business and consumer concerns, the Consumer Credit Code was
developed as a national initiative to standardise credit practice in Australia.
* National Standards Commission
www.nsc.gov.au
Responsible for advising Government on the scientific, technical and legislative
requirements of Australia's national measurement system, and has specific
responsibilities for coordinating the national measurement system, ensuring that
trade measurement instruments comply with international and national legal
metrology standards, and for the completion of metrication.
* Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner
www.privacy.gov.au
Their purpose is to promote an Australian culture that respects privacy. The
Office has responsibilities under the federal Privacy Act 1988 and provides
information to individuals about their privacy rights, and to Commonwealth and
ACT government agencies, credit providers, credit reporting agenices, and private
sector organisations, on how to comply with the Privacy Act and related
legislation. The Office also issues guidelines to promote best practice in privacy
standards and principles, investigates complaints, and conducts audits.
* Product Recalls Australia
www.recalls.gov.au
Provides up-to-date information to consumers about product recalls and allows
information to be shared between regulators. Co-ordinated by the Consumer
Affairs Division of the Dept. of Treasury.
c) Non Government Organisations:
* Australian Consumers' Association (ACA)
www.choice.com.au
A non-profit, non-party political organisation, representing and
acting in consumers interests. They lobby and campaign on behalf of consumers
to promote their rights, to influence government policy, and to ensure consumer
issues have a high profile in the public arena. Publishes Choice magazine.
* Australian Privacy Foundation
www.privacy.org.au
Dedicated to protecting the privacy rights of Australians. The Foundation aims to
focus public attention on emerging issues which pose a threat to the freedom and
privacy of Australians. It works with consumer organisations, civil liberties
councils, professional associations and other community groups on specific
privacy issues.
* Australian Retailers Association (NSW)
www.ara.com.au
Supports the continuing and expanding success of the retail industry by: providing
a range of essential services; creating a climate for favourable attitudes towards
the industry; advancing retailing as a career; and adopting a lead role in the public
debate on issues affecting the industry.
* Baycorp Advantage
www.baycorpadvantage.com
A source of business intelligence for Australian and New Zealand. You can apply
for a copy of your credit file from this site - a fee applies for this service.
Formerly called Credit Advantage.
* Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW (EWON)
www.ewon.com.au
Provides an independent way of resolving customer complaints about electricity
suppliers in NSW, Sydney Water and AGL. It also provides information to
customers, community groups, industry bodies and other organisations. EWON is
the dispute resolution scheme approved by the Minister for Energy and operates
in accordance with the regulations under the NSW Electricity Supply Act.
* Financial and Consumer Rights Council (FCRC)
avoca.vicnet.net.au/~fcrc
A non-profit, membership-based organisation working to ensure that all people,
particularly low income and vulnerable consumers, have access to fair treatment
as consumers in the market place.
* Financial Counsellors Association of NSW (FCAN)
www.acwa.asn.au/fcan
A voluntary organisation made up of financial counsellors and credit advocates.
This website has been set up as a resource for both the public, community
workers and members of FCAN, to ensure that access to information about
financial problems is easily available to all via the internet.
* National Association of Community Legal Centres
www.naclc.org.au
Member organisations represent around 160 community legal centres nationally.
An index of all community legal centres in Australia is available.
* Private Health Insurance Ombudsman
www.phio.org.au
The main role of the Ombudsman is to provide private health insurance members
with an independent service for health insurance problems and enquiries.
Formerly known as the Private Health Insurance Complaints Commissioner.
* Real Estate Institute of NSW
www.rei.net.au
Information about REINSW services as well as other areas of interest such as
transactional advice, membership directory and careers in real estate.
* Society of Consumer Affairs Professionals (SOCAP)
www.socap.org.au
"Bringing consumer affairs professionals together
for the benefit of their organisations and their customers
through the commitment to quality, customer service,
choice, information and redress."
* Standards Australia
www.standards.com.au
Develops business and technical standards.
* NSW Tenants Union
www.tenants.org.au
The Tenants' Union is a specialist Community Legal Centre that aims to represent
the interests of all tenants in NSW. This includes private and public tenants,
boarders and lodgers and residential park residents.
* Travel Compensation Fund
www.tcf.org.au
Regulates travel agents, provides compensation to consumers, and ensures that
travel agents have and will continue to have sufficent financial resources to secure
the right to trade. Allows you to search for licensed travel agents in Australia.
* Wesley Mission Credit Line
www.wesleymission.org.au/centres/creditline
A supportive service which aims to maximise opportunities for people to obtain
information about financial systems and to develop skills in financial management
in such a way as to gain power over their economic lives.
* Whistleblowers Australia
www.whistleblowers.org.au
The goal of Whistleblowers Australia (WBA) is to help promote a society in
which it is possible to speak out without reprisal about corruption, dangers to the
public and other vital social issues, and to help those who speak out in this way to
help themselves.
