Model consumer submission in response to Productivity Commission Draft Report on Australia’s Consumer Policy Framework

A range of consumer groups met in January 2008 to discuss the Productivity Commission’s Draft Report of its Review of Australia’s Consumer Policy Framework and its recommendations. This submission represents the collective views of those groups on a number of key areas of the Draft Report. The groups involved in the preparation of the submission were: Care Inc Financial Counselling Service, CHOICE, Consumer Action Law Centre, Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), WACOSS, Consumers’ Telecommunications Network, Consumer Credit Legal Centre (NSW), Australian Federation of Disability Organisations and the Centre for Credit and Consumer Law at Griffith University. The key issues addressed are policy development and legislation. The submission also provides support for a number of recommendations and identifies areas in which further work is needed to ensure effective consumer protection.