Consumer Affairs Victoria
Consumer Affairs Victoria can help consumers and businesses become aware of their rights and responsibilities as a consumer or trader, through access to advisory services, public information programs, and magazines and brochures written in plain English; register or license a business or find out who is registered; assist consumers in buying safe products by monitoring industry and developing standards for product safety. CAV also develops codes of practice for industry, resolve disputes between traders and consumers by informing parties of their rights and directing them to the appropriate legal channels if required. CAV can also prosecute a trader where there is evidence of a breach of the law. The Office also draws the government's attention to marketplace issues and assists the government to implement its legislative program.
ACT Office of Fair Trading (OFT)
The ACT Office of Fair Trading is located within the Policy and Regulatory Division of the ACT Department of Justice and Community Safety. The Policy & Regulatory Division balances competing rights and interests to protect the interests of the Territory and its residents by improving community safety and access to justice, and by promoting fair dealing and safety in the marketplace. The core services provided by the ACT OFT are: provision of policy advice, legislation - scrutiny, framing, developing and explaining, ministerial services, regulation of industry, enforcement and compliance - consumer rights and industry regulation, freedom of information on behalf of the ACT Government, consumer complaints resolution, education and information, representation and liaison - boards and committees, and community consultation.
NT Office of Fair Trading
Office of Fair Trading - The office of Consumer and Business Affairs administers consumer protection and fair trading legislation in the Northern Territory. The office deals with Territory fair trading issues as well as one on one disputes between consumers and traders, depending on the circumstances.
NSW Office of Fair Trading
As the consumer protection agency in New South Wales, the Office of Fair Trading works to assist consumers in resolving a wide range of issues. In doing so, it also advises traders on fair and ethical practice, registers businesses and promotes co-operatives, provides occupational licensing and maintains product safety and standards.
QLD Office of Fair Trading
The Office of Fair Trading promotes the existence of a fair and ethical marketplace within the community. In creating an equitable, informed, and safe marketplace, Fair Trading works to increase business and consumer confidence, which should result in improved economic performance. The Office's key activities include: maintaining fair trading legislation, ensuring businesses operate responsibly, through checking compliance with fair trading standards and legislation (including consumer product safety and trade measurement), providing access to appropriate redress by consumer and regulation of improper trader behaviour, providing customer oriented registration, licensing and trade measurement standards services, resolving disputes, investigating complaints, and carrying out audits, and providing access to information, advice and education on fair trading matters for business and consumers.
SA Office of Consumer and Business Affairs
OCBA's mission is to regulate the trading environment in which consumers buy to ensure they are confident that they will be treated fairly when buying goods or services. The Office of Consumer and Business Affairs has six main branches that provide a service to the general public, namely: Consumer Affairs (includes Trade Measurement and Product Safety), Business and Occupational Services, Corporate Affairs and Compliance (includes Business Names, Associations and Co-operatives), Births, Deaths and Marriages, Tenancies (includes Residential, Retail, Bonds and support to the Residential Tenancies Tribunal), and Education and Information Services.
TAS Consumer Affairs & Fair Trading
The Office of Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading provides advice and information to the public and business operators on matters affecting the interests of consumers. Potential breaches of legislation administered by the Office are investigated. The Office also provides enforcement of product safety standards. It also participates in national moves towards greater uniformity in standards and legislation between all jurisdictions. Public awareness material is produced and distributed to promote compliance with the requirements of legislation. The Office also administers the Weights and Measures Act 1934, is a Verifying Authority under the Commonwealth National Measurement Act 1960 and provides the calibration and traceability of measurements used for technical, scientific, trade, legal and quality assurance purposes.
WA Department of Consumer and Employment Protection
'The formation of the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection (DOCEP) on 1 July 2001 brought together three Western Australian Government agencies: the Ministry of Fair Trading, the Department of Productivity & Labour Relations and WorkSafe Western Australia. The new department has five divisions: Consumer Protection, Labour Relations, WorkSafe, Strategy, and Corporate Services. DOCEP’s purpose is to create a trading environment that protects consumers. DOCEP provides information so consumers and traders can exercise their rights and meet their obligations. DOCEP also reviews laws regulating the trading marketplace. Laws relating to consumer protection are monitored and enforced by DOCEP.
