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CONSUMER CLAIMS AMENDMENT BILL
Wednesday 28th November 2007
Rev Fred Nile, Leader of the Christian Democratic Party, has supported the ‘Consumer Claims Amendment Bill 2007’ in the NSW Upper House.
“The Christian Democratic Party supports the Consumer Claims Amendment Bill 2007. The bill will amend the Consumer Claims Act 1998 in line with the findings of the statutory review of the legislation conducted in 2005. We are pleased that the Government has introduced this legislation as it provides additional protection for the consumers of New South Wales, with access to certain remedies concerning the supply of goods and services and it makes provision for associated matters. It is one of a number of Acts that confers jurisdiction on the Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal. These amendments have arisen from the review of the Act that was conducted in 2005. The report found that while the policy objectives of the Act remain valid, improvements to the Act could be made in regard to a range of provisions including those relating to its objectives, its definitions, its jurisdiction in respect of consumer claims and orders able to be made by the tribunal”, Rev Fred Nile stated in Parliament.
“The review recommended that the tribunal's monetary jurisdictional limit be increased to $30,000. This is an important amendment because of the value of items that consumers are currently purchasing. This provision was implemented when the Consumer Claims Regulation was made on 1 September 2007. I am still getting complaints from consumers who are very unhappy with the gap that seems to be in the system when it comes to complaints about building companies. A building company supplies them with a house. They are the consumers but they find it difficult to get justice. The Government should ensure that consumers with genuine complaints about faulty construction receive quick and suitable redress of those wrongs, and even compensation. We have had increasing complaints about imported items. Honourable members are aware of the recent controversy over children's toys and the beads containing drugs. Pressure on producers should be no excuse for them producing dangerous or faulty items, especially those used by children.
This bill will specify the objectives of the Act. It will make clear that the objectives of the Act are to provide remedies to consumers concerning the supply of goods and services and to simplify and improve dispute resolution for parties involved in consumer disputes. It will clarify definitions. It will also clarify that the tribunal has jurisdiction when the supply of goods or services has taken place in New South Wales. It will amend the time limits applying to the lodging of consumer claims with the tribunal. Currently the time limit is three years from the date the goods or services were supplied or were required to be supplied. The amendment will change the time limit to three years from the date when the cause of action accrued. However, the action must still be commenced within 10 years of the date of supply. Finally, the bill will also amend the types of orders that can be made by the tribunal. We are pleased to support this important consumer legislation”, said Rev Nile