PRODUCT SAFETY

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (14:58): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Consumer Affairs a question about the national product safety campaign.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: Recently the minister informed the chamber of the development of a new product safety website: www.productsafety.gov.au. Will the minister provide information on current product safety campaigns?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (14:59): I thank the honourable member for his important question. I am pleased to inform the chamber that prams, strollers and vehicle trolley jacks are at the heart of a new national product safety campaign. Officers from the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs (OCBA) are joining forces with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and other regulators to ensure that retailers and suppliers are meeting national safety standards. The ACCC and the state and territory product safety regulators are working together in a coordinated national surveillance program focusing on high risk consumer products that can cause injury or death.

Eight high risk products that have brought injury or death are being surveyed across Australia to ensure that they meet safety regulations, and I am informed that OCBA will focus on the monitoring of prams, strollers and vehicle trolley jacks.

A mandatory national safety standard for prams and strollers was introduced in July 2008, and that standard was mirrored by the then minister for consumer affairs in the same month. The standard was prompted by tragic incidents involving runaway strollers. Under the standard, all prams and strollers now must have warning labels, and a tether strap should be placed around the wrist to avoid the risk of runaway prams. I am sure we can all remember the tragic incidents that occurred it seems just yesterday; they were very sad indeed.

OCBA product safety officers will visit pram and stroller retailers to ensure that regulations concerning brakes, labelling and safety mechanisms are, in fact, being followed. Of course, parents are also being urged to keep their babies as safe as possible, and they should check prams and strollers to ensure that they have working brakes and a tether strap.

The Minister for Consumer Affairs mirrored a commonwealth standard for portable vehicle ramps, trolley jacks and vehicle jacks in July 2008 to harmonise existing state standards with the commonwealth standard. I am advised that 31 Australians died between 2000 and 2009 from injuries sustained because of incorrect use or collapse of trolley jacks.

I take this opportunity to remind members that consumers must heed the warnings and never get under a vehicle supported only by a trolley jack. Hydraulic jacks are designed only to raise the vehicle and, when working under a vehicle, suitable supports should be used for stability to ensure that the vehicle is completely stable.

If any of the goods tested are found not to comply with the mandatory standards, traders will be asked to immediately remove the items from sale. OCBA may then ask the supplier to recall the product and issue a warning or expiation notice. Penalties of up to $10,000 can be imposed by a court where goods are found not to comply. Again, I remind members and consumers that they can keep up to date with the current product safety issues by visiting our productsafety.gov.au website.