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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-11-18 Daily Xml
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INDIGENOUS CONSUMERS

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (14:56): Before anybody asks, I indicate that I am a Pet Shop Boys fan. I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Consumer Affairs a question about an informative CD called Talk About Shopping, which is aimed at consumers in the Far North of South Australia.

Leave granted.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Under the Fair Trading Act 1987, the Commissioner for Consumer Affairs has functions which include: conducting research into matters that can affect a particular class of consumers; monitoring business activities; investigating practices that adversely affect the interests of a particular class of consumers; and conducting consumer education programs and disseminating information on matters concerning the interests of consumers. Will the minister advise the council about some of the strategies that the government has employed to educate and empower indigenous consumers from the APY lands in the state's Far North?

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 Assisting the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Energy) (14:57): I thank the member for his question and his interest in this important policy area. As members are aware, educating consumers about their rights can be half the battle when trying to achieve fair outcomes in the marketplace. An educated consumer is an empowered consumer, and an empowered consumer can avoid the shonks and rip-offs and know how to go about resolving a dispute if things go wrong.

The importance of educating and empowering consumers is nowhere else more vital than in some of the state's disadvantaged indigenous communities. Where English is often a second or third language in some of our communities, government agencies such as the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs (OCBA) have to take that extra step to try to communicate consumer rights and responsibilities.

I was very pleased to have the opportunity to be able to launch a CD called Talk About Shopping in Coober Pedy recently. The CD was produced by OCBA in collaboration with Services SA. It discusses consumer issues in three languages: English and Pitjantjatjara and Yankunyjatjara, which are obviously the two most common indigenous languages spoken in the APY lands.

The CD involves very easy to understand language and it explains concepts such as receipts, contracts, refunds, how lay-by works and what a warranty is. Excellent advice and explanations are also given on not relying on advertising as the sole source of information about products, what your rights are if a shop wants to conduct something like a bag search and what happens if a breakage occurs in a store—who has the responsibility of paying for the breakage. Understanding issues like these is not always widespread among people who speak and write English well and live in Adelaide, so to reach some of our indigenous communities in this way is a real achievement for fairness in the marketplace, and I commend OCBA and Services SA for this initiative.

The CD also deals with issues that are relevant for remote communities, such as store credit and buying second-hand vehicles. The misuse of store credit—also known as 'book up' and 'ticky'—is a really big issue and a problem in indigenous communities, and this CD explains the pitfalls and problems that can occur when consumers give their keycard and often their pin number to storekeepers.

Another problem faced by indigenous people in the APY lands and other remote areas is the sale of unroadworthy second-hand cars, often at inflated prices. The Talk about Shopping CD gives advice about this large purchase in a manner that will help them to avoid shonky used car dealers and, importantly, it gives advice in Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara.

The CD also explains how to go about making a complaint and trying to resolve disputes, if and when they occur. The Talk About Shopping CD was made in collaboration with, and with input from, Aboriginal people. It features the voices of local Aboriginal women. The cover was designed by an APY lands artist and its consumer message is interspersed with music and lyrics from the up and coming Indulkana band, Iwantja. It is great music, I might add—and I do not think they are lip-syncing, either!

The production of this important educational CD was a collaborative effort between the government and local indigenous people. I am sure Iwantja would not mind my giving them a plug, and I encourage members to get down to Victoria Square on 26 November when the band will be performing one of the songs from the CD, as well as other songs it has written, in a concert that has been organised as part of Public Sector Week.

The launch of this CD on Wednesday 4 November follows the launch of the booklet Talk about Shopping in March this year. Both the CD and the booklet are now being distributed through Service SA, Families SA and other government agencies throughout the APY lands and other locations in northern South Australia.

While I was in Coober Pedy I also had the pleasure of visiting Umoona Aged Care Facility to personally acknowledge members of Kupa Piti Kungka Tjuta (Coober Pedy Senior Aboriginal Women's Council). These extraordinary women are among the outstanding nominees of the 2009 South Australian Women's Honour Roll, but they were unable to attend the ceremony held at Government House to honour the contribution these women have made to their community. The seven members of this group are Eileen Brown, Eileen Crombie, Ivy Stewart, Angelina Wonga, Emily Austin, Martha Edwards and Eileen Wingfield. Together they represent the Yankunytjatjara, Antikarinya and Kokatha language groups of South Australia's hinterland and Far North region.

These women hold positions of seniority in terms of Aboriginal law and culture in their region. They are pillars of strength in their community, grassroots leaders and volunteers. They are recognised at the national and international level for their work on the Irati Wanti (Poison—Leave it!) campaign. Their work on this campaign successfully stopped the dumping of radioactive nuclear waste in the South Australian Outback—a landmark event in South Australia's history.

The group has a close consumer relationship with Umoona Aged Care Services and has been pivotal in bringing about the development of the Tjamuku Kamaiku Ara Nintitjaku (Grandparents Knowledge) program. This program aims to teach younger people about the culture and heritage, and structure and importance of relationship connections. It was a great privilege to be in their company and witness their commitment. They might appear elderly and frail, but they show a great deal of courage, determination and strength which is an inspiration to us all.

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