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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-06-22 Daily Xml
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PRODUCT SAFETY

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (14:35): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Consumer Affairs a question about product safety.

Leave granted.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: I understand that the responsibility of Consumer and Business Affairs is to oversee the protection of consumers by ensuring compliance with relevant laws, including the Australian Consumer Law. My question to the minister is: how is Consumer and Business Affairs continuing with its commitment to protect and educate South Australian consumers?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister for Gambling) (14:36): I am very pleased to inform members of this chamber that, over recent weeks, officers of Consumer and Business Affairs have been involved in a national safety surveillance program to ensure that products are meeting the Australian safety regulations. Specifically, South Australia has been tasked with checking household and portable folding cots in a number of our retail outlets.

Working in tandem with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the Product Safety section of the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs has commenced with this monitoring program. All state regulators take part in this program in an attempt to identify and implement national strategies to minimise the risk of injury or death from safety hazards across a range of different consumer products.

Cots, obviously, are an extremely important area of safety, which concerns products that obviously protect mums' and dads' most precious gift: their child. Of course, we know that children—particularly young children—spend a lot of time in their cots, so it is important that we make sure that a cot provides a very safe haven for parents as well as children.

OCBA is conducting a compliance check on cots supplied by franchise furniture stores as well as second-hand and charity stores, and also those supplied by hire companies. Also, regional officers will be undertaking checks in a number of country areas—Whyalla, Port Pirie, Port Augusta, Renmark, Berri, Mount Gambier, etc.—to ensure that our inspections occur right across the state.

I am advised that parents purchasing a new or second-hand cot should look for one which complies with the Australian safety standard for cots. All national product safety information is now available on our new Product Safety Australia website—productsafety, one word. People can go online and actually look at the safety criteria for a number of products, but specifically for cots. So, if they are not sure if their cot complies, they can go online and check it out.

In addition, all folding portable cots must have warnings to check that the locking mechanisms have engaged and that the cot complies with standards. All cots sold, even second-hand ones, must comply with this standard. All cots must have clear instructions and warnings marked on them so that consumers can ensure that the cot is set up in a safe way. A label or sticker that says the cot complies with the mandatory standard should be on the cot and, if there is not one or the retailer cannot verify that, I would be reminding people that they should not buy that particular cot.

The prevention of injuries and deaths from falls and entrapment are key reasons why these types of surveillance operations are so important and, obviously, I am a very strong advocate of empowering consumers to make the correct choice. The CBA and ACCC provide excellent advice to consumers when purchasing items, and they will do so for cots as well. Some of the tips that they are providing for people in relation to cots are:

to take a tape measure so they can check the cot's dimensions and ensure that the mattress fits tightly;

to ensure that there are no spaces that could trap a child's arms, legs or head;

to check that there are no small holes or openings; and also

to check that there are no fittings such as bolts or knobs that might catch onto a child's clothing and end up entrapping the child and resulting in a strangulation.

Penalties are in place for companies or individuals that supply goods which do not meet the safety standards. Corporations face a maximum fine of $1.1 million and individuals $220,000, so there are very steep fines for breaches. If people do have safety concerns, they can report those to CBA or, as I said, visit the website.

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