Chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Rod Sims has called for a new law prohibiting the sale of unsafe goods.
Mr Sims was speaking at a conference of consumer groups, community organisations and Government representatives hosted by the ACCC.
He said that using new data the ACCC estimated the annual cost of injury and death caused by unsafe consumer products was at least $5 billion and could be much more.
“Excluding motor vehicle accidents, there are around 780 deaths and around 52,000 injuries per year from consumer products that many Australians have in their homes,” Mr Sims said.
“Many people are surprised to learn that it is not illegal to sell unsafe goods in Australia. There is no law that says goods have to be safe, but there should be.”
He said examples of harm included electrocution from faulty appliances, burns from ignited flammable clothing, choking on children’s toys and suffocation in cots and beds.
“The ACCC says there is a need for the Government to adopt a General Safety Provision obliging companies to take reasonable steps to avoid supplying unsafe goods,” Mr Sims said.
“For consumers, a General Safety Provision will give greater confidence that the goods they buy are safe. For business, it will create a level playing field so that those firms who deliberately supply cheap but unsafe products do not derive a financial benefit.”
He referred to ACCC’s 2019 Product Safety Priorities which identifies the Takata airbag recall as a primary concern and a continuation of work on button battery safety.
“We are continuing our work in preventing button batteries ending up in the hands of our infants and children,” Mr Sims said.
“Each week too many Australian children present to hospital as a result of button batteries, which can be deadly. This must change.”
Mr Sims’ full speech can be accessed at this PS News link.
