Vote: Consumer Affairs
Output Class > Policy Advice and Support on Consumer Issues
This output class provides policy advice and information on issues, policies and programmes affecting or potentially affecting the ability of consumers to transact with confidence. The following outputs are included in this output class for 2005/2006.
Consumer Policy
This output involves policy advice on issues concerning an effective legal and regulatory framework for business/consumer transactions, the promotion of improved market practices and effective redress, and international consumer policy developments. In 2005/2006 this will include:
- advancing a programme of work arising from recommendations of the Australian Productivity Commission research study on competition and consumer policy and law co-ordination;
- continuing to work with Australian consumer agencies on projects with the potential to further harmonise trans-Tasman product safety and trade measurement approaches;
- the development of a framework for reviewing the effectiveness of self-regulatory schemes;
- leading a cross-Ministry of Economic Development project focused on the implications of behavioural economics for current regulatory schemes and regulatory design in general. The first outputs from this project will be a literature review and a workshop in mid-2005;
- reviewing the enforcement of consumer protection law, focusing on the Fair Trading Act 1986 and the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993. Particular focus in 2005/2006 will be on improving understanding of consumer and trader awareness, behaviour and experience and the implications of this for the effectiveness of current policy settings; and
- contributing to a consolidated review of securities and insurance law and regulation of non-bank financial institutions (including financial intermediaries).
Consumer Research, Information and Capability Building
This output involves:
- reviews of the effectiveness of consumer policy and legislation through systematic monitoring and evaluation with a particular focus in 2005/2006 on monitoring the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act 2003;
- research on consumer and business interactions including analysing the results of a major baseline survey of consumer awareness and experience of consumer legislation and researching consumer experience and behaviour with respect to non-investment type scams;
- information to consumers, community agencies and businesses with respect to their legal rights and obligations and access to remedies and redress;
- the promotion of effective consumer representation within institutions and agencies dealing with issues that affect consumers;
- capability building to enable communities and community organisations to identify and address consumer issues; and
- participating in international policy and operational fora including those that address issues of international deceptive practices targeting New Zealand consumers.
Motor Vehicle Sales Act 2003 (MVSA)
This output involves the promotion, education on, and evaluation of the effectiveness of the MVSA. Particular focus will be placed on monitoring the effectiveness of the MVSA with a review of the Motor Vehicle Sales Act 2003 to be completed by 31 December 2005, as required by the Act.
Service Performance
Policy advice will be delivered as agreed with the Minister and as detailed in the Ministry of Economic Development Output Plan.
Generic quantity, quality and timeliness performance measures for all policy advice, Ministerial services and briefings supplied by the Ministry of Economic Development are detailed in Quality Standards for Policy Advice and Ministerial Servicing.
Costs: Output Class - Policy Advice and Support on Consumer Issues
| | 2005/2006
Forecast | 2004/2005
Supple-
mentary
Estimates | 2004/2005
Estimated
Actual |
| | $000 | $000 | $000 |
| Revenue Crown | 3,234 | 3,414 | 3,414 |
| Third Party Revenue | 468 | 452 | 452 |
| Expenses | 3,602 | 3,766 | 3,766 |
| Surplus/(Deficit) | 100 | 100 | 100 |
Output Class > Enforcement and Conformance
This output class provides for the promotion and enforcement of a supportive measurement and product safety infrastructure for businesses and consumers, particularly through the administration of the Weights and Measures Act 1987 and the product safety provisions of the Fair Trading Act 1986.
Service Performance
Where appropriate, comparative figures for the previous year are shown in parentheses.
Measurement
This involves the management of New Zealand's trade measurement environment to meet international standards in relation to goods sold by weight, measure or number, including:
- calibrating and verifying standards to ensure traceability;
- auditing private sector verifiers to ensure trade equipment is verified correctly;
- conducting type approval examinations of new weighing and measuring instruments to ensure they do not facilitate fraud;
- ensuring trader compliance with legislative requirements through effective enforcement; and
- representing New Zealand's interests in intergovernmental organisations dealing with legal metrology, including the International Organisation of Legal Metrology and the Asia Pacific Legal Metrology Forum.
Quantity
Surveillance visits will be made to 400 (400) traders to check the correctness of weighing and measuring equipment and pre-packaged goods.
Participate in the development of 10 (10) recommendations/documents by the International Organisation of Legal Metrology (OIML).
Quality
Maintain a type approvals regime that ensures measuring instruments do not facilitate fraud, by complying with ISO 17025 accreditation and OIML recommendations.
Generic quality performance measures for policy advice, Ministerial services and briefings as detailed in the Ministry of Economic Development's Quality Standards for Policy Advice and Ministerial Servicing will apply to preparation of draft recommendations for the OIML.
Timeliness
Timeframes set by the OIML for reply on each circulated draft recommendation and document will be met in all cases.
Product Safety
This involves providing product safety services, including:
- building and maintaining national and international product safety networks, for example, through attendance at the joint Australian/New Zealand Consumer Product Advisory Committee;
- developing and reviewing relevant voluntary and mandatory standards, and product safety policies;
- educating and informing consumers and business about product safety;
- investigating and resolving product safety complaints;
- administering the product safety provisions of the Fair Trading Act 1986; and
- representing the consumer perspective by participating in interdepartmental activities dealing with injury prevention, including the Government Interagency Steering Group on New Zealand Injury Prevention Strategy.
Quantity
Surveillance visits will be made to 300 (300) traders/suppliers to check product safety.
Quality
All investigations of product safety complaints will be carried out in accordance with the Measurement and Product Safety Service Complaints and Procedures Manual.
Timeliness
95% (95%) of complaints will be acknowledged within seven (seven) working days of receipt of notification.
Costs: Output Class - Enforcement and Conformance
| | 2005/2006
Forecast | 2004/2005
Supple-
mentary
Estimates | 2004/2005
Estimated
Actual |
| | $000 | $000 | $000 |
| Revenue Crown | 2,033 | 2,033 | 2,033 |
| Third Party Revenue | 176 | 168 | 123 |
| Expenses | 2,209 | 2,201 | 2,156 |
| Surplus/(Deficit) | - | - | - |
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