Northern Territory Consolidated Acts

CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND FAIR TRADING ACT - SECT 7

(1) The functions of the Commissioner are:

(a) to promote the interests of consumers, and to assist consumers to a greater awareness in relation to their assessment and use of goods and services;

(b) without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (a), to promote the maintenance of fair trading practices and of product safety;

(c) to receive complaints from consumers concerning matters touching their interests as consumers, to investigate those complaints, and to take such action in respect thereof as seems proper to the Commissioner;

(d) to receive complaints of fraudulent, misleading, deceptive or unfair practices in relation to matters which affect, or are likely to affect, the interests of consumers or of traders, and to take such action as seems proper to the Commissioner;

(e) to advise and assist consumers who seek from the Commissioner information or guidance on matters affecting their interests as consumers;

(f) to collect, collate and disseminate information in respect of matters affecting the interests of consumers;

(g) to encourage and undertake the dissemination of information concerning consumer affairs (and in particular, the maintenance of fair trading practices and of product safety) to producers, manufacturers, traders and suppliers of goods or services;

(h) to carry out consumer education programs;

(j) to issue consumer guidelines to the public; and

(k) to perform such other functions as are conferred on the Commissioner by or under this or any other Act.

(2) The Commissioner shall:

(a) keep under critical examination, and from time to time report to the Minister on, the laws in force relating to the interests of consumers;

(b) keep under review market-place trends and other matters affecting the interests of consumers and, where that appears desirable, make recommendations to the Minister with respect to responses thereto; and

(c) report to the Minister on any matter that is referred to the Commissioner by the Minister as relating to the interests of consumers,

and, for those purposes, may conduct research and make investigations.

(3) The Commissioner shall give such assistance to the Council in carrying out its functions as the Council may require, and shall in particular:

(a) arrange for investigations to be carried out on behalf of the Council;

(b) arrange for the collection, collation and furnishing to the Council of data; and

(c) make available to the Council and its members any information with respect to matters affecting the interests of consumers that comes into the Commissioner's possession.

(4) The Commissioner shall attend a meeting of the Council if requested to do so by the Chairman of the Council, and may if invited to do so participate in the meeting, but is not entitled to vote on any matter.

(5) Nothing in this section is to be construed as requiring the Commissioner, or any person under the Commissioner's direction or control, to give, or to hold him or herself out as ready or competent to give, advice to a consumer concerning the consumer's rights and liabilities in law in respect of any matter.