Western Australian Consolidated Acts Western Australian Consolidated Acts (1) The functions of
the Commissioner include —
(a) to
promote the interests of consumers and to assist them to a greater awareness
in relation to their assessment and use of goods and services;
(b) to
collect, collate and disseminate information in respect of matters affecting
the interests of consumers;
(c) to
receive complaints from consumers concerning matters affecting their interests
as consumers, to consider and, if the Commissioner considers it warranted, to
investigate those complaints and to take such action in respect of those
complaints as seems proper to the Commissioner;
(d) to
receive complaints of fraudulent or deceptive practices in relation to matters
that affect or are likely to affect the interests of consumers and to make
such investigations and inquiries and to take such other action in respect of
those complaints 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
encourage and undertake the dissemination of information concerning consumer
affairs to producers, manufacturers and suppliers of goods or services;
(g) to
perform such other functions as are imposed on the Commissioner by this Act or
any other Act.
(2) Without limiting
the generality of subsection (1), the Commissioner is
to —
(a) make
such recommendations to the Minister as the Commissioner considers necessary
or desirable in the interests of consumers and in particular investigate and
make recommendations to the Minister in relation to any matters that concern
the need for or desirability of legislative or administrative action in the
interests of consumers;
(b)
advise the Minister on such matters affecting the interests of consumers as
the Minister may refer to the Commissioner;
(c) make
recommendations to the Minister for the establishment and maintenance of means
by which —
(i)
matters that affect the interests of consumers and of
persons engaged in the production, manufacture, preparation or supply of goods
or in commerce or in the provision of services may receive adequate
consideration; and
(ii)
information concerning those matters and considerations
may be disseminated at large.
(3) The Commissioner
may cooperate, associate or consult with organisations that have the power to
make investigations of the nature referred to in subsection (2)(a).
[Section 16 inserted by No. 28 of 2006
s. 75.]