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About Us

The Office of Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading is the principal advisor to government on matters affecting the interests of consumers.  It regulates some consumer markets, administers consumer laws and provides advice and conciliation services to consumers.  The Office also provides registration and occupational licensing functions and includes the Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages.

Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading encourages a fair, safe and equitable market place by:

• administering the Australian Consumer Law in Tasmania;
• providing policy advice to Government;
• registering incorporated associations, charities and cooperatives;
• assisting consumers with advice on the purchase of goods and services, and providing guidance on dispute resolution;
• providing information to consumers and traders regarding their rights and obligations;
• encouraging business to complete on the basis of price, quality and safety;
• discouraging behaviour that promotes unfair competition based upon misleading claims and deceptive conduct;
• maintaining product safety;
• operating effective compliance and enforcement programs;
• licensing commercial and enquiry agents, travel agents, motor vehicle traders and conveyancers;
• maintaining an accurate register of births, deaths, marriages, adoptions, relationships, changes of name, paternity acknowledgements and changes of sex;
• providing investigative services for the Residential Tenancy Commissioner; and
• providing a repository for the secure holding and disbursement of all rental bond in the private housing market.

Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading is a division of the Department of Justice.

Vision

Aware and confident consumers - fair and quality services.

Mission

Promoting integrity, fairness and safety for consumers and providing a high standard of service to the Tasmanian Community.

Values

• Fairness - treading people equally without favouritism or discrimination.
• Integrity - to be open, honest and trustworthy in our actions and dealings with each other and our clients.
• Quality - to provide consistent quality advice and services.
• Respect - respect is demonstrated by our actions, not our words.  We treat everyone with consideration, deference and respect.
• Unity - working as one to achieve many/various goals.

Our objectives

The objectives of the Office are to:

• promote the existence of a fair, ethical and informed marketplace;
• provide reliable, accurate and authoritative advice to stakeholders on matters affecting the interests of consumers;
• increase awareness of consumer issues within the community;
• bring about positive change in both consumer and trader behaviour, primarily through education and information;
• to provide quick and cost effective security deposit lodgement and disbursement for tenants, agents and property owners in relation to residential tenancies in Tasmania;
• to provide dispute resolution services to traders, consumers, tenants and property owners across a range of areas;
• encourage a focus on consumer issues in the development of Government policy;
• protect the rights of individuals, including the right to a unique identity; and
• provide Tasmania with a cost effective and efficient service in regards to the registration of events and the production of records from a register of births, deaths, marriages and relationships in Tasmania.

Our Stakeholders

Our principal stakeholders are:

• the Minister for Consumer Protection;
• the Minister for Justice; and
• the Tasmanian government.

Our key stakeholders are:

• consumers;
• the business community;
• individuals and organisations who need to deal with us as part of their legal obligations when conducting their business; and
• Commonwealth Government agencies (including the Australian Bureau of Statistics).

Our stakeholders include:

• the Tasmanian public;
• law enforcement agencies;
• medical researchers;
• medical professionals;
• funeral directors; and
• marriage celebrants.

Our Objectives

The objectives of the Office are to:

• promote the existence of a fair, ethical and informed marketplace;
• provide reliable, accurate and authoritative advice to stakeholders on matters affecting the interests of consumers;
• increase awareness of consumer issues within the community;
• bring about positive change in both consumer and trader behaviour, primarily through education and information;
• encourage a focus on consumer issues in the development of Government policy;
• protect the rights of individuals, including the right to unique identity; and
• provide Tasmania with a cost effective and efficient service in regards to the registration of events and the production of records from a register of births, deaths, marriages and relationships in Tasmania.

Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading is made up of the following branches:

• Executive Support
• Rental Deposit Authority
• Residential Tenancy Commissioner
• Registration Services (formerly Business Affairs)
• Compliance and Enforcement
• Advisory and Information Services
• Communications
• Licensing
• Births Deaths and Marriages

More information on the work of each branch is provided below.

Executive Support

The Executive Support Branch has a dual function,overseeing strategic management of the Office as well as providing administrative support services to all staff.  Specific responsibilities of the branch include:

• managing the physical and financial resources of the Division;
• providing executive support to the Division and liaison with the Department and Minister;
• establishing the strategic direction of the Division;
• providing policy advice to the Minister on matters relating to the interests of consumers and the activities of the Division;
• developing legislative responses as required by government; and
• representing Tasmania's position on general consumer policy issues at local and national forums.

Rental Deposit Authority

The RDA collects and disburses rental security deposits (bonds) in the residential tenancy market.  The Branch manages the process of collecting bonds through Service Tasmania, registered real estate agents and community organisations that provide bond assistance.  The Branch ensures the timely return of bonds at the completion of each tenancy and manages the relationship between major stakeholders and the RDA.

More information is available at www.mybond.tas.gov.au

Residential Tenancy Commissioner

The office of the Residential Tenancy Commissioner determines disputes between property owners/agents and tenants in relation to disbursement of the rental bond after a tenancy has ended.  The Commissioner only considers matters where the parties cannot agree and there is a dispute regarding distribution of the bond.

Registration Services (formerly Business Affairs)

Registration Services register and maintain lists of incorporated associations, cooperative societies and give approval for non-local charities to solicit for charitable donations in Tasmania after checking the integrity of those organisations.  The Branch also responds to enquiries concerning these matters and ensure associations and cooperatives comply with annual reporting requirements.

More information is available at www.consumer.tas.gov.au/registrations

Compliance and Enforcement

The Compliance and Enforcement branch:

• undertakes education and monitoring programs to encourage compliance with legislation administered by CAFT;
• undertakes probity checks in relation to occupational licensing;
• administers CAFT's product safety responsibilities;
• provides conciliation and dispute resolution services where there is conflict between consumers and traders; and
• prepares cases to enable prosecution of breaches of legislation administered by the Office.

Advisory and Information Service

The Advisory and Information Service is the first point of interaction for most people contacting the Office.  The team handle all enquiries and complaints received by email, post or phone and resolve most of these matters without the need to escalate them to the compliance and enforcement branch.

A key function of the branch is to provide guidance to consumers and business to enable them to negotiate a solution to their complaints without direct intervention by the Office.

The branch also provides information vice to consumers and businesses regarding consumer issues, product safety and the legislation administered by the Office.  The branch also handles all enquiries for the Rental Deposit Authority as well as licensing enquiries.

Communications

The Communications Branch is responsible for communication with consumers, traders and the wider community across a range of channels.  The Branch maintains the Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading website, develops printed information and resources, delivers presentations to community organisations and attends community events.  This Branch is also responsible for preparing media statements on behalf of the Office and the Minister.

Licensing

The Licensing Branch manages the processes of granting licenses to:

• security guards;
• crowd controllers;
• conveyancers;
• motor vehicle traders; and
• travel agents.

The Branch is also responsible for managing the relationship between the Office and other stakeholders involved in the licensing process (for example Tasmania Police).

Births Deaths and Marriages

The Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages aims to provide individuals with a unique identity and provides statistical data to eligible organisations by:

• maintaining an accurate register of births, deaths, marriages, adoptions, relationships, changes of name, paternity acknowledgements and changes of sex;
• providing data to Government Agencies and approved private organisations for statistical and research purposes; and
• ensuring that the registration system runs effectively and economically.

More information is available at www.justice.tas.gov.au/bdm