Consumer Product Safety Committee
The Consumer Product Safety Committee investigates the safety of products in Western Australia and makes recommendations about any action that should be taken.
The Committee is established under the Consumer Affairs Act 1971 and has overarching responsibility to investigate, make recommendations and report to the Commissioner for Consumer Protection about the safety of products referred to it by either the Commissioner or the Minister for Consumer Protection.
When any product is referred to the Committee, the Minister or Commissioner must publish the details in a newspaper that circulates throughout the State. A matter referred to the Committee may relate to either the making or revoking of an order. Information about current referrals to the Consumer Product Safety Committee is available here.
When a product is referred, the Committee is required to:
- make investigations;
- agree on a recommendation; and
- submit a report to the Commissioner for Consumer Protection.
The Consumer Affairs Act provides the Committee with a range of powers to carry out its investigations of referred questions. These include powers to:
- carry out such investigations as it considers necessary to enable it to make a recommendation with respect to the product;
- take into account representations made to it by persons who have a substantial interest in the matter under investigation;
- require persons to attend before the Committee to give evidence in relation to an investigation;
- require the production of documents relevant to an investigation;
- require the production of goods and cause them to be tested; and
- take evidence on oath and require any person to give evidence.
The Committee has seven members, comprising a Chairperson and six others who, in the opinion of the Minister, “have expertise in product safety”. The Chairperson is an officer of the Department of Commerce.
Members of the public are able to make comments or submissions on a particular product that has been referred to the Committee. Consumer Protection will seek public comment on the current referrals page.