Fair Trading Minister Anthony Roberts today announced an 18 month pilot Super-Complaints project between NSW Fair Trading and consumer group, CHOICE.

A Super-Complaints system will allow CHOICE to present evidence to NSW Fair Trading of significant market failure in any sector, presenting significant risks to consumers. Fair Trading will then research and assess the issue and report publicly on actions.

Opening the Consumers 2011: Australian consumer policy, law and practice conference in Sydney, Minister Roberts applauded CHOICE for the organisation’s contribution to consumer research and policy development.

Mr Roberts said the NSW Fair Trading and CHOICE project would be based on a super-complaints system operating successfully in the United Kingdom.

“Together the two organisations will develop a suitable local model and test it for proof of concept,” he said.

“CHOICE has previously undertaken significant research work for NSW Fair Trading, on extended warranties and credit card surcharges and the organisations work well together, so I expect encouraging results from this pilot project.”

CHOICE CEO Nick Stace said super-complaints put power into the hands of the people.

“Where consumers identify problems that add up to systemic failures in any particular sector, CHOICE will have the authority to formally refer these sectors to the scrutiny of Fair Trading,” he said.

“New South Wales is only the second place in the world to introduce such powers and the first to do so in Australia.

“Minister Roberts has shown early and decisive leadership in putting the consumer first and allowing this transformative power to be trialled in New South Wales. We hope that the Federal Government will respond by introducing a similar power at the national level.”

Super-complaints include details of market features harming consumer interests and documented facts and evidence.

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