'My Consumer Rights' project launched to help migrants

Details

Created on Tuesday, 08 October 2013 15:32

Written by Editorial staff

On Monday (October 7), Minister for Consumer Affairs Heidi Victoria launched a collection of videos designed to help migrants understand their consumer rights in Australia.

The aptly named "My Consumer Rights" project consists of a wide range of videos in a total of seven languages. These are English, Arabic, Dinka, Karen, Farsi, Nepalese and Tamil.

The videos aim to educate people who have recently arrived on immigration visas on best practice when it comes to buying and selling goods Down Under.

They explore the rules and regulations around "shopping rights, refunds, contracts, guarantees and warranties, lay-by agreements, resolving issues and lodging a complaint under Australian Consumer Law," said Ms Victoria.

The videos are easy to understand and access. They contain important messages about Australian Consumer Law and explain them using "universal symbols and gestures".

These helps the messages to overcome any language barriers that may exist, and allow the complex areas of Australian Consumer Law to be divulged in a way that can be understood by all.

In some ways, Australian Consumer Law is very different to the trade practices common in other countries. Ms Victoria explained that many migrants are not aware of their consumer rights when they first arrive in Australia.

"My Consumer Rights" promises to inform migrants of their rights and responsibilities as soon as they disembark on our shores, and - as a result - help them to settle more quickly and successfully into their new home.

"These innovative videos are designed to help our multicultural communities understand what they can expect when purchasing goods and services in Australia, in a way that is accessible, wide reaching and easy to understand," said Ms Victoria.

The "My Consumer Rights" project was moulded by state and federal consumer protection agencies around the country.

Ms Victoria concluded that it was, and always has been, important to Australia that migrants who come from a variety of backgrounds and speak a range of languages feel welcome in the country.

"Australia has always been a multicultural country and we are continuing to provide resources to help our newest arrivals make the most of life here in Australia," she said.

Migration Alliance couldn't agree more.

In fact, we recently launched our website in a number of different languages, too. This should make it easier for migration agents in Australia and their clients to access all the latest immigration news!