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The Ministry of Consumers Affairs' vision
is:
Creating confident consumers.
The Ministry's primary role is to create an environment that
promotes good and accurate information flows between suppliers and
consumers so that consumers can transact with confidence.
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs is an operating branch of the
Ministry of Economic Development.
What do we do?
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs work covers the:
- development of consumer policy including consumer protection,
product safety and weights and measures
- provision of appropriate, accurate and accessible information,
education and advice for consumers and businesses on consumer laws
and issues
- investigation of unsafe consumer products
- provision of advice on consumer representation, including a
consumer representation nomination service to government
departments and agencies
- administration of a range of consumer legislation
- enforcement of the Weights and Measures Act 1987.
What we don't do and who may be able to help you
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs does not enforce the Fair
Trading Act or investigate breaches of the Act. Consumers or
business can contact the
Commerce Commission with information about unfair or misleading
trading practices, or anti-competitive behaviour by business.
The Commission does not give advice or take civil actions on
behalf of the public. Consumers or businesses seeking compensation
for a breach of the Act can take a civil action through the Disputes
Tribunal or the District Court.
For general consumer information and advice consumers can contact
the Citizens Advice Bureau .
It's a voluntary organisation providing free, confidential
information and advice to anyone about any query or problem. CABs
are listed in the telephone book or phone 0800 367 222.
We don't publish Consumer magazine, it's published by
the Consumers' Institute. For information about the Consumers'
Institute please see their website
Consumer Online.
Ministry structure
We are an operating branch of the Ministry of Economic
Development. The Branch is made up of the Ministry of Consumer
Affairs and the Energy Safety Service. The Branch is further
sub-divided into four sections: Policy (which includes consumer and
energy safety policy advice); Research, Information and Capability;
Measurement and Product Safety; and Energy Safety Operations.
General Manager
Elizabeth MacPherson
The Policy Group
Manager
Evelyn Cole
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs’ Policy Group gives advice to
the Government on matters that affect consumers when they buy goods
and services.
We:
- monitor how laws and practices affect consumers
- promote good business practice
- provide input from a consumer's perspective into relevant
programmes of other government departments
- recommend legislative changes to the Government, when
necessary, to achieve a fair and informed marketplace.
We monitor industry self-regulation including codes – for
example, the Insurance and Savings, Banking, and Direct Selling
codes of practice; and electricity supply contracts for retail
customers.
We monitor and review different markets and legislation such as
the Fair Trading, Consumer Guarantees, and Credit Contracts and
Consumer Finance Acts.
For more information visit the
Policy, Law and Research
section.
Research, Information and Capability Group
Manager
Liz Stretton
The RIC group provides:
- information for consumers and business on consumer rights and
obligations
- training and hotlines for community agencies that provide
consumer information to the public
- guidelines and assistance to source high quality consumer
representatives.
We work with organisations and communities to help them build
their capability to provide consumer information and advice to their
communities and constituents. We focus on communities whose members
are likely to be disproportionately affected by a "bad deal".
Another area of work is conducting research to better enable the
Ministry to ensure policies impacting on consumers are informed
through a more in-depth understanding of:
- consumer and supplier behaviour and experience,
- emerging consumer issues, and
- market practices.
For more information on your rights see our
Consumer Info section.
For more information on Businesses legal obligations see our
Business Info section.
Consumers can also obtain information about their rights and
responsibilities under consumer law from their local Citizens Advice
Bureau.
Measurement and Product Safety Service
Manager
Tony Lee
The MAPS service undertakes two major functions - trade
measurement and product safety.
Tel: 0508 MAPSS Info (0508 627 774)
International Clients: 0064 3 962 2580
Product Safety
We seek to ensure that safe goods are supplied in the market and
that consumers use them safely.
The Ministry can:
- investigate unsafe products
- suggest modifications to make a product safe
- request that unsafe products be removed from sale
- give advice to companies recalling unsafe products
- help develop self-regulation options.
Where circumstances require this, the Minister of Consumer
Affairs can:
- recall unsafe products
- ban an unsafe product
- make mandatory standards.
For more information, visit the
Product Safety section.
Trade Measurement
The Ministry's Measurement and Product Safety Service works to
make sure traders are aware of, and obey the laws regarding weight
and measure. We administer the Weights and Measures Act.
We:
- carry out spot checks of weighing and measuring equipment
- check the weight of packaged goods
- investigate complaints from the public.
For more information, visit the
Measurement section.
Energy Safety Service
Manager, Operations
Graham Boxall
The Energy Safety Service, comprising of the Energy Safety policy
and operations personnel, seeks to ensure the safe production,
distribution, installation and use of electricity and gas. These
outcomes are linked with the outcomes of MAPSS to ensure safe goods
are used safely.
In particular ESS look at:
- the safeguarding of people and property from the dangers of
electric shock and electrical fire
- the safety of electrical appliances, electrical installation
wiring, and electrical supply and generating systems
- quality measurements of gas
- the quality of petrol and diesel.
The Service:
- provides advice to government on energy safety policy issues
- works with industry to promote high safety and quality
standards in networks, installations and products
- conducts research on energy safety issues
- provides information, education and advice for consumers and
business.
Contact us:
- For industry enquiries contact us by freefax to 0508 SAFE
ENERGY (0508 723 336).
- To report gas/electrical accidents and fires call 0800 10 44
77.
- Email us at
safe.energy@med.govt.nz.
ESS regional offices:
Auckland
PO Box 18-299
Glen Innes
Tel: 09 570 0014
Fax: 09 570 0010
Christchurch
Private Bag 4714
Tel: 03 366 1274
Fax: 03 962 6220
For more information on the Energy Safety Service, visit our
website.
Ministry Review – Phase One Report
and Background Papers – May 2003
Since the end of 2002 the Ministry of Consumer Affairs undertook
a review of itself to ensure that it remains relevant, effective and
efficient in the services it provides to key stakeholders into the
future.
The key aim of the review was to answer the question “What is the
role of a Ministry of Consumer Affairs in a modern, dynamic
economy”?
Phase One of the Review was an assessment of the Ministry’s
strategic direction - “what” it should do and “why”. This stage has
been completed.
The Review Team, comprising staff from the Ministry of Consumer
Affairs and the wider Ministry of Economic Development, presented
its report Creating Confident Consumers: the role of the Ministry
of Consumer Affairs in a modern dynamic economy to Liz
MacPherson, General Manager, Ministry of Consumer Affairs in May
2003.
The Review concluded that the main role of the Ministry is to
create an environment that is conducive to good and accurate
information flows between suppliers and consumers so that consumers
can transact with confidence. This is about developing, or helping
develop appropriate rules governing the behaviour of consumers,
suppliers, markets and institutions so that the gap between what
consumers expect and what they get from a transaction is as small as
possible.
Review documents
Ministry Review - Phase
Two: Organisational Review Final Report - August 2003
Phase Two of the review of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs was
completed in August 2003. In this phase of the review, General
Manager Liz MacPherson, considered what the Ministry needed to do to
put into action the recommendations and conclusions of Phase One of
the Review. Here she focussed on Ministry’s structure, organisation
and resourcing.
After looking at how the Ministry was organised and resourced,
the conclusion was reached that the Ministry did need a new
organisational structure to reflect and support its future
direction.
The Phase Two: Organisational Review Report was completed, after
consultation and feedback from Ministry staff, and presented to them
at the end of August 2003. The Report looked at “how” the Ministry
does its work. The Report also considered the specific structure,
systems, staff, skills, style, and shared values necessary to
support the strategic direction and role of the Ministry of Consumer
Affairs arising from Phase One.
The Phase Two report sets out the future direction of the
Ministry, its new structure and staffing arrangements and the
rationale behind the changes.
Review documents
Phase Two Report
Other Ministry websites
Consumerkids
Consumer Kids is the Ministry's website resource for young students
and teachers.
Energy Safety Service
The ESS website containing information on statutes and regulations
on electrical and gas safety.
Employment Opportunities within the
Ministry
Vacancies at the Ministry of Consumer Affairs are generally
advertised in newspapers and on the
Ministry of
Economic Development website.
Our Minister - Minister of Consumer Affairs
Hon Judith Tizard is the Minister of Consumer Affairs.
For information about our Minister please visit her page on the
official website of the New Zealand Government
Hon
Judith Tizard
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