The Australian mobile telecommunications industry has welcomed the Federal Government’s review of consumer laws as an opportunity to streamline overlapping laws and regulations and deliver consumer protections more effectively, says AMTA’s submission to a Treasury’s Fair Markets – Confident Consumers inquiry.

AMTA Chief Executive Officer, Chris Althaus, said the industry gave in-principle support to the Federal Government’s high-level aims to have a nationally-consistent framework for consumer policy to deliver protection more effectively by minimizing duplication and overlap.

Assistant Treasurer Chris Bowen said the new Australian Consumer Law (ACL) would allow consumers and the consumer watchdog to take action against contract terms that cause detriment or a substantial likelihood of detriment to consumers.

Mr Althaus said: “It is desirable to have a nationally consistent framework for consumer policy with a view to delivering consumer protection more efficiently and effectively by minimizing the duplication and inconsistency evident in existing State, Territory and Commonwealth regulation.

“The current regulatory environment …is complicated and duplicative, particularly for industries such as telecommunications that are subject to both generic and industry-specific legislation. To that extent, the development provides a welcome and logical opportunity to review and reform the current regulation.

“It is critical, however, the review remains focused on the key objectives of removing duplication and inconsistencies and filling any clearly defined gaps in consumer protection.

“It needs detailed consideration to avoid the risk of imposing an onerous and impractical burden on suppliers that is incommensurate with consumer risks that the law intends to address.

“AMTA is concerned that the Government may be considering changes that unnecessarily extend the current provisions without clear justification that it is beneficial to do so, and without adequate cost-benefit analysis of the options.”

AMTA’s submission can be viewed here.