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CONSUMER AFFAIRS ACT 1971 - NOTES

Notes

1 This is a compilation of the Consumer Affairs Act 1971 and includes the amendments made by the other written laws referred to in the following table 1a, 12. The table also contains information about any reprint.

Compilation table

Short title

Number and year

Assent

Commencement

Consumer Protection Act 1971 8

68 of 1971

22 Dec 1971

11 Aug 1972 (see s. 2 and Gazette 11 Aug 1972 p. 3102)

Consumer Protection Act Amendment Act 1975

21 of 1975

13 May 1975

23 May 1975 (see s. 2 and Gazette 23 May 1975 p. 1395)

Reprint of the Consumer Affairs Act 1971 approved 12 Jul 1977 (includes amendments listed above)

Consumer Affairs Act Amendment Act 1978

90 of 1978

8 Nov 1978

8 Nov 1978

Consumer Affairs Amendment Act 1980

66 of 1980

26 Nov 1980

26 Nov 1980

Consumer Affairs Amendment Act 1981

110 of 1981

4 Dec 1981

11 Dec 1981 (see s. 2 and Gazette 11 Dec 1981 p. 5053)

Consumer Affairs Amendment Act (No. 2) 1982

52 of 1982

6 Sep 1982

6 Sep 1982

Acts Amendment (Prevention of Excessive Prices) Act 1983 Pt. II

2 of 1983

25 Mar 1983

25 Mar 1983 (see s. 2 and Gazette 25 Mar 1983 p. 1059)

Consumer Affairs Amendment Act 1983

24 of 1983

1 Dec 1983

1 Dec 1983

Acts Amendment (Prevention of Excessive Prices) Act (No. 2) 1983 Pt. II

72 of 1983

22 Dec 1983

30 Dec 1983 (see s. 2)

Reprint of the Consumer Affairs Act 1971 approved 22 May 1984 (includes amendments listed above)

Acts Amendment (Consumer Affairs) Act 1985 Pt. II

1 of 1985

8 Mar 1985

s. 3-9, 13, 14 and 16: 6 Apr 1983 (see s. 2(1));
s. 10, 12 and 15: 8 Mar 1985 (see s. 2(3));
s. 11: 5 Apr 1985 (see s. 2(2))

Acts Amendment (Financial Administration and Audit) Act 1985 s. 3

98 of 1985

4 Dec 1985

1 Jul 1986 (see s. 2 and Gazette 30 Jun 1986 p. 2255)

Chattel Securities Act 1987 s. 32

101 of 1987

18 Dec 1987

29 Aug 1988 (see s. 2 and Gazette 5 Aug 1988 p. 2583)

Acts Amendment and Repeal (Fair Trading) Act 1988 Pt. 2

17 of 1988

6 Sep 1988

9 Sep 1988 (see s. 2 and Gazette 9 Sep 1988 p. 3518)

Legal Practitioners Amendment (Disciplinary and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992 Pt. 6

48 of 1992

10 Dec 1992

1 Feb 1993 (see s. 3 and Gazette 26 Jan 1993 p. 823)

Financial Administration Legislation Amendment Act 1993 s. 11

6 of 1993

27 Aug 1993

1 Jul 1993 (see s. 2(1))

Acts Amendment (Public Sector Management) Act 1994 s. 3(2)

32 of 1994

29 Jun 1994

1 Oct 1994 (see s. 2 and Gazette 30 Sep 1994 p. 4948)

Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 s. 109

62 of 1994

7 Nov 1994

9 Dec 1995 (see s. 2 and Gazette 8 Dec 1995 p. 5935)

Local Government (Consequential Amendments) Act 1996 s. 4

14 of 1996

28 Jun 1996

1 Jul 1996 (see s. 2)

Financial Legislation Amendment Act 1996 s. 64

49 of 1996

25 Oct 1996

25 Oct 1996 (see s. 2(1))

Statutes (Repeals and Minor Amendments) Act 1997 s. 39 9

57 of 1997

15 Dec 1997

15 Dec 1997 (see s. 2(1))

Reprint of the Consumer Affairs Act 1971 as at 25 Mar 1999 (includes amendments listed above)

Statutes (Repeals and Minor Amendments) Act 2000 s. 3(7)

24 of 2000

4 Jul 2000

4 Jul 2000 (see s. 2)

Acts Amendment and Repeal (Courts and Legal Practice) Act 2003 s. 24

65 of 2003

4 Dec 2003

1 Jan 2004 (see s. 2 and Gazette 30 Dec 2003 p. 5722)

Acts Amendment and Repeal (Competition Policy) Act 2003 s. 3(2)

70 of 2003

15 Dec 2003

21 Apr 2004 (see s. 2 and Gazette 20 Apr 2004 p. 1297)

Statutes (Repeals and Minor Amendments) Act 2003 s. 40(1)-(3)

74 of 2003

15 Dec 2003

15 Dec 2003 (see s. 2)

Dangerous Goods Safety Act 2004 s. 70

7 of 2004

10 Jun 2004

1 Mar 2008 (see s. 2 and Gazette 29 Feb 2008 p. 669)

Reprint 4: The Consumer Affairs Act 1971 as at 9 Jul 2004 (includes amendments listed above except the Dangerous Goods Safety Act 2004)

Workers’ Compensation Reform Act 2004 s. 175

42 of 2004

9 Nov 2004

4 Jan 2005 (see s. 2 and Gazette 31 Dec 2004 p. 7131)

State Administrative Tribunal (Conferral of Jurisdiction) Amendment and Repeal Act 2004 Pt. 2 Div. 24 10

55 of 2004

24 Nov 2004

1 Jan 2005 (see s. 2 and Gazette 31 Dec 2004 p. 7130)

Veterinary Preparations and Animal Feeding Stuffs Amendment Act 2004 s. 4(2)

76 of 2004

8 Dec 2004

5 Jan 2005

Criminal Procedure and Appeals (Consequential and Other Provisions) Act 2004 s. 82

84 of 2004

16 Dec 2004

2 May 2005 (see s. 2 and Gazette 31 Dec 2004 p. 7129 (correction in Gazette 7 Jan 2005 p. 53))

Oaths, Affidavits and Statutory Declarations (Consequential Provisions) Act 2005 s. 63

24 of 2005

2 Dec 2005

1 Jan 2006 (see s. 2(1) and Gazette 23 Dec 2005 p. 6244)

Trade Measurement Administration Act 2006 s. 37

12 of 2006

11 May 2006

1 Jun 2007 (see s. 2(2) and (3) and Gazette 29 May 2007 p. 2485)

Reprint 5: The Consumer Affairs Act 1971 as at 16 Jun 2006 (includes amendments listed above, except those in the Dangerous Goods Safety Act 2004 and the Trade Measurement Administration Act 2006)

Machinery of Government (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2006 Pt. 4 Div. 7 11

28 of 2006

26 Jun 2006

1 Jul 2006 (see s. 2 and Gazette 27 Jun 2006 p. 2347)

Consumer Protection Legislation Amendment and Repeal Act 2006 Pt. 3

69 of 2006

13 Dec 2006

14 Jul 2007 (see s. 2 and Gazette 13 Jul 2007 p. 3453)

Financial Legislation Amendment and Repeal Act 2006 s. 4 and 17

77 of 2006

21 Dec 2006

1 Feb 2007 (see s. 2(1) and Gazette 19 Jan 2007 p. 137)

Legal Profession Act 2008 s. 651

21 of 2008

27 May 2008

1 Mar 2009 (see s. 2(b) and Gazette 27 Feb 2009 p. 511)

Reprint 6: The Consumer Affairs Act 1971 as at 24 Oct 2008 (includes amendments listed above except those in the Legal Profession Act 2008)

Standardisation of Formatting Act 2010 s. 4

19 of 2010

28 Jun 2010

11 Sep 2010 (see s. 2(b) and Gazette 10 Sep 2010 p. 4341)

Trade Measurement Legislation (Amendment and Expiry) Act 2010 s. 9

54 of 2010

8 Dec 2010

8 Dec 2010 (see s. 2(b)(ii))

Fair Trading Act 2010 Pt. 10 Div. 1

57 of 2010

8 Dec 2010

1 Jan 2011 (see s. 2(b) and Gazette 24 Dec 2010 p. 6805)

1a On the date as at which this compilation was prepared, provisions referred to in the following table had not come into operation and were therefore not included in this compilation. For the text of the provisions see the endnotes referred to in the table.

Provisions that have not come into operation

Short title

Number and year

Assent

Commencement

Road Traffic Legislation Amendment Act 2012 Pt. 4 Div. 9 13

8 of 2012

21 May 2012

Operative on commencement of the Road Traffic (Administration) Act 2008 (see s. 2(d))

2 Legal Practitioners Amendment (Disciplinary and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992 Pt. 2 came into operation on 1 Feb 1993 (see s. 3(a) and Gazette 26 Jan 1993 p. 823).

3 Repealed by the Acts Amendment and Repeal (Fair Trading) Act 1988.

4 Repealed by the Acts Amendment (Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare) Act 1987.

5 Repealed by the Dairy Industry Amendment Act 1980.

6 Repealed by the Acts Amendment (Agricultural Products) and Repeal Act 1982.

7 Repealed by the Margarine Repeal Act 1991.

8 Now known as the Consumer Affairs Act 1971; short title changed (see note under s. 1).

9 The Statutes (Repeals and Minor Amendments) Act 1997 s. 39(9) reads as follows:


(9) The person appointed and holding office under section 15(1) as the Commissioner for Consumer Affairs immediately before the commencement of this section continues to hold office after that commencement as the Commissioner for Fair Trading.

”.

10 The State Administrative Tribunal (Conferral of Jurisdiction) Amendment and Repeal Act 2004 Pt. 5, the State Administrative Tribunal Act 2004 s. 167 and 169, and the State Administrative Tribunal Regulations 2004 r. 28 and 42 deal with certain transitional issues some of which may be relevant for this Act.

11 The Machinery of Government (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2006 Pt. 4 Div. 23 reads as follows:


Division 23 — Transitional provisions

151. Commissioner for Fair Trading

(1) On commencement, the person holding the office of Commissioner for Fair Trading immediately before commencement is to be taken to have been designated as the Commissioner or Registrar (as the case requires) for the purposes of each of the following enactments —

(a) the Associations Incorporation Act 1987;

(b) the Business Names Act 1962;

(c) the Chattel Securities Act 1987;

(d) the Companies (Co-operative) Act 1943;

(e) Part 8 of the Competition Policy Reform (Western Australia) Act 1996;

(f) the Consumer Affairs Act 1971;

(g) the Co-operative and Provident Societies Act 1903;

(h) the Credit Act 1984;

(i) the Credit (Administration) Act 1984;

(j) the Employment Agents Act 1976;

(k) the Hire-Purchase Act 1959;

(l) the Limited Partnerships Act 1909;

(m) the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act 1973;

(n) the Petroleum Products Pricing Act 1983;

(o) the Petroleum Retailers Rights and Liabilities Act 1982;

(p) the Residential Tenancies Act 1987;

(q) the Retirement Villages Act 1992;

(r) the Travel Agents Act 1985.

(2) A thing done or omitted to be done by, to or in relation to, the Commissioner for Fair Trading (including in his or her capacity as the Prices Commissioner) before commencement under a provision of the Consumer Affairs Act 1971 for the purposes of another enactment listed in subsection (1) has the same effect after commencement, to the extent that it has any force or significance after commencement, as if it had been done or omitted —

(a) by, to or in relation to, the Commissioner or Registrar (as the case requires) as defined in that other enactment as in force after commencement; and

(b) where relevant, under the corresponding provision of that other enactment as in force after commencement.

(3) To the extent that a thing done or omitted to be done by, to or in relation to, the Commissioner for Fair Trading (including in his or her capacity as the Prices Commissioner) before commencement under, or for the purposes of, an enactment listed in subsection (1) is not covered by subsection (2), it has the same effect after commencement, to the extent that it has any force or significance after commencement, as if it had been done or omitted by, to or in relation to, the Commissioner or Registrar (as the case requires) as defined in that enactment as in force after commencement.

(4) A thing done or omitted to be done by, to or in relation to, the Commissioner for Fair Trading before commencement under, or for the purposes of, an enactment not listed in subsection (1) has the same effect after commencement, to the extent that it has any force or significance after commencement, as if it had been done or omitted by, to or in relation to, the Commissioner as defined in the Consumer Affairs Act 1971 as in force after commencement.

(5) A reference in an enactment to the Commissioner for Fair Trading is to have effect after commencement as if it had been amended to be a reference to —

(a) in the case of an enactment listed in subsection (1) or subsidiary legislation made under such an enactment — the Commissioner or Registrar (as the case requires) as defined in the enactment as in force after commencement; or

(b) in the case of any other enactment or subsidiary legislation — the Commissioner as defined in the Consumer Affairs Act 1971 as in force after commencement.

152. Commissioner for Corporate Affairs and Registrar of Co-operative and Financial Institutions

(1) A thing done or omitted to be done by, to or in relation to, the Commissioner for Corporate Affairs before commencement under, or for the purposes of, the Companies (Co-operative) Act 1943 has the same effect after commencement as if it had been done or omitted by, to or in relation to, the Registrar as defined in that Act as in force after commencement.

(2) A thing done or omitted to be done by, to or in relation to, the Registrar of Co-operative and Financial Institutions before commencement under, or for the purposes of, the Co-operative and Provident Societies Act 1903 has the same effect after commencement as if it had been done or omitted by, to or in relation to, the Registrar as defined in that Act as in force after commencement.

153. Consumer Affairs Act 1971

Each office in existence immediately before commencement because of section 15(1) of the Consumer Affairs Act 1971 does not cease merely because that subsection is repealed by this Act.

154. Petroleum Products Pricing Act 1983

Each office in existence immediately before commencement because of section 5(2)(b) of the Petroleum Products Pricing Act 1983 does not cease merely because that paragraph is deleted by this Act.

155. Interpretation

In this Division —

commencement means the time at which this Division comes into operation;

Commissioner for Fair Trading means the Commissioner for Fair Trading referred to in section 15 of the Consumer Affairs Act 1971 as in force before commencement;

Prices Commissioner means the Prices Commissioner referred to in section 5(1) of the Petroleum Products Pricing Act 1983 as in force before commencement.

”.

12 The Biosecurity and Agriculture Management (Repeal and Consequential Provisions) Act 2007 s. 23, 29, 61, 64, 75, 83 and 86 (as enacted) proposed to amend this Act. However those sections were deleted by the Acts Amendment (Fair Trading) Act 2010 s. 192 before they came into operation.

13 On the date as at which this compilation was prepared, the Road Traffic Legislation Amendment Act 2012 Pt. 4 Div. 9 had not come into operation. It reads as follows:


Division 9 — Consumer Affairs Act 1971 amended

60. Act amended

This Division amends the Consumer Affairs Act 1971.

61. Schedule amended

In the Schedule insert in alphabetical order:


Road Traffic (Administration) Act 2008.

Road Traffic (Authorisation to Drive) Act 2008.

Road Traffic (Vehicles) Act 2012.



Defined Terms

[This is a list of terms defined and the provisions where they are defined. The list is not part of the law.]

Defined Term Provision(s)
commencement day 2C
Commissioner 2B, 4(1)
Committee 4(1)
component part 23B
consumer 4(1)
consumer affairs authority 25A(2)
dangerous 23B
Department 4(1)
documents 4(1)
executive officer 15(3)
goods 4(1)
information 24(3)
liability 25(3)
published 25A(2)
publishes 25A(2)
section 4(1)
services 4(1)
supply 23B





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