World Consumer Rights Day Australia : March 15

World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) in Australia is observed annually on March 15. March 15 is a historical date for consumer organizations worldwide as it was the date that President John F. Kennedy outlined his vision about consumer rights in 1962. The WCRD was held for the first time in 1983 and has been organised ever since, each year with a different theme. The WCRD presents an opportunity to promote the basic rights of consumers, demand that those rights are protected and call for protection against market abuses and social injustices that jeopardise them. In Australia there are 4 national consumer rights organisations that support this day:

 

• Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN)
• Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)
• CHOICE: Australian Consumers' Association
• Consumers' Federation of Australia (CFA)

 

CHOICE is the oldest (founded in 1959) and has the largest member base (over 200.000). The CFA probably has the widest reach as it cooperates with over 100 consumer rights organisations in Australia like health right groups, local consumer rights organisations and legal institutes.