CAPLUS Consumer Law Roundtable
4 December 2009
Consumer Law and Policy in the Asia-Pacific: Product Safety, Consumer Credit, Unfair Contracts, and Consumer Access to Justice
The Fourth Consumer Law Roundtable will be held at the University of Sydney on 4 December 2009. The roundtable theme is "Consumer Law and Policy in the Asia-Pacific: Product Safety, Consumer Credit, Unfair Contracts, and Consumer Access to Justice". Two special guests include Professor Tsuneo Matsumoto, who has been heavily involved in Japan's consumer law reform over the last decade, such as the recent establishment of an independent Consumers Agency; and Kate Tokeley, from the Victoria University of Wellington, who is a leading commentator in New Zealand.
Consumer law reform has been notable in Japan since its 'lost decade' of economic stagnation over the 1990s, as well as in Korea and other parts of the Asia-Pacific. Product safety has been a particular concern, highlighted by various safety failures in goods from China. But consumer over-indebtedness has also become a growing problem, and fed into booms and then busts in American and European property and financial services markets, currently devastating the global economy. There is now a broader awareness of proliferating unfairness in the marketing techniques and terms included in other types of consumer contracts. Reforms to the substantive law also demand attention to consumer access to dispute resolution procedures and government agencies. A grant from the Australian Research Council's 'Asia Pacific Futures Research Network' helps to make these questions a major focus in the fourth Consumer Law Roundtable.
This year's Roundtable is coordinated by the Australian Network for Japanese Law (ANJeL). It is also supported by the Centre for Asian and Pacific Law at the University of Sydney (CAPLUS). This Roundtable is an invitation-only event, for consumer law academics, regulatory and peak NGOs, particularly based in Australia. However, PhD students and other early-career researchers interested in attending are also particularly welcome to contact Dr. Luke Nottage (L.Nottage@usyd.edu.au). Existing Consumer Law Roundtable members and other invitees should contact Dr Luke Nottage (with CC to c.bromley@usyd.edu.au) by 15 October to confirm attendance.
Presentation proposals (preferably no more than 30 minutes, appending more detailed written material) should also be submitted to Dr Luke Nottage at by 15 October.
For a copy of the flyer relating to this event, please click here
Time: 10am-6pm
Location: Sydney Law School, Harland Seminar Room
Contact: Events Coordinator
Phone: 9351 0248
