Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator McLucas for the question. The legislation makes it clear that there is an obligation on goods manufactured after 12 months of the commencement of that section. The issue relates to the manufacturer and the label. My interpret­ation of it is that it is confined to the manufacturer—that it is not intended to deal with the corner shop and penalise them. It is the manufacturer that manufactures these goods. Of course, if a corner shop has its own home brand or whatever, then there is a nexus between the two by virtue of the act of manufacture, but it is intended, by the plain wording of this bill, that the manufacturer has the primary role. In terms of the way Australian Consumer Law works, if they are overseas manufactured goods and their distributers are in Australia, then you have a clear mechanism, a clear pathway, to ensure that the law is effectively enforced.