Minister Helps in Pre-Christmas Crunch as Dangerous Toys Destroyed
Family and friends buying toys for children this Christmas should always consider safety first, Consumer Affairs Minister, Michael O'Brien said.
Helping to destroy thousands of unsafe toys seized from Victorian retailers, wholesalers and importers at North Melbourne, Mr O'Brien said Consumer Affairs Victoria staff were being extra-vigilant at the start of the festive season.
In the lead up to Christmas, product safety inspectors have conducted 370 inspections of traders across the state, resulting in the confiscation of more than 10,000 unsafe toys.
Many of the toys that have been seized this Christmas are the same types of products that have been seized in the past, such as:
- yo-yo balls – rubber balls on an elastic cord, often in bright colours and with flashing lights – which can strangle children when the cord is too long
- toys that can break into small parts and potentially choke a child
- projectile toys, including miniature guns which can injure children's eyes or cause a choking hazard if kids place small projectiles with suction cup tips in their mouths.
These seizures were part of the national pre-Christmas toy survey by fair trading agencies across the country in an annual effort to check as many toys as possible before Christmas.
Consumer Affairs Victoria enforces strict safety standards and ban orders to ensure products are safe and fit for purpose, keeping families safe and making sure the end product represents value for money.
In 2010-11, Consumer Affairs Victoria seized 44,700 unsafe products from traders across the state.
Under the Australian Consumer Law, a supplier who fails to comply with a mandatory safety standard can face fines of up to $220,000 for individuals and $1.1 million for a body corporate.
Anyone with concerns about product safety issues can contact Consumer Affairs Victoria on 1300 55 81 81 or visit the Product Safety section of their website.