FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 24, 2003
CONTACT: Peter Carter 0422 445 599
pcarter@civiljusticefoundation.com.au; www.civiljusticefoundation.com.au

The nation's foremost consumer advocate has been named as the recipient of the Civil Justice Foundation's prestigious 'Foundation Award' for 2002.

The award has gone to Professor Allan Fels, for his unwavering perseverance and tenacity at the helm of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on behalf of consumers since 1995.

Announcing the award today, CJF Director Peter Carter said, "Professor Fels deserves the highest recognition for his outstanding achievements on behalf of all Australians in all areas under the Commission's jurisdiction during his 8 year term as ACCC Chairman."

"The attraction of higher profits from anti-competitive practices is something from which big business must constantly be dissuaded. The ACCC has been very effective during Professor Fels' tenure in monitoring collusion, price fixing and similar practices that would have denied consumers the price benefits that healthy competition brings," Carter said.

"In the area of consumer protection, the Commission has displayed remarkable diligence and persistence in exposing fraudsters and unsafe product suppliers," Carter said. "Professor Fels has also been successful in keeping the banks and telcos on a tight leash while riding shotgun at the side of consumers when major changes like the GST could potentially have caused significant unwarranted detriment."

"All of this has been achieved against a tide of detraction and criticism from powerful interests in government, the media and big business. The Commission's achievements during Professor Fels' term will have an enduring benefit for all Australians".

Referring to the anti-consumer wave that has swept across Australia in 2002 with the dismantling of consumer injury compensation laws in most States, Mr Carter called for consumers to have even greater representation at the policy level of government than the single voice that the ACCC represents.

"Even someone of Professor Fels' stature was unable to single-handedly prevent legislators trashing important civil rights belonging to every Australian in their knee jerk reaction to the insurance crisis - notwithstanding that the measures taken are clearly against consumers' interests in the long term."

Inaugurated in 2001 the Foundation Award credits Australians who have been responsible for outstanding achievements in the protection and enhancement of the civil rights of ordinary citizens.

Professor Fels has been chairman of the ACCC since 1995 and during his career pieced together the old Trade Practices Commission and Prices Surveillance Authority to forge the new ACCC to promote the welfare of all Australians, including indigenous Australians, through business competition, fair trading and consumer protection.

"He is a supremely worthy recipient of this award and the directors of the Foundation are honoured to be in a position to recognise him on behalf of Australian consumers," Carter said.

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