Member

Turning to Amendment 62, the powers listed in subsection (4) include the ability to inspect premises, seize products, demand documentation and dispose of products. While the intention of these powers may be to protect consumers and ensure compliance with product regulations, I have to express serious concerns about the scope and potential abuse of such powers. The kind of powers envisaged in Clause 4 could open the door to overbearing government intervention in business activities. The powers to seize goods, inspect premises and demand documents without clear safeguards are not dissimilar to the regulatory regimes seen in some of the most authoritarian Governments in history. The provisions in this subsection represent a dangerous expansion of government powers that, while potentially well-meaning, could easily be misused. The wide-ranging powers proposed are open-ended, with vague criteria about how they can be applied.