The Road Transport Forum has issued a circular to operators reminding them they need to update their existing contracts and customer advice, in light of changing consumer protection laws.
The Consumer Law Reform passed its third reading in parliament in December, with the bulk of changes due to come into play on December 18 – including changes to the Carriage of Goods Act and Consumer Guarantees Act.
Under the Carriage of Goods Act, the Limited Carriers Risk rises from $1500 to $2000.
Responsibility for the delivery of items sold online or through auction will fall on the seller, and delivery must occur within a reasonable time – although no frame for this has been set.
The RTF lobbied successfully against further changes that would have seen the Limited Carriers Risk rise to $2500, and the total responsibility for damage and delivery concerns placed on the carrier.
Road Transport Forum chief executive Ken Shirley says that the final outcome was a “win” – and the result of long consultation with officials and a number of consumer affairs ministers.
“The real issue for us was officials not understanding there are two discrete and distinct contracts – one between the buyer and the vendor, and one with the carrier,” Shirley says.
The original suggestion to put the responsibility for non-delivery or damage of goods sold online on the carrier – even if the original consigner had not sent them – was “bizarre”.
The RTF accepts the increase in Limited Carriers Risk, as this had not risen in some time.
