good practice in consumer education for indigenous...

Good Practice in Consumer Education

for Indigenous People

September 2002

Prepared by Gordon Renouf for the

Australian Securities and Investments Commission

A S I C Australian Securities & Investments Commission

A S I C Australian Securities & Investments Commission

Good Practice in Consumer Education for Indigenous People

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Note: The views expressed in this report are those of the consultant engaged to undertake the project and are not necessarily shared by ASIC. Publication and Distribution of this report Further copies of this report can be obtained from ASIC:

Telephone: 1300 300 630 Email: [email protected] Download from ASIC's consumer web site www.fido.asic.gov.au

ASIC remains interested in comments on the report. Comments can be made to Cathie Warburton:

Telephone (02) 9911 2637 Email: [email protected] Fax 02 9911 2642. Mail Cathie Warburton

Consumer Protection Directorate, Australian Securities and Investments Commission, GPO Box 9827, Sydney, New South Wales, 2001.

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Contents PART 1: DEVELOPMENT OF GOOD PRACTICE PRINCIPLES FOR INDIGENOUS CONSUMER EDUCATION 1 Introduction 1

Purpose of this Report........................................................................................................... 1 Developing this Report .......................................................................................................... 1

Consumer education 2 Consumer education: product or strategy?........................................................................... 2 Recent Indigenous specific consumer education, consumer awareness and community legal education activities ....................................................................................................... 3 Types of Consumer Education Activities............................................................................... 3 Feedback on this categorisation of Consumer Education..................................................... 5 A Database of Consumer Education Activities? ................................................................... 5

Identifying Good Practice Principles in Indigenous Consumer Education 6 Why produce good practice principles? ................................................................................ 6 Identifying good practice principles ....................................................................................... 6 Good practice in consumer education................................................................................... 7 Particular Indigenous-specific methodologies....................................................................... 7 Lessons from health promotion and education for health ..................................................... 7

PART 2: PRINCIPLES OF GOOD PRACTICE IN INDIGENOUS SPECIFIC CONSUMER EDUCATION 9 1. Understand the context 10 2. Ensure effective community involvement in all stages of the project 10 3. Consider partner organisation’s resource limitations 11 4. Acknowledge cultural diversity and consumers' existing knowledge 11 5. Use appropriate planning and evaluation 12 6. Consider consumers' motivation to learn 13 7. Engage in dialogue with consumers/two way learning 13 8. Use appropriate formats and distribution channels 14 9. Promote longer term sustainable activities rather than pilot projects and ad hoc responses

14 10. Contribute to coordination, collaboration and networking 15

PART 3: EXAMPLES OF CONSUMER EDUCATION ACTIVITIES AND ORGANISATIONS 16 Selected Indigenous specific consumer education projects and community legal education projects 16

Aboriginal Coordinating Council, Townsville .......................................................................16 The Aboriginal Resource and Development Service ..........................................................16 The Aboriginal Outreach Project of the Top End Womens Legal Service ..........................17 Australian Consumer and Competition Commission ..........................................................18 First Nations Australian Credit Union ..................................................................................18


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Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission............................................................18 Karatha Office of the WA Department of Fair Trading ........................................................19 Mallee Family Care .............................................................................................................19 New South Wales Department of Fair Trading ...................................................................19 NSW Roads and Traffic Authority .......................................................................................21 Public Interest Advocacy Centre .........................................................................................22 Queensland Anti Discrimination Commission .....................................................................22 Queensland Office of Fair Trading ......................................................................................23 Queensland Residential Tenancies Authority Indigenous Communities Project ................24 SA Office of Consumer and Business Affairs......................................................................25 Streetwize Communications (Formerly Streetwize Comics) ...............................................25 Traditional Credit Union Community Education Project......................................................25 Victorian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service ................................................................................26 Women’s Legal Resources Centre (NSW)..........................................................................26

Major Indigenous community awareness campaigns 26 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, GST, Everyday Prices & You Campaign ............................................................................................................................26 Australian Taxation Office: Tax Reform - Business Education & Communication..............27 Office of the Status of Women ............................................................................................27

Organisations Involved in Indigenous Specific Education and Indigenous Media Organisations 28

CAAMA Productions............................................................................................................28 Cultural Partners Australia ..................................................................................................28 Cultural Perspectives Australia ...........................................................................................28 Green Ant Research Arts and Publishing ...........................................................................28 Imparja Television ...............................................................................................................28 The Proposed National Indigenous Communications Service............................................29 Streetwize Communications................................................................................................29 Directories of Indigenous media organisations ...................................................................29

PART 4: SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 30

APPENDIX A: CONSUMER EDUCATION AT ASIC 34 ASIC’s role in consumer education 34 ASIC’s interest in Indigenous consumer education 34 Other Relevant Work undertaken by ASIC 34

APPENDIX B: INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS ON HEALTH PROMOTION 37

APPENDIX C: FEEDBACK ON CONSULTATION PAPER 38


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Part 1: Development of Good Practice Principles for Indigenous Consumer Education Introduction1

[F]or people to be able to take control of their situation effectively they must be able to understand it. People can then create their own interventions.2

This is a report about consumer education for Indigenous Australians. It has been prepared for the Consumer Protection Directorate of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. The project that has resulted in this report has been undertaken to achieve three purposes • to assist ASIC to provide effective consumer education to Indigenous people • to compile a catalogue of current and recent consumer education activities relevant to

Indigenous people • to promote discussion about, and a resource to support, good practice in relation to

consumer education for Indigenous people.

Purpose of this Report

This report is the result of an attempt to document what is known about consumer education relevant to Indigenous Australians. Accordingly this report: • identifies Indigenous specific consumer education, consumer awareness and community

legal education projects and programs • discusses ‘good practice’ principles for Indigenous consumer education drawing on

previous work in general and Indigenous specific consumer education, community awareness, community legal education and health promotion.

The overall purpose of the report is to provide information and ideas that may assist ASIC, other agencies and possibly Indigenous organisations and communities to undertake more effective consumer education.

Developing this Report

The report is based on a Consultation Paper that was prepared and distributed in early 2002. The Consultation Paper was prepared following a limited survey of the relevant literature and discussions with people and organisations experienced with consumer education and Indigenous people. Feedback on the Consultation Paper was sought from people involved with consumer protection, consumer education, health promotion, community legal education and adult education relevant to Indigenous people. The paper was also distributed to participants in the National Workshop on Indigenous Consumer Issues sponsored by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, the Australian Competition and Consumer

1 The author and ASIC would like to thank the numerous people who took the time to discuss aspects of Indigenous consumer education during the initial research phase of this project and to those who have made formal and informal comments on the Consultation Paper. The author is grateful to Bich Khuu and Tatiana Lozano for research assistance and Cathie Warburton for editorial assistance. 2 ARDS (see http://www.ards.com.au)


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Commission, Reconciliation Australia and ASIC which was held in Alice Springs on 22-23 April 2002 and has benefited from contributions made to that Workshop3.

We received 6 written response to the Consultation Paper. In addition informal feedback and further information about consumer education relevant to Indigenous people have been received in the months since the publication of the Consultation Paper. Formal responses are listed at Appendix C.

Consumer education Consumer education is a broad concept. It is a term that means different things to different people or in different contexts. There are no clear divisions between consumer education and what might be called consumer awareness campaigns or ‘social marketing’. Similarly, some types of consumer education are close to community development practice. From a third point of view, face to face consumer education can blur into individual advice or client support services.

For the purposes of this report there is little point in getting bound up in questions of definition about consumer education. We are interested in any activities or strategies intended to support Indigenous consumers take control of their own consumer activities. In any given circumstances the most appropriate consumer education strategy will depend on the issue involved, the organisation or group promoting the activities and the needs and wishes of the relevant consumers.

Consumer education: product or strategy?

Frequently the first thought that comes to mind at the mention of ‘consumer education’ is a particular product—a brochure, poster, or video. While such products have a role to play, an effective consumer education product or activity is likely to have been developed and used as part of an ongoing strategy to meet the needs of particular consumers.

Research commissioned by ASIC emphasised the need to think of consumer education as part of a strategy rather than as a ‘product’. The authors argue that “it is not just a matter of delivering content to consumers, it is also a matter of supporting them to take control and responsibility for learning about consumer issues” (Flowers et al 2001). They suggest that the correct question to ask is not “what are effective formats for delivering consumer education but what are effective strategies for consumer education”. The research into good practice undertaken in the course of the current review supports this conclusion.

Most effective strategies for consumer education have the following characteristics: • They are planned based on the needs of consumers. They are based on an informed

decision that an education strategy (as opposed to some other action) will assist the consumers involved to respond to the problems they face.

• The objectives, content and methodology of the strategy are developed with the active participation of the relevant consumers (or representatives of those consumers).

It should never be assumed that consumer education is the most effective response to a particular problem. Other responses such as direct service provision, law enforcement or policy development including law reform may be more effective alternatives or be required before the education of consumers can be effective.

3 ATSIC compiled a report on the National Workshop. This report is available from ASIC's consumer website www.fido.asic.gov.au (ATSIC et al 2002).


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Recent Indigenous specific consumer education, consumer awareness and community legal education activities

ASIC’s 1999 Stocktake of Consumer Education in Financial Services uncovered ‘surprisingly little’ education material about financial services that was targetted to specific groups and ‘very few’ examples of education material targetted at Indigenous consumers (FSCPC 1999:11, 12). The report of the stocktake speculated that ‘the provision of education material on other issues important to Indigenous communities may have taken priority over financial services.’ The current project has identified a small number of consumer education activities that involve financial services; these include the 'My Moola' comic produced by Streetwize Communications for the First Nations Australian Credit Union, material on Book Up produced by the NSW Department of Fair Trading, the education elements of the Family Income Management project in Cape York and the planned education program of the Traditional Credit Union. These activities are described in Part 3 of this report.

There is a reasonable variety of Indigenous specific consumer education, consumer awareness and community legal education activities that have been undertaken in the past few years on subjects other than financial services. Part 3 sets out those that have been identified in the course of this project.

Types of Consumer Education Activities

As noted above, consumer education comes in many shapes and sizes and is undertaken for diverse reasons. Activities which might be called consumer education or include consumer education may seek to provide consumers with information about the availability of a service, may aim to empower them to take more control of their situation or may be primarily focussing on changing consumer behaviour.

For some purposes it may be useful to group consumer education activities, for example as follows: • long term, staff-intensive participatory strategies (usually linked to face to face advice

services) • major consumer awareness campaigns • small community based projects • resource development projects • information or marketing products.

This categorisation is not definitive. It is suggested as a way of helping to think about the diversity of activities and to avoid comparing things that are not alike. In particular it is likely that the proposed principles of good practice will apply differently according to the kind of consumer education activity that is proposed.

Long Term Strategies

Examples of long term strategies include those operated by the New South Wales Department of Fair Trading, the Aboriginal Resource Development Service and the Top End Womens Legal Service4. These projects typically involve: • an ongoing repetitive cycle of development – implementation – review and re-

development • participatory research or at least community focused research in the planning and

evaluation stages • long time-frames and continuous operation over many years

4 All examples of community education projects referred in the text are listed in Part 3.


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• an emphasis on face to face communication with groups and individuals and/or participation in Indigenous community events

• a relatively high commitment of staff resources • non-tokenistic employment of Indigenous staff and a high value placed on the

communication skills of those staff • close linkages with other activities, usually direct services to individual clients • an explicit or implicit agenda of working with the community as much as or more than

educating particular individuals5.

Due to resource limitations and the need to work intensively with consumer groups most projects concentrate on a small number of communities. The New South Wales Department of Fair Trading’s strategy is an exception as it targets a wide range of communities in New South Wales.

Major Community Awareness Programs

Major community awareness strategies include those undertaken by the Australian Taxation Office and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in relation to the introduction of the goods and services tax, and the Walking Through Doors Indigenous Domestic Violence Awareness Campaign conducted by the Office of the Status of Women. These projects typically involve

• use of professional media consultancy organisations • national coverage • multiple communication forms (for example written material, paid media advertising,

copy provided to media, events, web sites) • relatively large "one-off" budgets.

Small Community Based Projects

Small community based projects might involve one-off requests by a particular community or community organisation for work by a particular service provider, or they may develop from an ongoing relationship between a service provider and a particular community.

Resource Development Projects

Some projects focus on the production of resources that can be used in a range of situations. Resource development projects include those undertaken by the West Australian Financial Counselling Resource Project, the Aboriginal Coordinating Council in Cairns, Streetwise Communications, Mallee Family Care (in Mildura) and, in some respects, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission’s Tracking Your Rights Project.

Information or Marketing Products

Typical information or marketing products describe the functions of an agency or explain the operation of a particular piece of legislation. Brochures and fact sheets are common forms. In some cases the information or marketing product is produced as part of a wider strategy to make an agency more accessible to Indigenous clients (for example the activities of the New South Wales Department of Fair Trading and the Karatha Office of the Western Australian Ministry of Fair Trading).

5 That is, the objective is transferring skills and understanding to a community. This may be through individuals but not in a way that marks those individuals out as separate to or alien to the community. See discussion of ARDS’ practice at note 17 below.


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In some circumstances information and marketing products such as brochures and fact sheets can serve to raise awareness about an issue and stimulate consumer interest in finding out more. An example may be where they form part of an overall strategy that takes into account whether consumers are likely to trust the information and when consumers will need the information.

Feedback on this categorisation of Consumer Education

In our Consultation Paper we asked for comment on whether or not it was useful to organise consumer education material in this way. We asked:

Question 1: What would be the most useful way of sorting and presenting the collected Indigenous educational material in the final report - by the categorisation referred to above, by subject matter, alphabetically or in some other way?

Respondents agreed that this was a useful categorisation for some purposes; for other purposes it may be more useful to categorise projects by the subject matter of the education material. Some respondents also referred to possible structuring of information about consumer education by its format, audience and location of intended audience and suggested that creation of a database would facilitate categorisation by several criteria.

A Database of Consumer Education Activities?

There may be benefit in providing a web searchable database of Indigenous consumer education activities, whether as part of a larger database (for example on consumer education generally) or by itself.

There have been attempts to produce and maintain databases of consumer education and community legal education material in the past6. The Law and Justice Foundation of NSW is currently researching a proposal to produce a web searchable database of community legal education material. Depending on the scope of that project it may be one means of making the Indigenous specific material located in the current project more widely accessible. Issues about scope include whether the Foundation's proposed database will include material specific to jurisdictions other than NSW, and whether the Foundation's approach to community legal education will incorporate everything that we may wish to include as consumer education.

Another means of displaying the Indigenous consumer education material is via ASIC's searchable Financial Information Directory. This Directory is found on its consumer web site FIDO (www.fido.asic.gov.au) and it contains information on over 300 Australian websites, pamphlets, brochures, kits, and other resources about financial products and services. We have added information to the Directory about those of the Indigenous consumer education projects we have identified that relate to financial services. Nevertheless the Directory does not meet the need for access to an updated list of Indigenous Consumer Education on a broader range of consumer topics. ASIC is not in a position to create and maintain a more general database of Indigenous consumer education material.

If such a project was to be undertaken it would be useful to be able to search the database according to the following criteria:

• the subject matter of the consumer education related activity 6 For example the National Community Education Working Group created A Register of Community Legal Education was created on a computer database in the early 1990s. It was updated after about 2 years but has not been subsequently updated.


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• the intended audience (their location and perhaps other features) • the type of project (for example long term community development strategy, resource

production, social marketing/media campaign, agency marketing activity, one off event, formal evaluation, research and so on)

• the format(s) of the activity.

In the meantime, the list of consumer education projects in Part 3 of this report serves as a useful starting point. This list will be made available later this year on a new Indigenous consumer section of Consumers Online (www.consumersonline.gov.au) which will form part of a general enhancement of the website's services.

Identifying Good Practice Principles in Indigenous Consumer Education

Why produce good practice principles?

When faced with the task of promoting or supporting consumer education for Indigenous people it was difficult for ASIC to find guidance about what was and was not good practice. The needs of Indigenous consumers are significant, and resources available are of course limited. ASIC is aware that a range of government agencies, community organisations and Indigenous organisations have undertaken or considered undertaking various forms of consumer education relevant to the particular needs of Indigenous people. It is obviously desirable that resources put into consumer education be used effectively. Good practice principles that acknowledge the diversity of circumstances and potential projects may be useful in this endeavour.

ASIC took the view that it is possible to propose some principles of good practice in consumer education based on the literature reviewed, reports on activities and consultations with people experienced in Indigenous consumer education, community legal education or Indigenous health promotion.

In the consultation paper we asked whether or not it would be useful to prepare a set of principles of good practice in Indigenous consumer education.

Respondents agreed that there was benefit in producing good practice principles. One, for example, cited 'a paucity of both research and documentation in this area'.

Identifying good practice principles

The suggested principles of good practice set out below draw on: • good practice in consumer education generally • good practice in Indigenous health promotion • the limited literature available about effective Indigenous consumer education • consideration of the activities and views of current providers of consumer education,

consumer awareness and community legal education for Indigenous people • formal and informal feedback received on the Consultation Paper7 • contributions to the National Workshop on Indigenous Consumer Issues in Remote

and Regional Australia, held in Alices Springs on 22-23 April, 2002 (ATSIC et al 2002).

7 Written submissions received are listed at Appendix C.


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In the Consultation Paper we asked whether there were any other fields of practice or groups of people that ought to be considered in developing good practice principles in consumer education relevant to Indigenous people?

Respondents suggested the following additional areas for further research into good practice principles

• Departments of school education, especially units or bodies responsible for Indigenous education

• Aboriginal Language Centres • Overseas experience8.

Due to the limited size of this project, it has not been possible to thoroughly consider these sources of information in formulating the current version of the good practice principles.

Good practice in consumer education

Much of what is considered good practice in consumer education generally will also apply to consumer education targeted at Indigenous consumers. The starting point is that all consumers have the right to consumer education and to information relevant to their needs. The United Nations has adopted similar rights9. Consumers’ International promote these rights in the following more accessible form10:

The right to consumer education - To acquire knowledge and skills needed to make informed, confident choices about goods and services, while being aware of basic consumer rights and responsibilities and how to act on them.

The right to be informed - To be given the facts needed to make an informed choice, and to be protected against dishonest or misleading advertising and labelling.

Principles of consumer education and/or community legal education practice are set out in a number of documents, including the Guidelines for the Management of Community Legal Education Practice prepared by the National CLE Advisory Group. They remain valid starting points in relation to Indigenous consumer education. The draft good practice principles set out below draw on those documents.

Particular Indigenous-specific methodologies

There are a number of agencies that have a long track record of providing Indigenous specific consumer education, consumer awareness and community legal education. Those that have come to the attention of this project to date are listed in Part 3 of this report together with information about their methodologies where that information is available.

Lessons from health promotion and education for health

In many ways the objectives of health promotion activities are similar to those of consumer education, and the boundaries between health education and other areas of health such as policy development or assistance to individuals with a problem are fuzzy in the same was as they are in consumer affairs. Moreover, in both cases the objective of education can be seen

8 In particular we have been advised that the US Treasury undertook a significant education campaign prior to the introduction of welfare payments by electronic banking. 9 UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection A/RES/39/248 10 http://www.consumersinternational.org/campaigns/wcrd/unguide.html


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from an individual change perspective or a community development perspective. Community development perspectives are now dominant in the health promotion field both nationally and internationally.

Health education has been the subject of a great deal of research, and good practice in health education is the subject of international agreements beginning with the Ottawa Charter in 198611.

The following excerpts from Territory Health Services Bush Book give an indication of currently favoured approaches to health promotion as practiced in Australia. Note that the Bush Book is written for health workers working in remote areas of the Northern Territory.

“Working in partnership, community development, participatory research, planning and evaluation, and education for health are the fundamentals for working in a health promoting way. These processes involve the transfer of skills and knowledge to community members. They are essential to strengthen people’s capacity to take control and improve their own health and well-being and need to be based on a two-way learning process.

The needs, interests and priorities of individuals, families, communities and organisations are at the heart of education for health programs, and all education activities. Involvement and choice by people themselves are fundamental to effective education for health. Telling people to follow "good health behaviour” is not health education …. Listening to, talking with and learning from others is essential."

There are also areas where there are or could be interrelationships between activities designed to empower Indigenous people in relation to health and consumer issues. Community stores present an instance where there is a significant overlap between these issues for Indigenous people. Nutrition is a significant factor in the poor health outcomes for many Indigenous people resident on remote communities. Access to financial services, the operation of book up, store opening hours and high store prices all affect Indigenous people's access to adequate amounts of nutritious food.

The Mai Wiru Regional Stores Policy in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara lands in South Australia (Nganampa Health Council 2002) is an example of a project which proposes to tackle consumer and health issues together as part of a holistic approach to a series of related problems, including problems associated with book up and lack of access to financial services.

11 Most recently the Declaration of the Fourth Conference on Health Promotion in Jakarta. The most relevant excerpts are set out in Appendix B.

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Part 2: Principles of Good Practice in Indigenous Specific Consumer Education

1. Understand the context 2. Ensure effective community involvement in all stages of

the project 3. Consider partner organisation’s resource limitations 4. Acknowledge cultural diversity and consumer's existing

knowledge 5. Use appropriate planning and evaluation 6. Consider consumers' motivation to learn 7. Engage in dialogue with consumers/two way learning 8. Use appropriate formats and distribution channels 9. Promote longer term sustainable activities rather than

pilot projects and ad hoc responses 10. Contribute to coordination, collaboration and networking

This section suggests 10 principles of good practice in Indigenous Specific Consumer Education. The principles have been drawn from the sources identified in Part 1 of this Report, comments received on the principles put forward in the Consultation Paper and the reported work of a number of organisations that have worked closely with Indigenous consumers in a range of consumer education projects.12 There are no doubt other organisations that have undertaken similar work and reflected on their experiences; the suggested principles are put forward tentatively, noting that they are based on a no doubt incomplete survey of literature and practice. ASIC remains keen to hear from others who have considered these issues. The principles aim to reflect the over-riding importance of cultural considerations as conveniently summarised by a Respondent to the Consultation Paper.

"… a sensitivity to culture is absolutely fundamental for effective consumer education in the Indigenous community. This implies that those considering consumer education as a strategy, focus particular attention right at the beginning of the process to understanding the needs of the communities they are targeting. This means – to paraphrase some of the principles in the paper –

12 The published work of ARDS and The Top End Womens Legal Service Community Legal Education Manual (TEWLS 1998) have been particularly useful. After noting the National Community Legal Education Advisory Group Guidelines for the Management of Community Legal Education Practice TEWLS go on to identify some specific additional principles that are relevant to community legal education for Indigenous women.


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spending the time to build relationships, two-way learning, understanding the resource limitation of communities and so on."13

The principles are deliberately open-ended so they can be adapted according to the type of consumer education project being undertaken. They will probably serve best as a checklist of issues to consider while planning and implementing consumer education and related strategies rather than as hard and fast rules. As can be seen from the descriptions of projects in Part 3, various different approaches have produced successful results.

1. Understand the context It is important to fully understand the context of both the consumers who appear to 'need' consumer education and the relationship between the consumers and the organisation(s) proposing to provide consumer education. It is also important to know what other organisations are doing and planning, any previous projects that are relevant and what existing materials have been produced.

Examples of elements of the particular context that should be taken into account in the delivery and design of community education strategies are that:

• in many areas there are particular communication difficulties to be overcome including high rates of hearing impairment and low levels of English language proficiency,

• communities have their own agendas and priorities which may compete with – or by complementary to – the concerns of particular consumer education activities, and

• some communities have existing adult education or training resources that may be available to be involved in a particular proposed project.

The context also includes the knowledge that consumers already possess (see principle 4 below) and the kind of responses that consumers make to the existing array of products and services that are available to them (McDonnell and Martin 2002).

Most importantly it should not be assumed that consumer behaviour is determined by a lack of knowledge about things such as consumer rights. As Altman et al note (2002:14), in discussion of Indigenous consumer issues, "[l]ittle attention is paid to the cultural practices that may inform the choices made by Indigenous people about where they shop or how they consume."14

2. Ensure effective community involvement in all stages of the project

Good practice in consumer education involves empowerment of the community/community members. Community participation in development and implementation of the education activity is essential (Goldie 1996; Flowers et al 2001). Empowerment also implies that the education will promote a critical understanding of the law and systems relevant to the consumer’s circumstances15.

13 Commonwealth Consumer Affairs Advisory Council, Submission 14 See also McDonnell and Martin 2002 and Martin D in ATSIC et al 2002 pp 30 - 39 15 The National Community Legal Education Groups’ Guidelines promote a similar understanding of community legal education: “[Community legal education encourages a critical understanding of the law and the legal system and allows an assessment of its impact or usefulness. It is contended that education must be a mechanism for consciousness raising, not simply an unquestioning acceptance of the status quo.”


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The need for, priorities for, nature of, and content of consumer education for Indigenous people should be assessed and developed in partnership with Indigenous consumers. The successful New South Wales Department of Consumer Affairs project (1994:2) emphasises that “genuine co-ownership between the Department and the community has been a prerequisite of the project from its outset, and the key to gaining the trust of community leaders and consumers alike”.

This is consistent with broader analysis of the success of strategies for change in Aboriginal communities reported by the Nganampa Health Council (2002:28). Successful initiatives empowered the community to influence project related priorities rather than imposing those priorities on the community.

Respondents to the Consultation Paper suggested it would be useful to have more detail on how to go about working in partnership with Indigenous communities. The nature of the partnerships that are appropriate are likely to vary according to the scale and nature of Indigenous consumer education projects. In some cases the project might be delivered almost entirely by a local or regional Indigenous organisation with financial and other support from a consumer or government agency. In other cases the Indigenous involvement may come through a network of local, regional or Statewide forums and committees relevant to particular target audiences within Indigenous communities.

Working effectively in cross-cultural contexts requires a relationship that is based on trust and respect. Building relationships and trust with partner organisations and with communities requires time and resources and the development of a good understanding of the cultural features and practical circumstances of the partner organisations and communities.

3. Consider partner organisation’s resource limitations Where community based organisations are involved in a strategy it is important to consider their resource needs. These roles may range from being equal partners in planning and implementing a strategy to one of many organisations asked to help out with a local launch of a national campaign. While the local organisation may be more than willing to be involved they will often need more time, or support with resources in order for the required work to be done effectively. Similar issues can arise in other arrangements; for example, where funding bodies call for submissions for consumer education projects they might consider providing small amounts of financial support to selected potential applicants to put in the work needed to develop proposals.

4. Acknowledge cultural diversity and consumers' existing knowledge

There must be recognition of and respect for Indigenous culture and knowledge in the design and implementation of consumer education. This is likely to be achieved when there is community participation in the planning, delivery and evaluation of community legal education.

Delivery and design of community education strategies should take into account that there are many cultures not one Indigenous culture, and that Indigenous people have existing knowledge and values about what is important and true and what is not.16.

16 Note the relevant comments of ARDS: “Yolgnu [ie Aboriginal people from North East Arnhemland] come from a specific cultural background and have their own cultural knowledge base (information that is commonly shared and believed to be correct and meaningful). Educational interventions should be developed having regard to what Yolgnu know and hold to be true around the issue.” Flowers et al


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Community education strategies should consider the impact of education of individuals as opposed to communities. In many circumstances education should be thought of as for the benefit of the community rather than an individual. This can be particularly relevant in relation to remote communities.17 On the other hand there are circumstances where learning for the community as a whole can build on knowledge transferred to appropriate individuals18.

5. Use appropriate planning and evaluation Good practice generally involves well-conceived and planned projects. Ideally, planning will involve a partnership with representatives of the relevant community from an early stage. True partnerships require the involvement of the partner organisations or communities from early in the project. It is preferable to start the process with an 'open slate' rather than present a proposal that already has significant fixed features.

This 'open slate' should extend to whether or not consumer education is the most effective response to a particular issue, or whether it is only likely to be effective where other activity is also undertaken (for example improved service delivery, effective enforcement response to illegal practices and/or changes to law or policy.) Consumer education forms only one of a number of strategies available to Indigenous communities and consumer and government agencies in responding to consumer related problems facing Indigenous (or other) communities and individuals. Depending on the circumstances, enforcement (or compliance) and policy development including legislative reform may be more effective or appropriate responses to particular problems.

One consequence, as the Queensland Office of Fair Trading suggested in their response, is that non Indigenous organisations, and in particular government consumer protection agencies, need to allow for and seek relevant Indigenous input into agency wide strategic and operational planning, not just into the planning of consumer education (or other) projects.

In any case, plans should remain sufficiently flexible to remain open to amendment based on input or feedback from the community affected, from testing of the strategies proposed and from ongoing informal and formal evaluation.

One model of planning for consumer education is for projects to be organised in a series of steps:

• identifying the problems (as perceived by the relevant consumers) and determining whether or not consumer education has a role to play in responding to them,

(2001:17-18) make a similar point in relation to education campaigns in relation to non-Indigenous members of the community. 17 The Aboriginal Resource Development Service puts it like this: "Secondly, much of the education is aimed at individuals and not the community. This method 'loads up' the individual with 'training', only to send them back into their cultural group where they become strangers, different from their own people. At times the trained individuals challenge, sometimes by subtly undermining, the traditional leadership causing much stress, division and hopelessness within the community. This leaves the community broken, displaying many of the negative features that Aboriginal communities now display. The fate of the Western-educated and trained individuals and community leaders is failure - usually resulting in early deaths. This is not the way to develop any community but especially not indigenous communities. Any knowledge and information delivered to the people must be delivered to the whole cultural group so they learn together.” http://www.ards.com.au/warriorsnextframe.html 18 The Aboriginal Womens Outreach Project of the Top End Womens Legal Service project, which has been in place for six years and relies on employment, education and support of carefully selected locally based staff, appears to be a successful example of this approach.


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• identifying the context • developing the strategy (which might, for example, include project objectives,

content and methodology), • implementing the strategy, and • evaluating the project.19

Alternatively an action learning approach requiring regular participant reflection and review, and enabling participants to make adjustments according to lessons learnt and changes in local circumstances may be effective20. Another useful approach is set out in 10 Tips to Successful Communication Planning (Social Change Media, no date).

Evaluation is best conceived as something that is undertaken as the plan is being implemented rather than only something that can happen in an expensive and formal way at the end of the project. In general the question to ask is: how is this project going from the point of view of the community that the education is intended for? Evaluation can be another step in the process of empowerment, a continuation of the shared learning process between the community and the other people involved. Done well it encourages the ongoing participation of the community, develops rapport between the people involved, increases the sharing of knowledge and understanding, identifies new problems, generates new ideas and solutions, and may reveal how processes can be improved.

6. Consider consumers' motivation to learn Consumer education projects should consider the motivation of consumers to learn at a particular time – for example, does the consumer want to learn the skills or acquire the knowledge that is on offer (Flowers et al 2001)? Moreover, as Fitzsimmons (1997: 46) notes “People are only motivated to learn when their more immediate needs are being met and when they want to gain the knowledge and skills that you are offering because they believe it is useful or interesting to them.”

A Respondent to the Consultation Paper suggested that more emphasis could be placed on the need for eduction 'to be linked to a clearly demonstrated and usually immediate need'. One of the moments that at least some consumers are motivated to learn is at the time that they seek advice about a problem21. Consumer education strategies might therefore consider making education and/or information available to/through 'gatekeepers' - people within and outside the community to whom consumers are likely to turn when they have a problem.

7. Engage in dialogue with consumers/two way learning In most circumstances the people or organisations proposing to provide education have much to learn about the circumstances, culture, existing knowledge and priorities of Indigenous people relevant to the particular consumer issues involved. For this reason processes that

19 These steps are a modified form of the steps used in Goldie 1996. 20 The Family Income Management Project undertaken by three communities in the Gulf opf Carpentaria with support from Family and Community Services is an example of such an approach. The project includes consumer education objectives. 21 The NSW Law and Justice Foundation note that not all consumers have a motivation to learn at this time as opposed to simply wanting to have their problem solved: Submission citing S Scott & C Sage Gateways to the Law: An Exploratory Study of how Non Profit Agencies Assist clients with Legal Problems. (Law and Justice Foundation, 2001)


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involve an ongoing relationship, a cycle of learning, appraisal and more learning, or some form of dialogue are more likely to be successful22.

8. Use appropriate formats and distribution channels The choices made about the most effective format(s) for education activities and the way in which the education content will reach the intended audience are interrelated. Both depend on the circumstances of the project, the information content and in particular the needs and views of the relevant Indigenous consumers. It is probably not possible to lay down guidelines on format and distribution which are relevant in all circumstances, however some common themes emerge out of past experience:

• As noted above, where possible face to face communication is an important element of any strategy as it enhances the possibility of dialogue23.

• On the other hand ‘information only’ products are more likely to be effective where they form part of a larger strategy that: o considers whether or not consumers are likely to trust the information, o uses information that is relevant to Indigenous consumers’ real needs, and make

sense to them given their existing knowledge and understanding of the world, o provides consumers with opportunities to ask questions and engage in dialogue

with the information, and o is realistic about consumers’ ability to implement the advice given in the

material. • Visual material is generally received favourably24, as is material that includes

familiar images and people25. Radio (for example in relevant Aboriginal languages) has been advocated as an appropriate format, however only some communities are strong users of radio. Regional television can also be used effectively.

9. Promote longer term sustainable activities rather than pilot projects and ad hoc responses

Research shows that interventions in remote Indigenous communities are generally more likely to be effective if they are part of, or integrated with, longer term sustainable strategies26. These results are probably also likely to be true of other consumer groups including other Indigenous communities. Project planning should consider how key parts of a consumer education activity might become part of ongoing programs, or how particular skills

22 See the description of ARDS practice in Part 3 and Aucote in ATSIC et al 2002 p 107. In the context of community legal education Goldie (1996) suggests: "In any community legal education process, include some learning objectives for yourself. Perhaps your objectives would be "To learn about the problems the community faces gaining access to justice" and "to identify strategies for helping the community gain access to justice." 23 “The experience of TEWLS workers suggests that one of the most appropriate and effective ways of implementing community legal education for Indigenous women living in remote communities is through the use of community based “face to face” activities” (TEWLS 1998:i). Support for the benefits of direct personal communication can also be gained from the work of the Arnhemland Resource and Development Service (see Part 3) and from work cited in Flowers et al (2001). Cahill et al (1998; see also Anon 1999) found that people with poor or low literacy skills relied on information that was communicated by a person. 24 See Streetwise Communications and Mallee Family Care projects listed in Part 3. 25 Advice from people consulted. Beware the risk however of something being unusable for many years in the event of the death of one of the people whose image has been used due to the strong taboos applicable in many communities on using images and sometimes names of people who have passed away. 26 Humphrey, Dixon & Marrawal 1998, see also review of nutrition projects in Nganampa Health Council 2002 at 63-67.


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and knowledge can be transferred in a way that will become part of the long term fabric of the relevant community.

The research underlying the Mai Wiru Regional Stores Policy (Nganampa Health Council 2002) suggests that the good practice principles should pay attention to the likely sustainability of interventions, whether they are solely focused on consumer education or intend to produce change using a combination of different activities. The authors of Mai Wiru identify a considerable number of "nutrition interventions" undertaken in Aboriginal communities over the past two decades. They adopt the conclusions of Humphrey, Dixon and Marrawal (1998) that most projects have proved ineffective due to some or all of their 'chronic, temporary, pilot-like nature', the precariousness of their funding and/or their ad hoc and reactive approach to problems. They note the need to translate projects into longer term programs implemented in full cooperation with community members.

10. Contribute to coordination, collaboration and networking

Consumer education initiatives should not be regarded as isolated projects. Information discovered in the course of one project may be relevant to the interests of other communities or other agencies. Therefore, as well as not unnecessarily duplicating initiatives currently available, agencies should look at who else may be interested in developing a response to an identified need, or what information they have gained which may be useful to make available to others.


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Part 3: Examples of Consumer Education Activities and Organisations This Part lists a number of consumer education strategies and projects that have come to our attention during the course of the project. They are listed alphabetically save that major consumer awareness campaigns are listed separately in the following section. The Part concludes with a list of organisations that have undertaken Indigenous specific education or communication activities which are not otherwise listed.

Selected Indigenous specific consumer education projects and community legal education projects

Aboriginal Coordinating Council, Townsville

http://www.accq.org.au/main.htm

A consumer affairs project based at the Aboriginal Coordinating Council has been funded for a number of years. ACC received funding from a trust fund set up following legal action taken by the Trade Practices Commission (now the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) against Colonial Mutual Life Insurance Society for alleged breaches of the Trace Practices Act while selling insurance to Indigenous people.

The ACC set up a Consumer Affairs Unit in 1998. The objective of the Consumer Affairs Unit is to provide consumer awareness education to its indigenous communities and thus allow community consumers to make wise purchasing decisions. One of the first major activities that the Consumer Affairs Unit did was to actively promote the appointment of community based 'Community Consumer Liaison Officers'.

'The ACC developed and produced the Training for Better Buying: Motor Vehicles video in conjunction with 18 Aboriginal communities in the North of Queensland in 2000 and 2001. The video includes messages developed by community members and features community members as actors. The Queensland Office of Fair Trading funded the project. An evaluation of the project has been provided to that office by ACC.

Contact: Peter Opio-otim Ph 07 4044 2999

The Aboriginal Resource and Development Service

http://www.ards.com.au

ARDS provides consumer education in North East Arnhem Land. They are committed to providing that education in relevant Aboriginal languages and having regard to their understanding of the language and culture of Yolgnu people (that is, Aboriginal people of North East Arnhem Land). ARDS is also involved in exploring cross cultural communication issues and recently published a major work about the failings of interactions between Yolgnu and non-Yolgnu Australians over the past century: Why Warriors Lay Down and Die: Towards and understanding of why the Aboriginal people of Arnhem Land face the greatest crisis in health and education since European contact (Trudgen 2000).

ARDS has a particular approach to consumer education. This approach has been developed over the past 28 years in which ARDS has worked in partnership with the people of North-

http://www.accq.org.au/main.htm

http://www.ards.com.au


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East Arnhem Land. ARDS’ approach is worth noting because of their long experience and deep commitment to Indigenous community education and community development. The following excerpts from their explanation of their method is taken from their web site.

ARDS practices community education as a major part of its development strategy. This community education must engage the intellect of the people, it must be practiced in such a way that the process is one where the people involved 'discover', through critical questioning, truth and new realities. This community education is problem solving education, around areas of Health, Economics and Legal matters … Microscopes, microbiology and immune system education (literacy) is a major component of the health education ...

Economic and Legal literacy also play a major role, as the people of the region begin to participate in a real way in their own development, rather than just survive, with two often conflicting systems of law and economics27.

ARDS identify three principles central to their community education practice (ARDS no date):

Yolgnu come from a specific cultural background and have their own cultural knowledge base (information that is commonly shared and believed to be correct and meaningful). Educational interventions should be developed having regard to what Yolgnu know and hold to be true around the issue.

Yolgnu almost exclusively speak one of the Yolgnu Matha languages as a first language. Education should be undertaken in one of the more common Yolgnu Matha languages which are universally understood in this population.

The third principle is that the emphasis during education sessions is on process. Dialogue is fundamental to process. ARDS educators attempt to engage participants in an interactive process, which is driven by the participants own concerns and questions. While education products such as flipcharts, posters, videos can be useful teaching aids, and ARDS educators rely heavily on good quality diagrams and illustrations, the key to promoting understanding is dialogue. (emphasis added)

In addition to face to face education ARDS supports the use of radio. To make more of this education possible, and also to increase its effectiveness, we are planning to use a good, basic radio broadcasting service. This service will be aimed at providing good quality community development and community education to a whole cultural/language group.

The Aboriginal Outreach Project of the Top End Womens Legal Service

This project has combined individual service delivery with legal education in three remote Aboriginal communities over a period of 6 years. In addition to a Darwin based solicitor and Indigenous legal worker the project employs several local Indigenous women in each community on a part time basis.

A process of both formal and informal information exchange has been undertaken; Indigenous and non Indigenous staff of the service learned more and more about the needs of their clients and the basic reality in which they lived and to which they responded. The local

27 http://www.ards.com.au/About.html accessed 4 January 2002

http://www.ards.com.au/About.html


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Indigenous staff not only gained knowledge about court processes, what the legal system had to offer and so on, but were able to observe the legal system providing useful assistance to other women from their community thus building up trust in alternative approaches to the problems of women in the community.

In effect the project has identified met a need for the women of the community to develop a new collective understanding of the way the external legal system will respond should women choose to engage it to assist them. An evaluation of the service provided is clear evidence of the transfer of skills and knowledge, and the empowerment of local women to choose and take the action of their choice.

Contact: Libby Carney Ph 08 8941 9989

Australian Consumer and Competition Commission

The ACCC was responsible for a major Indigenous Consumer awareness campaign about the GST. This project is described under Consumer Awareness Campaigns below.

First Nations Australian Credit Union

The First Nations Australian Credit Union commissioned the ‘My Moola’ booklet and poster about saving money. ‘My Moola’ is a resource about budgeting for Indigenous people. Based on feedback on drafts of this resource, Streetwize did a major overhaul which focused on cutting down on text and presenting more information visually. First Nations Australian Credit Union will soon be releasing a similar booklet on savings.

Contact: Liz Laffan Ph 03 9615 0647

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission

www.hreoc.gov.au/social_justice/education/index.html

The Office of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner has undertaken the following education projects.

National Community Education Program: Tracking Your Rights The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Education Project (NCEP) is designed to encourage Indigenous peoples to know their rights and to utilise effective problem solving mechanisms to resolve conflict. The NCEP is structured to implement Recommendation 211 of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody which recommends the development of an effective information program on anti-discrimination legislation and human rights for Indigenous communities.

Tracking Your Rights, the education package developed by the NCEP, provides strategies for dealing with discrimination and conflict across the country. It details the rights of and options available to Indigenous peoples in different situations such as dealing with the police, the media, housing departments and estate agents, employers and government departments. The Tracking Your Rights package has four components: a video, a mediation tape, training manuals and topic-based resource manuals each individually tailored for four regions across Australia - Western Australia; the Northern Territory/South Australia; Queensland; and south-eastern Australia (Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales). Tracking Your Rights is also offered as a regular training course on the calendar of the Public Service Merit Protection Commission and ad hoc training courses are also conducted by the Commission.

http://www.hreoc.gov.au/social_justice/education/index.html


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HREOC describe the process for developing the package as follows:

We have travelled extensively throughout Australia to turn our concept of community education about human rights and equality into a collective one. We have listened to many different people tell their stories, share their dreams and explore their capabilities in order to develop strategies to live fuller, safer and more dignified lives. Our concept has been fleshed out and taken new forms. It has grown beyond a product of set content and knowledge, into a process which facilitates a journey towards people becoming active participants better able to protect and assert their rights. It is a journey that takes people from seeing rights as static theory towards a vision of rights as concrete mechanisms and tools for action.28

Recently the Queensland Anti Discrimination Commission has updated the Tracking Your Rights package and distributed it widely in Queensland. An online version of the Queensland version of the Tracking Your Rights package is available at http://www.hreoc.gov.au/social_justice/tracking/intro.html

National Indigenous Legal Studies Curriculum The National Indigenous Legal Studies Curriculum (NILSC) was developed in response to Recommendation 212 of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. The recommendation identified a role for Aboriginal Legal Services to assist in formulating strategies for more effective use of anti-discrimination mechanisms which would offer practical protection for the rights of Indigenous peoples.

The aims of the National Indigenous Legal Studies Curriculum are to provide Indigenous students with a thorough education in legal, human rights and discrimination issues and to improve access to legal services and resources for Indigenous communities as a whole.

Karatha Office of the WA Department of Fair Trading

This office has produced information and marketing material targetted at Indigenous Consumers. Staff of the office are also working on a locally produced Indigenous specific video about purchasing second hand motor vehicles.

Mallee Family Care

Mallee Family Care is based in Mildura and serves 5 nearby towns. The service noticed that the information it had about gambling was not being used. It discussed this with workers from the local Aboriginal Corporation. The agencies decided that a comic would be the most effective way to provide information about gambling, problem gambling and the services available. The story line was developed in consultation with a range of human service groups, Aboriginal organisations and members of the local Koori community. The comic has been distributed for use by other gambling help agencies in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia.

New South Wales Department of Fair Trading www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au Research commissioned by the Department in the 1990s found that awareness and use of our services was very low amongst Aboriginal communities. The research results revealed that

28 http://www.hreoc.gov.au/social_justice/education/tracking_your_rights.html

http://www.hreoc.gov.au/social_justice/tracking/intro.html

http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au

http://www.hreoc.gov.au/social_justice/education/tracking_your_rights.html


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Aboriginal people had many fair trading problems, particularly in the areas of tenancy, car purchases and repairs, complex consumer contracts, obtaining redress and discriminatory practices, but were not accessing Departmental services to resolve them. This suggested the services were not being delivered equitably. The way the services were promoted and provided was not culturally appropriate for Aboriginal communities and consequently set up barriers to access. In 1998, in response to this research and consultation about the needs of Aboriginal communities and the most appropriate communication strategies, the Department launched the Aboriginal Action Plan.

The Aboriginal Action Plan reflects a six stage strategy for achieving greater equity and improved access for Aboriginal customers. The essential elements of the plan are:

• The Community knows the Department exists • The Community trusts the Department • The Consumers and traders know their rights and responsibilities • The Department knows the needs of its customers • The Department’s services are provided in the appropriate way • Services are monitored and evaluated so they can stay relevant to changing needs.

The key approach of the plan was in line with what the Department's research told them Aboriginal people wanted: informal, person to person contact in community settings. Sponsorship of community events has also been a successful strategy to build awareness of the agency.

One section of the plan addressed consumer education specifically. It reads as follows:

" Educational Material

The Department will prepare educational material for the Customer Service Officers to use when working with Aboriginal communities and organisations.

Over the next two years, material developed will include: • a series of advertisements about tenancy in the Koori Mail; • a brochure on tenants’ rights about discrimination; • a guide to the Department’s services for Aboriginal people.

Two Aboriginal writers will be employed to consult with communities and prepare this material. The writers will research and design appropriate educational material for Aboriginal people. The excellent educational material produced by the Aboriginal Tenants Advice Services and the consumer rights video produced by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission will also be used."

There are three main areas in the Department that have an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander focus and these include Policy, Marketing and Customer Services.

Policy

The Aboriginal Senior Policy Officer oversees and reviews the Aboriginal Action Plan on an ongoing basis as well as has significant input into the projects within the Department that can be used as a state-wide approach for all communities.


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Marketing

The Marketing Branch develops culturally appropriate material for Indigenous consumers and traders throughout NSW. The material focuses on the general services of the Department as well as identifies consumer and trader needs on a state-wide level. Ongoing advertising and promotion of the Department, the Aboriginal Customer Services Officers and the Aboriginal Tenancy Information Service has been conducted through print and promotional material, print media and radio as well as active involvement in major Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander events. The Department has produce 18 printed information publications (fact sheets, brochures, posters) targetted at Aboriginal consumers in New South Wales (see the publications link at www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/).

Customer Services Division Aboriginal people are more likely to access the services they need if other Aboriginal people provide the help. The employment of Aboriginal Customer Service Officers (14) was an essential pre-condition to the successful delivery of Aboriginal Consumer Protection Programs.

These Aboriginal Customer Service Officers are located at key Fair Trading Centres throughout NSW. Community education and intervention are their main focus. They also provide ongoing training and information seminars on general awareness of the Department’s services including areas such as tenancy, buying a car, credit and shopping.

An important part of the work of the Indigenous consumer affairs officers is to conduct and coordinate education face to face in Aboriginal communities and organisations and to have a presence at Aboriginal events. They make use of other Departmental staff and the Department's range of publications (including the Indigenous specific publications prepared by the Indigenous staff of the Marketing branch) to do this.

Koori Tenancy Information Service

The Renting Services Branch of the Department of Fair Trading also provides a specialist “Koori Tenancy Information Service’ specifically to assist both landlords and tenants from Aboriginal communities who have tenancy issues that relate to the Department of Fair Trading. The Koori Information Tenancy Line is operated by two Aboriginal Customer Service Officers who also provide training and support for other Aboriginal Customer Service Officers on rental bond and tenancy issues.

Kooris and Cars The Department worked in cooperation with the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority. The program produces practical information about purchasing a car and is aimed at young people. Sessions are conducted by Aboriginal staff of DFT or RTA in conjunction with vehicle inspectors; the sessions are hands involving work with a real vehicle on things such as detecting a substandard vehicle.

For further information regarding the Department’s Aboriginal Action Plan, please contact the Senior Aboriginal Policy Officer, New South Wales Department of Fair Trading – (02) 9338 8969.

NSW Roads and Traffic Authority

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/

The NSW RTA has developed an Aboriginal Action Plan. The plan focuses on the agency as a whole and affects "everything [it does] for, and with, Aboriginal communities, customers and staff". Features of the plan include

http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/


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• Introducing the Community Based Knowledge Testing Program in Aboriginal communities

• Introducing Driver Licensing Programs into identified correctional facilities

• Fostering Reconciliation by naming a 600 km route as the Kamilaroi Highway and assisting the Sydney Harbour Bridge Walk during Corroboree 2000

• Working with the contractor for the Walgett Bridge replacement to employ Aboriginal people on the project

• Appointing an Aboriginal Program Manager

• Appointing two new Aboriginal Liaison Officers, located at Newcastle and Wollongong, respectively, raising the total for this group to six

• Creating an Aboriginal Road Safety Co-ordinator position

• Creating ten identified trainee positions at the Newcastle Call Centre and eight identified trainee positions in motor registries

• Delivering the Building Pathways Aboriginal Cultural Awareness Program

• Developing the Kooris & Cars education package, which focuses on driver licensing, purchasing a vehicle and other consumer issues, with Department of Fair Trading and

• Implementation of Aboriginal participation in Construction Guidelines.

The AAP also sets us new Aboriginal-specific goals in the key areas of:

• Licensing • Community consultation • Alliance, Partnerships and Government directions • Road safety • Aboriginal heritage • Employment • Service delivery • Reconciliation • Best practice

"The AAP is for everyone in the RTA. Its actions influence everything we do, including managing the road network, providing culturally sensitive customer service, customising the RTA’s products and services to meet the needs of Aboriginal communities whilst achieving RTA objectives, helping Aboriginals to participate in the workforce, promoting an understanding of Aboriginal culture within the RTA, environmental management and Aboriginal heritage management issues."

Public Interest Advocacy Centre

Working the System training course for Aboriginal communities 2001

Western NSW (Bourke, Walgett). The final report reveals some of the challenges of attendance/participation in CLE for indigenous communities.

Queensland Anti Discrimination Commission As noted above (see Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission) the Commission has prepared an updated version of the Tracking Your Rights package originally produced by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.


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Queensland Office of Fair Trading A strategic review of how the Office of Fair Trading delivers its education services was undertaken in November 2001 with a wide range of community, industry and government stakeholders. This review agreed OFT would focus its communication activities in the following two years on more vulnerable audiences (which included Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders). A 2001 broad assessment of customer profile by the Office of Fair Trading revealed very few Indigenous people were contacting the Office for information or to make complaints. This aligned with 2001 State Householder research that revealed Indigenous people were much less likely to be aware of OFT and its education messages, indicated the organisation had work to do in order to improve services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The Office commenced an Indigenous education research and consultation project in the Townsville region. An Indigenous officer was engaged for four months to liaise with more than 30 local Indigenous groups regarding education and service delivery issues and test education materials already produced by NSW Fair Trading. Project Scope • The identification of reasons for non-interaction of consumer complaints with Aboriginal

and Torres Strait Islander people and the Office of Fair Trading. • The need for ideas resulting from the awareness sessions for improvement of interaction

between the department and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities. • The need for a communication strategy appropriate to Indigenous communities and tools

resulting from the visits. • Identification of other Government Agency communication tools that are deemed to be

working well with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities and could be adopted for local use.

Proposed strategy • Review of existing materials, packages from NSW and NT. • Obtain feedback on the use of media, radio, and newsletters with Aboriginal and Torres

Strait islander organisations, posters, and Television commercials. • Prepare some draft written materials and test. • Using existing community capacity to empower the whole community and deliver

services to the community, for example Palm Island Justice Group. • Employment and retention of Indigenous staff within the department. Consultation Strategy • Consult with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups and individuals within the

Townsville Region, Cardwell, Ingham, Charters Towers, Bowen, Ayr, Townsville and Palm Island.

• Issues for consideration are, what services, how to deliver those services and how to improve on communications for future consumption.

• During the post development stage and prior to formal implementation, consult with respected community members who have the authority to give advice and provide stamp of approval within their respective communities.

Consultation Process • Logging into existing community meetings and forums (disrespectful to impose time

frame agenda of Government Departments onto the community’s times). • Individual and personal visits to peoples homes and meeting places such as local

community housing Co-Ops. etc.


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Feedback • There are 4 major issues for the people consulted within this region, buying cars,

shopping, consumer credit and scams. • Participants have indicated that they prefer brochures to be small and transportable for

easy storage and future use. Specifically, this means being able to carry the material in wallets and purses, etc.

• Participants have stated that the material produced and tested was good but too lengthy and covers more issues then just fair-trading.

• Participants have said that the use of brightly coloured posters has a huge impact on clients and customers using their service, it appears to attract attention.

• Participants believe that the use of TV and radio work very, for example ATSIC use the TV to promote and inform Indigenous people about the elections of ATSIC Councillors. They are saying there is a TV and radio in almost every household and it is in constant use.

As a result of this consultation and interaction, specific educational materials were produced to meet Indigenous needs, with the strongest focus being on buying cars, pay day lenders and book up. An MOU was established that saw Fair Trading services also delivered by a local justice group in one location. In the 2002-2003 year the Office has committed to producing an ATSI “Fair Go” Strategy that seeks to continue this work across the State. The Office is working closely with the Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy to prepare the strategy. Its focus will be on book up, car dumping, increasing enforcement, improving opportunities for complaint handling and delivering improved consumer education. The Strategy will seek to liaise with and train existing officers in communities as funds do not exist to hire specific Indigenous Officers. Consumer education material will be produced, with much effort being put into ensuring appropriate distribution and feedback mechanisms for ongoing improvement. Contact: Samantha Palmer Ph 07 3225 2743.

Queensland Residential Tenancies Authority Indigenous Communities Project

www.rta.qld.gov.au

The Queensland Residential Tenancies Authority’s Indigenous Communities Project has delivered community education workshops about tenancy rights and responsibilities in more than 30 remote communities over a period of 3 years. Informal feedback has been positive, however the Authority reports that the general consensus is that although the project has been a good start the councils are eager for further information and in particular information tailored specifically to their individual circumstances and needs. The RTA also has plans to work in partnership with the Aboriginal Coordinating Council and the Island Coordinating Council to resource regional and remote Indigenous communities29.

Contact: David Breen Ph 07 3361 3665

29 http://www.rta.qld.gov.au/download/RTA_Annual_Rpt_2000.pdf

http://www.rta.qld.gov.au


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SA Office of Consumer and Business Affairs OCBA employed Aboriginal Liaison officers for a number of years in the 1990s. The brief of the first ALO was to help reduce sales of substandard vehicles in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara lands. The project was coordinated with the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement (the Aboriginal Legal Service for SA), was extended into other areas and resulted in increased Indigenous inquires to the OCBA.

Streetwize Communications (Formerly Streetwize Comics)

http://www.streetwize.com.au

Streetwize are a non profit organisations that has been producing free legal, health and other education mainly in comic form for the past 16 years, generally targetted at young people.

Streetwise has a long established methodology. They describe it as follows: • we organise a brainstorm that involves workers in the field of the particular

area we are focussing on. The purpose of this is to focus the topic and seek the opinions and perceived needs of workers in the field. They also often suggest good research contacts.

• we research with the target group. This is done by consulting with focus groups, and also one-on-one sessions with workers in the field. A research report is presented.

• the resource is drafted. • we get feedback on the draft resource through focus groups and also with

workers in the field. • we make changes based on recommendations. • printing. • distribution: we have over 25,000 distribution points around Australia. In

our initial distribution comics are free of charge. • evaluation (where budget allows).

Streetwise has produced a significant number of education resources relevant to Indigenous people, many of which are described on their web site.

One Indigenous specific project has been formally evaluated using feedback from members of the target audience. As the project methodology involves feedback on all drafts before they are finalised/printed, they receive ongoing evaluative information before each resource goes to final art stage.

They stress that their main “emphasis is on developing resources in close consultation with the target group. And this process is vital to the success of those resources.”

Contact: Liz Skelton Ph (02) 9319 0220

Traditional Credit Union Community Education Project

The Traditional Credit Union provides credit union services to a number of remote Aboriginal communities and has an office in Darwin. They have developed a consumer education program together with members of the communities in which they operate. A pilot version of the program is being delivered in one community. It includes broadcast material in local languages, facilitated workshops, poster development in local languages and school-based programs. The program has a number of topics: 'the Money Story" deals with the wider



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Australian economy and the role of money at the local level; other topics include the operations of the TCU, using accounts and budgeting are. TCU is currently negotiating with possible funding sources to extend the program to other communities.

Victorian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service

The Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service is undertaking work which aims to increase Indigenous consumers’ ability to exercise of their right to complain. This work is regionally focused and involves working with both the organisation likely to- be complained to (for example the State consumer affairs agency or the local energy utilities) as well as Indigenous organisations and communities.

Contact: Robin Inglis Ph 03 9419 3888

Women’s Legal Resources Centre (NSW)

Women Out West 1992

The project was aimed at Aboriginal women in the far west of NSW. It used a multi-disciplinary approach to provide legal education workshops, information, legal advice & resources on domestic violence, family law and sexual assault. The report describes the project objectives; legal & health information distributed and includes maps of places visited, fliers distributed and photos documenting the work. The report is available from the Women's Legal Resources Centre.

Casework outreach/Community Legal Education project for Indigenous Communities 2001

This project was conducted by the Women's Legal Resources Centre and Gilbert + Tobin Lawyers. It was primarily aimed at Indigenous communities in north western NSW. The feedback report comments on issues involved in the delivery of services to Indigenous communities. These include the issue of attempting to target remote communities on a one visit, short duration basis. The fly in, fly out approach was not culturally acceptable. Relying upon local communities to carry out the groundwork organisation was also problematic. The report is available in the Law and Justice Foundation Library.

The Macleay Valley Aboriginal Women's Violence Protection Project 1999

Undertaken by Women's Legal Resources Centre and Goorie Galbans. It involved a series of CLE workshops. The report of the project is available in the NSW Law and Justice Foundation Library.

Major Indigenous community awareness campaigns In relation to each of the following major community awareness campaigns the government agency involved engaged a specialist consultancy to assist them design and implement the strategy.

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, GST, Everyday Prices & You Campaign

http://gst.accc.gov.au

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission implemented a major national Indigenous community education campaign on the key role of the ACCC in monitoring prices

http://gst.accc.gov.au


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and avoiding price exploitation after the introduction of the GST. This campaign was designed to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people understand how the New Tax System will affect the prices of everyday goods and services that they buy or use. Campaign components including a national community-based launch in Darwin, advertising in Indigenous media (press and radio), an ATSI specific hotline, cross-cultural training for staff, editorial generation, web site integration of Indigenous materials and a comprehensive direct mail activity (Indigenous information kit).

Fact sheets and other information produced by the ACCC specifically for Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders are available at http://gst.accc.gov.au/aboriginal_torres_strait_info.cfm

Australian Taxation Office: Tax Reform - Business Education & Communication

http://www.taxreform.ato.gov.au

This project is described on Cultural Partners web site as follows:

… The Australian Taxation Office commissioned Cultural Partners Australia … to coordinate an Indigenous Communications Strategy in the lead up to the introduction of the GST on July 1, 2000.

Campaign Specifically tailored information about the Commonwealth's major tax reform initiatives under The New Tax System was delivered to Indigenous businesses, community organisations and enterprises around Australia. Several major sub-campaigns have been including - registration for GST, the Australian Business Number (ABN), Pay-as-You-Go (PAYG) and the Business Activity Statement (BAS). Campaign components have included advertising in Indigenous media (print & radio), direct mail kits, publication inserts, community and media launch in Sydney, media briefings, editorial generation and issues management.

Office of the Status of Women

http://padv.dpmc.gov.au/IFV/walking.html

The Walking into Doors Campaign is a coordinated national community awareness campaign with the following elements:

• a series of local community events featuring well known Aboriginal artists Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter,

• a national campaign of radio advertisements with appropriate adjustments made for each region., and

• posters, brochures and information cards.

http://gst.accc.gov.au/aboriginal_torres_strait_info.cfm

http://www.taxreform.ato.gov.au



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Organisations Involved in Indigenous Specific Education and Indigenous Media Organisations

CAAMA Productions

http://www.caama.com.au/productions/productions.cfm

“CAAMA Productions is the largest Indigenous production house in Australia. We are an experienced film making company located in the centre of Alice Springs, with an intimate knowledge of Aboriginal people.”

A number of years ago CAAMA undertook a number of Central Australia specific consumer and health education projects based around a TV and cartoon character known as “Cuz Congress”.

Cultural Partners Australia

http://www.culturalpartners.com.au/indigenous.htm

According to their web site Cultural Partners Australia (CPA) “is an expert at conducting community education programs. They position issues and messages into Multicultural and Indigenous communities that have real impact and influence in ways that cannot be achieved by mainstream communication approaches.” They take a “holistic approach to high impact community education.” “Indigenous communication campaigns are conducted through strategic alliances with Australia's leading Indigenous communication consultants.”

Cultural Partners Australia worked with Gavin Jones Communications on the ACCC pre GST community awareness campaign (see below) and on a community awareness campaign in relation to Indigenous domestic violence for the Office of the Status of Women (the Walking into Doors Campaign featuring Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter). See http://padv.dpmc.gov.au/IFV/walking.html

Cultural Perspectives Australia

http://www.culper.com.au/

This organisation specialises in services relating to cultural diversity. They were contracted by the New South Wales Department of Fair Trading to conduct research for their Indigenous consumer education project.

Green Ant Research Arts and Publishing

Based in Darwin, Northern Territory, Green Ant have produced a range of visual educational products including posters and videos for a range of clients including the then Department of Social Security. Ph 08 8948 0193

Imparja Television

http://www.imparja.com.au/

“Imparja is a private, fully commercial television company registered in the Northern Territory. It is unique in Australia and the world, being totally owned and controlled by

http://www.caama.com.au/productions/productions.cfm

http://www.culturalpartners.com.au/indigenous.htm


http://www.culper.com.au/

http://www.imparja.com.au/


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Northern Territory and South Australian Aboriginal shareholders, who have never requested nor received a dividend, preferring to invest any profit back into the development of the company.

Imparja broadcasts the Imparja Television service, and carries audio services, including the CAAMA Radio 8KIN FM signal, via satellite to a potential audience of 189,000 residents in regional areas throughout NT, SA, VIC and New South Wales.”

The Proposed National Indigenous Communications Service

There is no national Indigenous broadcasting service at present. A feasibility study entitled The Belonging Network: Tools for Empowerment: A National Indigenous Communications Service Feasibility Study Broadcasting for Community Development was prepared for ATSIC and the National Indigenous Media Association of Australia. (Malcolm Long Associates and Cole 2000). Existing Indigenous broadcasting services are described at pages 11 – 20 of that study.

Streetwize Communications


See information above.

Directories of Indigenous media organisations

Indigenous media organisations are listed in the National Directory of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Organisations (published by Directories Australia: see www.directories.australia.com.au) and are available on line at Indigenous Peoples of Australia: Media http://www.ldb.org/oz_m.htm.



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Part 4: Selected Bibliography Note the extensive annotated bibliography in Altman, McDonnell and Ward (2002). Altman, J, S McDonnell and S Ward (2002) "Indigenous Australians and competition and

consumer issues: A Review of the literature and an annotated bibliography" CAEPR Working Paper 12/2002 (Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research)

ARDS 1995 Case Study on AIDS Education (ARDS, Darwin)

ARDS June 1995 Economic Literacy Education - Where have all the skilled people of Arnhem Land gone? (ARDS, Darwin)

ARDS no date a About ARDS http://www.ards.com.au/About.html

ARDS no date b Aboriginal Resource Development Service Approach to Diabetes Education http://www.ards.com.au/healthedframe.html

ASIC 2001 Consumer Education Strategy 2001-2004 (ASIC, Sydney)

ATSIC et al 2002 Report: Indigenous Consumer Issues in Remote and Regional Australia: A National Workshop, 22-23 April. 2002, Alices Springs (Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Commission, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Australian Securities Investments Commission, Reconciliation Australia)

Baum F 1998 The New Public Health: An Australian Perspective (OUP)

Consumer Affairs Division, Department of Industry Science and Tourism, 1997

The Consumer Education Needs of Rural and Remote Australians (AGPS, Canberra)

Consumers International 1995 Consumer Education Workshop Alice Springs Australia 5 September 1995 Workshop Report (Consumers International South Pacific Consumer Protection Program, Wainuiomata, New Zealand)

Consumers International no date a http://www.consumersinternational.org


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Cultural Perspectives The Gabami Report: Aboriginal Consumer Issues and Education Strategies Unpublished report prepared for the NSW Department of Fair Trading June 1998

Department of Consumer Affairs New South Wales 1994

Grin and bear it : Experiences of Aboriginal Consumers in rural New South Wales(New South Wales Consumer Affairs Parramatta New South Wales)

Department of Industry Science Tourism 1997

The Consumer Education Needs of Rural and Remote Australians (DIST, Canberra)

Fitzsimmons B 1997 “Adult Learning Processes” in New South Wales Community Legal Centres Management Support Project 1997

Flowers R, A Chodkiewicz, K Yasukawa, C McEwen, D Ng, N Stanton and B Johnson 2001

What is Effective Consumer Education: A Literature Review (Centre for Popular Education, Sydney)

FSCPC 1999 Financial Services Consumer Policy Centre, Final Report: Stocktake of Consumer Education in Financial Services (ASIC, Sydney)

Goldie C 1996 Community Legal Education Handbook (Legal Aid Western Australia, Perth)

Humphrey K, M Dixon & J Marrawal 1998 From the bush to the stores: Diabetes, everyday life and the critique of health services in two remote Northern Territory communities, (Diabetes Australia Research Trust/Territory Health Services, Darwin)

Malcolm Long Associates and Cole O 2000 The Belonging Network: Tools for Empowerment: A National Indigenous Communications Service Feasibility Study Broadcasting for Community Development (Malcolm Long Associates and Owen Cole)

Marks G (1995) "Sold Out: The Violation of the Consumer Rights of Aborigines" Alternative Law Journal (20)4 pp 190-193

National Community Legal Education Advisory Group 1995

Guidelines for the Management of Community Legal Education Practice (Attorney Generals Department, Canberra)

New South Wales Community Legal Centres Management Support Project 1997

Your Guide to Community Legal Education (New South Wales Community Legal Centre's Secretariat, Sydney)


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Ngamampa Health Council Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Women's council, Anangu Pitjantjatjara and All Community Councils on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands ("Ngamampa Health Council")

Mai Wiru: Process and Policy: Regional Stores Policy and Associated Regulations for the Anungu Pitjantjatjatara Lands (Nganampa Health Council)

Northern Territory Area Consultative Committee 2002

Final Report Indigenous Banking and Finance (NTACC, Darwin)

PIAC 2001 Public Interest Advocacy Centre and Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Women’s Legal Centre Discrimination … have you got all day?: Indigenous Women, discrimination and complaints processes in New South Wales. (Public Interest Advocacy Centre and Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Women’s Legal Centre, Sydney)

Renouf G 2002 Book Up: Some Consumer Problems: A Report Prepared for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC, Sydney)

Rist L 1994 'It's Not All Sad Business: Consumer Education for Aboriginal People turning the Corner' Consuming Interest Vol 60 (1994) 14-17

Social Change Media (no date) Ten Steps to Successful Communication Planning http://media.socialchange.net.au/planning_comms/10steps.htmlv

Territory Health Services no date The Bush Book http://www.nt.gov.au/nths/healthdev/health_promotion/bushbook/volume1/introduction.html (Territory Health Services, Darwin)

Top End Womens Legal Service 1998 Community Legal Education Manual (TEWLS, Darwin)

Trudgen R 2000 Why Warriors Lie Down and Die: Towards and understanding of why the Aboriginal people of Arnhem Land face the greatest crisis in health and education since European contact (Aboriginal Resource and Development Service, Darwin)

http://www.nt.gov.au/nths/healthdev/health_promotion/bushbook/volume1/introduction.html


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WHO 1998 World Health Organisation, The Jakarta Declaration on Leading Health Promotion Into The 21st Century Fourth International Conference on Health Promotion, Jakarta 21 - 25 July 1997 (World Health Organisation: WHO/HPR/HEP/4ICHP/BR/97.4) available at http://www.who.int/hpr/archive/docs/jakarta/english.html

United Nations General Assembly 1985 UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection (UN General Assembly, A/RES/39/248) available at http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/dec54_449.pdf


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Appendix A: Consumer Education at ASIC ASIC’s role in consumer education One of ASIC's aims is to "promote the confident and informed participation of investors and consumers in the financial system".30 ASIC’s primary objective in relation to consumer education is “to develop a financially literate community, where Australian consumers can make informed decisions about financial products and services, and identify and avoid scams and swindlers” (ASIC 2001). ASIC released its Consumer Education Strategy in October 200131. The strategy describes how it plans to meet this objective over the period 2001-2004 (ASIC 2001). The strategy conceives of ASIC having the following roles: • to raise consumer awareness about their need to be educated and informed, • to inform consumers, • to help coordinate the consumer education activities of others, • to encourage and take part in activities to improve financial literacy, • to inform consumers about other organisations which provide consumer education, and • to undertake or commission research.

ASIC’s interest in Indigenous consumer education In setting out ASIC's consumer education priorities for 2001-2004, the Consumer Education Strategy notes ASIC's intention to develop consumer educational material for Indigenous people.

ASIC's interest in consumer education for Indigenous people has been stimulated by two recent practices brought to ASIC's attention. ASIC investigated the Combined Insurance Company of Australia (“Combined”) in response to allegations that its practices in selling insurance to Indigenous people around Australia were in breach of the unconscionable conduct provisions of the ASIC Act. As a result of the investigations ASIC obtained an enforceable undertaking from Combined. One of its terms was that Combined would provide funds to ASIC for the preparation of educational material to help inform Indigenous consumers about issues to consider when purchasing insurance and other financial services.

Other Relevant Work undertaken by ASIC ASIC has produced the following publications relevant to consumer education.

• The Stocktake of Consumer Education in Financial Services prepared by the Financial Services Consumer Policy Centre (FSCPC 1999),

• ASIC’s Consumer Education Strategy 2001-2004 (ASIC 2001),

• What’s Effective Consumer Education: A Literature Review prepared for ASIC by the Centre for Popular Education, University of Technology Sydney (Flowers et al 2001), and

• Communicating effectively with non-English speaking background groups – identifying best practice in the provision of educational material (ASIC 2002).

The final report of the Stocktake of Consumer Education in Financial Services describes the findings of a research project commissioned by ASIC to “find out what information and education sources are presently available to Australian consumers of financial services and 30 Section 1(2)(b) Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 31 Available from ASIC or at http://fido.asic.gov.au


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products. Where are the shortfalls and what gaps need to be filled?” The project resulted in a database of information and education products together with the Final Report. The latter analysed the effectiveness and coverage of the material identified. An updated version of the database, the Financial Information Directory, is now available on FIDO, ASIC’s consumer web site, at http://www.fido.asic.gov.au.

ASIC’s Consumer Education Strategy sets out ASIC’s primary objective in its consumer education work, the scope of ASIC’s role, the priority topic areas the strategy should focus on and the delivery mechanisms that ASIC intends to use. The Strategy was developed following the completion of the Stocktake of Consumer Education in Financial Services. It was informed by comments received on a Discussion Paper released for comment in June 2000, and input from ASIC’s annual stakeholder forum in 2000. Feedback from these and other sources was used to develop the Strategy.

In February 2000 ASIC commissioned the Centre for Popular Education at the University of Technology Sydney to carry out a literature search in relation to consumer education. ASIC received the Final Report What is Effective Consumer Education: A Literature Review, in December 2001 (Flowers et al). It covers the following areas:

• the nature of consumer education and consumer learning, • what lessons might be drawn for consumer education practice from a review of the

literature in health promotion, environmental education and commercial advertising? • state of financial literacy in Australia, and • ideas for future research.

The report concludes that “it is not just a matter of delivering content to consumers, it is also a matter of supporting them to take control and responsibility for learning about consumer issues”. It suggests that the correct question to ask is not “what are effective formats for delivering consumer education but what are effective strategies for consumer education” (Flowers et al).

ASIC completed the report Communicating effectively with non English speaking background groups – identifying best practice in the provision of educational material in February 2002. The purpose of this report was to assist ASIC when developing and distributing translated educational material for different NESB groups. ASIC's first NESB project will be a series of consumer fact sheets. The report identifies the following seven steps for planning and implementing an educational campaign targeted at NESB groups:

1. Formulation of objectives

2. Selecting your language group

3. Choosing a message

4. Selecting the method of communication

5. How to do effective translations

6. Effective distribution

7. Evaluation of campaign effectiveness

Two recurring themes throughout the report are the need to understand and work with the community you are targeting and the benefits of using a combination of media to get the message across for example radio, newspapers, brochures, videos.


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Using the funds from the Combined enforceable undertaking ASIC has commenced a project to prepare consumer education materials for Indigenous communities about financial services issues. Material to be prepared by this project is expected to be available by the end of 2002.

ASIC has also undertaken recent work in relation to how regulators and others should respond to problems with the system of informal credit known as 'book up' or 'book down' which mainly affects Indigenous consumers32. Appropriate consumer education about financial services and consumer rights has been suggested as an important element of an appropriate response to problems with book up.. The report Book Up: Some Consumer Problems was published in March 2002. ASIC is undertaking follow up work on book up in close consultation with a number of affected communities to develop a package of materials that may assist Indigenous communities to respond to book issues at a community level and possibly at a regional level.

32 Gordon Renouf, Book Up: Some Consumer Problems (ASIC 2002); available at http://www.asic.gov.au. Book up or book down is the practice of offering credit at a retail store or other business, usually on condition that a welfare cheque is cashed at the store or the consumer leaves there debit card and often PIN number with the trader. While offering a service to people who have limited access to credit and other financial services, the practice leaves consumers open to exploitation and can their freedom to shop elsewhere.


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Appendix B: International Agreements on Health Promotion The Ottowa Charter was the outcome of the First International Conference on Health Promotion.

The relevant elements of the Ottawa Charter approach can be seen from the following extract drawn from the Declaration of the Fourth Conference on Health Promotion in Jakarta, which endorsed and expanded on the Ottawa charter:

3. Consolidate and expand partnerships for health

Health promotion requires partnerships for health and social development between the different sectors at all levels of governance and society. Existing partnerships need to be strengthened and the potential for new partnerships must be explored. Partnerships offer mutual benefit for health through the sharing of expertise, skills, and resources. Each partnership must be transparent and accountable and be based on agreed ethical principles, mutual understanding and respect.

4. Increase community capacity and empower the individual

Health promotion is carried out by and with people, not on or to people. It improves both the ability of individuals to take action, and the capacity of groups, organisations or communities to influence the determinants of health.

Improving the capacity of communities for health promotion requires practical education, leadership training, and access to resources. Empowering individuals demands more consistent, reliable access to the decision making process and the skills and knowledge essential to effect change.

Both traditional communication and the new information media support this process. Social, cultural and spiritual resources need to be harnessed in innovative ways. (WHO 1998)


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Appendix C: Feedback on Consultation Paper The Consultation Paper sought feedback on the questions listed below. Feedback received has been incorporated in the text above. Written submissions were received from:

1. WA CLEWS, (Community Legal Education Workers of Western Australia)

2. Kimberley Community Legal Service

3. The Office of Fair Trading, Queensland

4. The Department of Fair Trading, NSW

5. The NSW Law and Justice Foundation

6. The Commonwealth Consumer Affairs Advisory Council

Question 1: What would be the most useful way of sorting and presenting the collected Indigenous educational material in the final report - by the categorisation referred to above, by subject matter, alphabetically or in some other way?

Question 2: Do you think it is useful for ASIC to work with other organisations to develop principles of good practice in relation to Indigenous consumer education?

Question 3: How should the principles of good practice be distributed? Would it be useful for them to be located on a web site? If so which web site?

Question 4: Are there any other fields of practice or groups of people that ought to be considered in developing good practice principles in consumer education relevant to Indigenous people?

Question 5: Are any of the suggested principles of good practice unnecessary or fundamentally misguided? Please specify.

Question 6: Should any of the principles be amended or expanded? Please specify.

Question 7: Do you think there are additional principles of good practice? Please give details.

Question 8: Are you aware of any significant recent Indigenous consumer education strategies, projects or activities that would be useful to include in a listing or stocktake of such projects?

good practice in consumer education for indigenous...

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