Expertise

FF projects and projects members have led or in which they have been major participants include:

Governance

Governance in Solomon Islands

• A review of the accountability institutions of Solomon Islands following the ethnic tensions.
• Technical design and direction of the Accountability Programme of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI)
• A mid-term review of the RAMSI Accountability Programme for AusAID

Ombudsman Systems in the Region

• Advising on development of government ombudsman systems in Indonesia and Thailand

Integrity, Accountability and Complaints in the ACT

• A review of the statutory oversight agencies and community advocacy system for the government of the Australian Capital Territory, 2003

Anti-corruption in the Kingdom of Tonga

• The design of anti-corruption legislation and of an anti-corruption institution for Tonga, for AusAID and the Minister of Justice, Tonga

Making Markets Work and Protecting Consumers in the Developing World

ASEAN

• A Consumers’ International project to research and analyse capacity building needs in all ASEAN Member States and make recommendations accordingly commissioned b y the ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation Program
• A project commissioned by the ASEAN Australia Development Cooperation Program Phase II to develop models for Complaints and Redress Mechanisms Models for public and private sector providers in ASEAN Member States

Bangladesh

• A Draft Action Plan for the more effective implementation of the Consumer Rights Protection Act in Bangladesh for Consumers International funded by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, 2010

The Philippines

• A project to assist the development of competition policy and regulation in the Philippines funded by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID). The project involved, inter alia, drafting the country’s first comprehensive competition law and major amendments to the Philippines consumer law and developing the capacity of consumer and other civil society bodies to contribute to competition policy development.

Egypt

• A strategic plan for the Central Egyptian Consumer Protection Society funded by UNDP

Malaysia

• Advising the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission on the development of codes

Thailand

• Provision of advice and capacity building in establishment of competition and consumer offices

Indonesia

• Provision of advice and capacity building in establishment of competition and consumer offices

South Africa

• Training for the South African Competition Commission on compliance and administrative exemption on public benefit grounds

Fiji

• A project in Fiji to assist in capacity building for the consumer movement and civil society, development of a strategy to inform consumer of their rights and responsibilities and preparation of research papers and educational material for the Consumer Council of Fiji
• A study on the technical assistance requirements of the Fiji Commerce Commission and Department of Fair Trading and Consumer Affairs
• Provision of technical assistance and capacity building for the Fiji Commerce Commission Fiji involving training in consideration of exemptions and merger investigations; preparation of operating procedures; preparation of guidelines on a number of policy issues; development of a compliance strategy and priorities; and ongoing support in the form of guidance with investigations.

Samoa

• A study (pro bono) on Technical Assistance and capacity building required in Samoa on competition and consumer policy and regulation for government, industry and civil society.

Papua New Guinea

• A comprehensive programme to assist the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission of Papua New Guinea to begin its operations.

Training Regional Competition and Consumer Protection Officials

• A series of workshops on competition and consumer protection law and administration funded by AusAID for officials from China, Vietnam, and the Philippines and preparation of training manuals

Banking

• A review of the Australian Banking Code Compliance Monitoring Committee
• Reviewing consumer and competition law compliance arrangements for a major Australian bank

Consumers and Energy

Protecting Energy Consumers

• A review of the consumer protection regulatory regimes for energy services in Australian jurisdictions, the UK, New Zealand and selected jurisdictions in the USA and recommendations for an effective regime for an Australian national energy market for the Public Interest Advocacy Centre
• 2005-1 Regulation and Consumer Benefit: Compliance in the National Energy Market, 2005

Australian Consumers and Carbon – Learning from Europe

• In partnership with the Centre for Regulatory Studies, Law School, Monash University a project to research European experience on the regulation of energy and provide advocacy research papers as well as research support for consumer group advocacy in relation to the various consultation processes relating to the development and implementation of climate change policies for Australian energy markets. This was funded by the energy research and policy advocacy funding body the Consumer Advocacy Panel.
• 2009-1 Submission on Australian Energy Market Commission Climate Change Study 1st Interim Report
• 2009-2 Australian Energy Market Commission Climate Change Study 2nd Interim Report
• 2009-3 Australian Energy Market Commission Review of Demand Side Participation in the National Electricity Market
• 2009-4 Submission on Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Exposure draft bill
• 2009-5 Submission to Senate Select Committee on Climate Policy
• 2011-1 AEMC Climate Change Study Final Report

Creating an Affordable, Secure and Sustainable Energy Market

• A report prepared for the Consumer Action Law Centre
• 2012-2 A Policy Trilemma — Creating an Affordable, Secure and Sustainable Energy Market

Complaint Handling

• Independent external review of the Electricity & Gas Complaints Commissioner Scheme, New Zealand
• Review of the complaint handling system for the Australian Department of Veterans Affairs
• Preparation of Guidelines for the Development of a Complaints Policy for member organisations of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID)

Cyber Safety

• A project for the NSW Department of Fair Trading to develop skills amongst senior citizens for prevention of harm from on-line criminal activity.

Policy in Australia

• Australia’s Consumer Policy Framework: Submission to the Productivity Commission Inquiry, 2007

Australia’s Development Cooperation Policy

• Submission on improving Governance and Markets in Developing Countries to the Independent Review of Aid Effectiveness 2011