The iconic showbags for this year's Melbourne Royal Show have been given the official tick of approval from Consumer Affairs Victoria inspectors after passing the mandatory safety checks.
Assistant Treasurer Danny Pearson today visited the Melbourne Showgrounds to get a sneak peek of this year's showbags and meet with the team of safety inspectors.
The inspectors examined 380 showbags to make sure they complied with the safety standards under the Australian Consumer Law.
The inspections uncovered 13 items that failed to meet either mandatory safety or information standards under the Australian Consumer Law. These items were either removed from the showbags or modified to meet safety standards.
Some of these items included toys with no warnings about button batteries and cosmetics without an ingredients list.
All toys with button batteries must have warning labels about the risks of button batteries and test reports demonstrating that the button batteries are not easily accessible. All cosmetics must have an ingredients list with the product.
Under the Australian Consumer Law, it is illegal to supply products that do not meet mandatory safety or information standards.
Businesses supplying unsafe products can receive a $5,000 on-the-spot fine, while serious and repeat breaches of product safety laws can lead to court action and penalties of up to $2,500,000 for individuals, and $50 million for companies.
Inspectors will be at the show throughout the day event making sure that showbags and stalls continue to comply with product safety laws.
The Melbourne Royal Show runs from Thursday, 26 September to Sunday, 6 October at the Melbourne Showgrounds.
As stated by Assistant Treasurer Danny Pearson
"The Melbourne Royal Show is a fantastic day out, and our Consumer Affairs Victoria inspectors have done a great job ensuring everyone can enjoy the show safely."
As stated by Minister for Consumer Affairs Gabrielle Williams
"Our Consumer Affairs Victoria inspectors have made sure this year's showbags are safe for the thousands of families that attend the Melbourne Royal Show."
