[Greens-Media] Relying on importers to recall dangerous toys is flying blind

John Kaye John.Kaye at parliament.nsw.gov.au
Thu Sep 6 13:12:11 EST 2007


Relying on importers to recall dangerous toys is flying blind
 
Media Release: 6 September 2007
 
State and federal governments are leaving children unprotected from the
risks of lead poisoning and other dangers by failing to adequately
regulate and inspect  imported toys, according to Greens MP John Kaye.
 
Dr Kaye said: “Yet another toy safety recall shows that consumers are
at the mercy of the goodwill and competence of importers to protect
children from dangerous toys.  
 
“This is a gamble no parent will want to take.
 
“Suppliers of toys are unenthusiastic about recalling one of their
products. The costs can be huge and their reputation and goodwill would
be severely damaged.
 
“Some importers simply lack the expertise to identify the risks that
can be created by inappropriate chemical coatings or dangerous design
features.
 
“The toy giant Mattel has been forced to make three recalls in less
than five weeks. Each involved products that were manufactured for it in
China.  
 
“Mattel has the engineering capacity of a global corporation but other
importers are small operators with little or no ability to assess
product safety.
 
“Given that more than 80 per cent of all toys sold worldwide are
manufactured in China, it is almost certain that kids are being exposed
on a daily basis to lead paint or dangerous designs.
 
“State and federal governments cannot continue to ignore the inability
of self-regulation to keep children safe.
 
“We are calling on NSW Fair Trading Minister Linda Burney to work with
her state and federal counterparts to create a new regulatory regime
that provides protection from dangerous imported toys with a system of
mandatory inspection of each new design and each batch.
 
“Keeping children safe cannot be left to the whim of the market or the
slow moving processes of the courts. It is time for governments to act
decisively,” Dr Kaye said. 
 
For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455 
 
 
----------------------------------
John Kaye
Greens member of the NSW Parliament
phone: (02) 9230 2668
fax: (02) 9230 2586
mobile: 0407 195 455
email: john.kaye at parliament.nsw.gov.au
web: www.johnkaye.org.au
 
mail: Parliament House, Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000


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