A brief history of consumer protection in NSW 

Introduction

These days it is easy to find out what is happening in the world around us. Modern advances in television, telecommunications and the Internet have made it possible for the people of the world to communicate in a way that was not thought possible 50 years ago. Because we now have greater access to all kinds of information it also means we have the opportunity to be better informed about our rights, including our consumer rights.

Things were different two hundred years ago. Spare a thought for those who came to Australia soon after the first fleet arrived from England, either as free settlers or as convicts. There was little cash, little choice and even fewer rights for most of the population. It would have been hard enough managing to survive from one day to the next. Protecting their consumer rights would have been the last thing on their minds.

How times have changed. To see how the history of consumer protection progressed in New South Wales, follow the links below.

	Colonial life: 1780 to 1890
	Laying down the foundations: 1890-1925
	Money and markets: 1925-1945
	The post-war boom: 1945-1960
	The consumer movement: 1960 to 1970
	The material world: 1970 to the present
	Future directions
	Suggested reading