Our Launch & Panel Discussion

On 23 August 2017, the Victorian Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gaming and Liquor Regulation officially launched CPRC, Australia’s first ever consumer-focused think tank. Held at Victorian Parliament House, the event was attended by over 70 representatives from consumer organisations, academia, industry and consumer-focused government agencies.

Attendees heard from an expert panellists Michele Levine, CEO Roy Morgan Research, Paul Harrison, Co-founder Centre of Employee and Consumer Wellbeing and Riki Polygenis, Head of Australian Economics, NAB discussing some of the key trends impacting Australian consumers today. A robust conversation across the economics, market research and consumer behaviour fields – the panellists debated topics from how we define a ‘fair outcome’, to the importance of considering the marginal consumer, the risk of ‘responsibilisation’ in decision making, shrinkflation, through to the role of research in the policy cycle.

This rich conversation is emblematic of the approach of the CPRC – bringing together different disciplines and sectors to have an evidence-based conversation about the issues facing consumers. For anyone unable to attend on the day, you can view this thoughtful discussion below in a recording of the day.

Responding to the challenges consumers face, CPRC Chair, Ronda Held, also set out the CPRC research priorities. Ronda outlined a fivefold program focusing on:

• Housing – the changing structure of markets and impacts at different life stages;
• When things go wrong – assessing the effectiveness of redress processes;
• Making consumer decisions easier and fairer – building greater understanding of what can assist consumers in the decision-making process and improved business practice;
• Living online – data, comparisons and online purchases in a changing environment;
• Annual Consumer Index – Providing consumers, industry and government some ongoing measurement of consumer use and satisfaction from consumer markets.

A link to the research priorities announced can be accessed here.

You can watch the full panel discussion and launch of the CPRC below here:

Launch of Consumer Policy Research Centre & panel discussion