Unsafe toys go to court

MORE than 600 seized toys from premises in Dandenong and three Victorian cities have prompted Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) to launch proceedings in the Victoria Supreme Court against Midas Trading (Australia) Pty Ltd (trading as Importers Salvage Centre).
CAV alleges that Midas Trading (Australia) Pty Ltd broke product safety provisions in Part 3 of the Fair Trading Act 1999 (Vic) by supplying toys that were subject to permanent ban orders or breached children’s toys safety standard regulations.
The seized toys include pre-school plastic children’s toys. CAV product safety inspectors detained the toys from the Importers Salvage Centre premises between 10 and 12 December. CAV product safety inspectors seized more than 11,000 toys during 2008.
CAV seeks a number of remedies from the Supreme Court, including a “cease trading” injunction and declarations that Midas Trading (Australia) Pty Ltd has contravened the Fair Trading Act 1999 (Vic).
The CAV also wants publication of a “Public Warning and Product Recall” notice, payment of a full refund to customers returning the toy products, and an adverse publicity order.
Destruction and disposal of the toys at the company’s expense, and an order requiring the company to pay the Director’s costs are also being sought.
Information and images of banned or dangerous toys are available on the Consumer Affairs Victoria website, www.consumer.vic.gov.au