Buy Smart launches Queensland students into competition

Published Thursday, 03 March, 2016 at 09:00 AM

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Training and Skills
The Honourable Yvette D'Ath

Queensland students are urged to brainstorm their best consumer awareness campaign ideas and make them a reality as the annual Buy Smart Competition launches at Ashgrove State School today.

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Yvette D’Ath encouraged Queensland students to prepare their best work ahead of the Office of Fair Trading competition, which last year had more than 900 students lodge entries.

“Young Queenslanders are active consumers but many are unaware of their consumer rights,” Mrs D’Ath said.

“Knowing when you are entitled to a refund, how to budget and manage your money and what to do if you buy a faulty product are vital life skills.

“The annual Buy Smart competition provides students with a fun and creative way to learn about these issues and helps them to gain the skills they need to navigate the busy and fast-paced consumer world, now and into the future.”

Mrs D’Ath said students may work individually or in small groups to creatively research and develop messaging designed to educate their peers about a fair trading consumer issue.

“Over the years – and the competition has been held for more than a decade - entries have included board games, short films, presentations, stories and even an oversized iPhone pillow,” Mrs D’Ath said.

“Entries come from far and wide, with one of our award winners last year coming from Georgetown State School in Far North Queensland, with a fantastic entry about avoiding scams.

“With the chance to share in over $11,000 in cash prizes for students and their schools, Buy Smart is a popular learning tool with students and teachers alike.”

Mrs D’Ath said the competition will run from today and closes on Friday September 16, with winners to be announced at a ceremony in early November.

She said OFT officers will visit many Queensland schools throughout the year to highlight issues young consumers face and talk about the competition.

Resources for schools and details on how to enter are available at www.qld.gov.au/buysmartcomp and the competition Facebook page (www.facebook.com/buysmartcomp).

Mrs D’Ath said schools interested in having OFT visit can contact the Office of Fair Trading’s Community and Stakeholder Engagement Team via the website or through calling 13QGOV (13 74 68).

Mrs D’Ath said the total prize pool is more than $11,000 across three categories – school years 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12:

  • first prize – $500 for the student, $1500 for the student’s school or organisation
  • second prize – $200 for the student, $800 for the student’s school or organisation
  • third prize – $150 for the student, $500 for the student’s school or organisation
  • up to ten discretionary $50 highly commended student prizes across all categories.

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