Buy Smart Competition 2018 now open

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Yvette D’Ath today officially launched the Office of Fair Trading’s (OFT) annual Buy Smart Competition for schools, with more than $15,000 in prizes to be won.

The Buy Smart Competition is open to students in Years 4 to 12, giving them the opportunity to learn about their consumer rights and become informed members of the marketplace. 

Mrs D’Ath and Member for Miller Mark Bailey officially opened the 2018 competition at Wellers Hill State School and invited students, teachers and schools across Queensland to get involved.

“Today’s young consumers face a complex digital marketplace through smartphones, social media, online shopping and continuous advertising, making it important for them to be savvy consumers, especially online,” Mrs D’Ath said.

“The Buy Smart Competition provides students with a creative and fun platform to gain fundamental consumer and financial knowledge.

“Learning the importance of managing money, avoiding scams and the consequences of consumer decisions are valuable skills which will stay with students for years to come.”

Mr Bailey said he was excited to see what this year’s submissions would bring, as each year students found new and engaging ways to communicate their message.

“As technology develops, so do the entries. In the 2017 Buy Smart Competition, the OFT received many innovative entries in digital formats submitted by talented Queensland students, like those at Wellers Hill,” he said.

The competition is aligned with the National Curriculum, can be easily implemented in the classroom and can count as assessment for some subjects.

The OFT website lists a range of handy tips on how to get started, criteria and prizes, including examples of past winning entries to help inspire entrants with their submissions. Entries received in 2017 included board games, music videos and even a stop motion animation. 

Students can enter individually or as a team and have until Friday 21 September 2018 to submit their entry, with winners to be announced at a ceremony in Term 4.  

Cash prizes are up for grabs from a total prize pool of more than $15,000 across three categories (school years 4–6, years 7–9, and years 10–12):

• First prize – $500 for the entrant/group, $2,000 for the school or organisation
• Second prize – $250 for the entrant/group, $1,000 for the school or organisation
• Third prize – $150 for the entrant/group, $500 for the school or organisation
• School champion prize– $1,500 to recognise a school or club’s outstanding work supporting the aims of the Buy Smart Competition.
• Highly commended student prizes – up to ten $50 prizes for students/groups across all categories.

Fair trading officers will be visiting schools across the state over the coming months to give presentations on a range of consumer topics including budgeting, consumer rights and avoiding scams.

Schools and other youth-focussed organisations can book a presentation for students, get competition resources and find details on how to enter at www.qld.gov.au/buysmartcomp

Attorney-General Media contact: Kirsten MacGregor 0417 675 917

All other enquires: 13 QGOV (13 74 68)