National laws will govern the sale of gift cards in South Australia, under legislation introduced to Parliament this week aimed at removing an unnecessary layer of red tape for businesses.
Attorney-General, Vickie Chapman said that South Australia was among the first states to legislate for a mandatory minimum three year expiry date on gift cards sold within the state, fulfilling a commitment made in the lead up to the 2018 State Election.
Since then, the Commonwealth has introduced national laws, which came into effect in November last year.
“These national changes are a huge win for consumers, making the laws much easier to enforce when purchasing from retailers out of state,” Attorney-General Chapman said.
“While the objectives of the two sets of laws remain the same – namely to mandate a three year expiry date period and restrict any administrative fees that reduce the card’s value – this is a clear case where State laws are no longer needed.”
“This legislation will repeal our laws, allowing the national scheme to continue to operate – reducing this layer of red tape, and eliminating any confusion as to which laws are in effect and how they operate.”
Penalties remain in place for those businesses that breach the national laws, with fines of up to $30,000 applying to businesses in breach and $6,000 for individuals.
