Who guards the guardians? At a time when governments, regulators and the law watch over our shoulders at everything we do, who in turn is watching over theirs?
For many years now we have looked up to Choice as the strict moral judge in our society that we can always trust. Not just for their comparisons of electric kettles or kiddie pools, but for more social matters too.
Whether it's proper regulation for free-range eggs, or forcing banks to be transparent over credit card interest rates, Choice is often the first to wave the banner on the consumer's behalf and lead yet another campaign for citizen justice.
As the Australian Consumer Association, it has 160,000 members. And we know that if they are going to join Choice, they are pretty outspoken defenders in the first place.
There is no clearer example of the social concerns than their current campaign. They will be pitting their muscle at the World Trade Organization negotiations, to be held in Bali in December.
Their complaint? That while the Trans-Pacific Partnership deals have been cobbled over the past three years, not a word has been passed to the public. The negotiators plan to show us the document once it has been signed, sealed and delivered.
Ironically this protest will pitch ACA into battle with the Abbott government. Had a few thousand votes gone differently last September, the fighting would have been just as fierce, against a Rudd government.
Governments love to keep their secrets, especially in this case, where the treaties look like making concessions which would force back-downs over our food labelling, public health, energy, copyright, import and export regulations, and most stirring, intellectual property laws.
Ironically, the parliaments of the nations involved, including US Congress and Australian MPs, have also been locked out of the room and what we now know has come from a WikiLeaks release of a draft bill this month. It seems we get freedom of information only when we can steal it.
The ACA depends on its large membership for its claim to be the voice of the Australian consumer. But like most other organisations, they have problems recruiting young members. Where once a social group could rely on a steady stream of new recruits to more than replenish the drop-outs, this does not happen as it did and the groups just get older. So I suppose that explains Choice's new advertising campaign. In step with the times, they have created a commercial they hope will go viral.
But I can only describe it as weird. A man in his mid-twenties stands baffled in an appliance store, confronted by rows of similar-looking coffee machines. He pulls out his phone, and quizzes the Choice web site, receiving instant recommendation for the unit he should buy.
This gives him the spare time to day-dream about a flying, rainbow-emitting, fortune-making goat in an alpine meadow. Yes that's what I thought too: what...? Perhaps my younger readers will understand the significance better than I - cause I'm stumped.
The best way to sell the magazine - and its services - is by getting prospects onto its web site. There they can see how many thousands of products have been closely studied and tested, and evaluated against each other.
Then if you're shopping for a new car, a new baby, or a new slimming diet - you'll find the scientifically researched, un-commercial advice you want.
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