Consumer Council Halts Awards It Co-hosted With HKJA

The Consumer Council said on Tuesday that it has suspended the Consumer Rights Reporting Awards that it had co-organised with the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) and Hong Kong Press Photographers Association for two decades.

In a statement, the council said the content and format of the awards need to change with the times, and the event will return following a review.

"The Consumer Council has decided to fully review the format of the relevant activities and redraw a long-term plan, so the events can be held in a more creative format," the council said.

In a statement, the HKJA said it was disappointed that the council had unilaterally made the decision without discussing the matter with co-organisers.

The HKJA said the awards had encouraged journalists to find news stories on consumer rights and helped citizens understand their rights.

"It is sad to see valuable things vanish under the current political environment", the HKJA said, adding it hopes the awards can return some day.

Ta Kung Pao broke the news about the awards' suspension on Tuesday morning before the Consumer Council made the announcement.

In an article, the newspaper accused the HKJA of being an anti-China organisation, saying it was inappropriate for the Consumer Council to co-organise the awards with the group, and that it was a wise decision on the part of the council to part ways with the association.