Financial Counselling Australia welcomes funding of $7.4 million in yesterday’s WA State budget to reinstate and expand financial counselling services. Financial counsellors work in community organisations, providing advice to people struggling with bills and debt. In a tight budgetary environment, the funding is a clear recognition by the WA government that investing in preventative services [...]
Consumer advocates have welcomed the decision by Consumer Affairs Ministers to support key changes to the Australian Consumer Law. Consumers’ Federation of Australia have joined member organisations in welcoming the response from Australian Ministers for Consumer Affairs to the Review of the Australian Consumer Law. CFA member organisation CHOICE welcomed the announcement stating: "Today Ministers committed [...]
Joint media release from Consumer Action, COTA, HHAG and RRVV: After six months of waiting, the Victorian Government has responded to the Inquiry into the Retirement Housing Sector, conducted by the Victorian Legislative Council. The Victorian Government’s response to the Parliamentary Inquiry has failed to deliver, according to retirement housing residents and advocates. Despite nearly [...]
When you plug your phone charger in to a wall socket, how do you know that it will fit? A new edition of the standard for plugs and sockets used in Australia and New Zealand, AS/NZS 3112, Approval and test specification - Plugs and socket – outlets, has been published. Read more here. Standards are [...]
Financial Counselling Australia is putting its support, loud and clear, behind the ACOSS-led campaign calling on the Government to stop demonizing people on welfare and reverse planned cuts to social security benefits. FCA is one of the many community organisations that yesterday signed a joint statement calling out the inhumanity behind nine proposed welfare cuts. [...]
From CFA member Queensland Consumers Association: The Queensland Consumers Association has welcomed the decision by south east Queensland (SEQ) electricity retailers to let many of their customers know that they might be able to get a better deal. Association spokesperson Ian Jarratt says this is a long overdue move that will be of particular help [...]
From CFA member Energy Consumers Australia: Energy Consumers Australia is urging the CEOs of major energy retailers to develop comprehensive strategies to improve the way they support their customers ahead of their second meeting with the Prime Minister today. Energy Consumers Australia CEO, Rosemary Sinclair, said the Prime Minister’s intervention earlier this month shone a [...]
From CFA member CHOICE: A study of the ticket resale industry has found desperate fans are fed up with a market which uses unfair sales tactics to deliberately confuse, overcharge and hit them with sneaky fees. “From Ed Sheeran and Adele to Cirque Du Soleil and the Cricket World Cup, consumers are being hoodwinked into [...]
ACCAN welcomes Telstra’s announcement that it will no longer offer third party mobile subscriptions to its customers from 3 December, 2017. Our recent survey found that as many as 1.9m consumers across Australia have found unexpected third party charges on their phone bills in the previous six months. “We congratulate Telstra on stepping up and taking action to stop their [...]
Media release from Attorney General and Minister for Justice Yvette D'Ath. The Palaszczuk Government is calling on the Federal Government and other states and territories to back further development of improved consumer laws, going into this week's Consumer Affairs Forum. Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Yvette D’Ath said Australian Consumer Law had undergone significant review. Last [...]
Millions of people around the world today are subjected to modern slavery practices, such as servitude and forced labour. Australian businesses and consumers are benefiting from modern slavery in supply chains, including through access to cheaper labour and services. These are grave violations of human rights with devastating impacts which have no place in our [...]
The following is a press release from the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Craig Laundry MP. A leading academic and an expert lawyer have been appointed to examine compliance and enforcement issues in Australia’s construction sector to help ensure the ongoing safety of the nation’s buildings. The Building Ministers’ Forum (BMF) today announced that Professor [...]
