Consumers' Federation of Australia

21 May , 2018

National Volunteer Week 2018

Consumers’ Federation of Australia (CFA) congratulates all the volunteers who give generously of their time and expertise in representing consumers on a range of bodies and organisations including over 30 volunteer representatives participating on Standards Australia Technical Committees as part of the CFA Standards Project. This years’ theme Give a little. Change a lot. represents the millions of volunteers…

21 May , 2018

Invitation to attend ACCC forum on digital platforms

The ACCC is inviting members of the public to a attend forum this month to share their experiences using digital platforms like Google and Facebook. The consumer forum will be held on 29 May in Melbourne. The ACCC is asking interested members of the public to come along and share their view on important issues such as…

17 May , 2018

Regulation of Gift Card Expiry Periods: Federal Consultation Underway

The Federal Government has released, and is seeking submissions and comments on, a Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) which examines options for national regulation of gift card expiry dates. Information about the RIS and the consultation process is available here: https://consult.treasury.gov.au/market-and-competition-policy-division/c2018-t282459/ The consultation period closes on 30 May 2018. The RIS focuses on expiry periods and exemptions and…

16 May , 2018

Phasing out inefficient halogen light bulbs in Australia

There will be significant savings to households on their electricity bills due to the planned phasing out of inefficient halogen light bulbs. The average Australian household will be around $650 better off over 10 years by changing from inefficient halogen lamps to minimum standard LED lamps. On 20 April 2018, the COAG Energy Council agreed…

15 May , 2018

Don’t play around with children’s online safety

Many Internet connected children’s products have weak security as well as invasive data collection and privacy features. There is currently no effective regulation of these products, and little consumer understanding of how they function or their faults. Read more on the Consumers International website here and the video Huggybug Your Family Today’: Don’t play around with children’s online…

14 May , 2018

Big Data concerns for Australian consumers

Australian consumers feel uninformed, unprotected and powerless when it comes to Big Data, new research from Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC) has found. Surveying the digital behaviours of 1004 Australian consumers over the past 12 months, CPRC found that: Only 6% had read the Privacy Policies or Terms and Conditions for all the products they…

13 May , 2018

Inaugural CFA Soapbox Prizewinner – Watch Your Nuts!

The following is a guest post from Denise Boyd, winner of CFA’s inaugural prize for the most impressive piece of consumer advocacy or research presented during the Soapbox session at this year’s National Consumer Congress. If we think about memorable advertising slogans, and the campaigns behind them, what is it about them that made them effective? Dumb…

12 May , 2018

ACCC Welcomes Consumer Data Right

Following the Treasurer’s response to the Open Banking Review, the ACCC welcomes the introduction of a general data right for all consumers and $20 million in the Federal Budget over the next four years to oversee its implementation. The consumer data right will enable customers to share their transaction, usage and product data with service competitors…

9 May , 2018

Welcome Budget boost for Super

Consumer group CHOICE welcomes the Federal Budget measures that will make superannuation insurance opt-in, auto-reunite people with lost accounts and ban exit fees. “Making insurance in super opt-in rather than opt-out for people who are at greatest risk of being fleeced will make a huge difference to the retirement savings of millions of Australians,” says CHOICE…

9 May , 2018

Applications now open for Standards Australia Young Leaders Program 2018/19

Do you know any emerging leaders in your sector? Standards Australia are now accepting applications for the 2018/19 Young Leaders Program. The program provides in-depth training on developing standards and includes the opportunity to observe committees in action. It’s the perfect way to launch a standards career. “Being involved in the program gave me confidence to seek…

9 May , 2018

Playing safe with kids’ toys

Keeping kids free from harm is the effect of standards for toy safety. ISO has just updated a toy safety standard to ensure it covers all bases. Made for play, children’s toys are rife with potential hidden hazards ranging from sharp edges to cords or small parts, to name a few. The humble plaything can cause great harm if not designed and manufactured…

7 May , 2018

Sizing woes a Standards issue

Trying to find the right size clothing can be like navigating the minefield that is our clothing size system in Australia. It usually requires taking three different sizes into the change room, or buying them online and returning the duds. The problem is that there is no official sizing system in Australia. The Australian Standard…