The 2021–22 AFCA Annual Review is now available. We are proud to present this year’s Annual Review, which highlights all AFCA has achieved in the 2021–22 financial year. The financial services sector in Australia has experienced an extraordinary level of uncertainty and volatility in the last financial year. This has been driven by the lingering…
Read More AFCA releases 2021–22 Annual Review
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ACCAN recently commissioned research asking the Australian public about their top concerns when it comes to their communications services. This is a media release from the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN). It was originally published on 27th July, 2022. We surveyed nearly 1000 (n=998) Australians on a range of topics. We asked people about the affordability and…
Read More Consumer Check-in: Expectations in 2022
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ASIC has adopted a temporary no-action position to enable large banks (‘eligible licensees’) to withhold the reporting of certain credit information on consumer credit reports where reporting the information could lead to consumer harm, including where a consumer may be the victim of family violence. This is a media release from the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC).…
Read More ASIC helps credit providers protect victims of family violence
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New analysis commissioned by the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) shows that urgent action is needed to address the digital divide in remote Indigenous communities in the wake of COVID-19 lockdowns. This is an ACCAN Media Release While much of the nation turned to digital services such as videoconferencing and telehealth during the rolling…
Read More New research highlights urgent need to close digital divide for Indigenous communities
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Consumers’ Federation of Australia is excited to have become a member of the EveryAGE Counts national coalition to end ageism. We are now a proud member of this diverse and growing coalition of organisations and individuals committed to achieving this important shift in the way we understand and experience growing older. By joining the coalition,…
Read More CFA joins the EveryAGE Counts national coalition to end ageism
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The Australian Digital Inclusion Index 2020, released by RMIT and Swinburne University of Technology for Telstra, illustrates Australia’s online participation. The following is a summary of the key findings of the study, published by the Analysis and Policy Observatory. The COVID-19 pandemic has underlined the critical importance of digital inclusion in contemporary Australia. With the…
Read More Measuring Australia’s digital divide: the Australian digital inclusion index 2020
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Super Consumers Australia urges insurers to drop discriminatory policies that don’t protect the unemployed or people working limited hours. Super Consumers Australia has warned that the insurance industry will put approximately 343,000 people at financial risk if it doesn’t take action by the end of September. The warning comes after the Financial Services Council promised…
Read More COVID job losses leading to people paying for junk insurance
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Today’s announcement by the banking industry of further assistance to help customers experiencing financial hardship will provide some important relief to those who continue to be impacted by COVID-19. CHOICE, Financial Rights Legal Centre, Consumer Action Law Centre and Financial Counselling Australia are at the forefront of helping people impacted by COVID-19, particularly people doing…
Read More Banks Announcement of Further Assistance for Customers a Timely Relief: Consumer Groups
In this short animated video, Legal Aid Queensland’s Paul Holmes, senior lawyer (consumer advocate), Civil Justice Services team talks about how to reduce your debt, particularly during COVID-19. In the legal information bites series, Legal Aid Queensland talks about the law, your rights and where to get legal help if you need it. To find…
Read More How to reduce your debt – Legal information bites by Queensland Legal Aid
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Australians in dispute with their bank, insurer, super fund or financial firm have lodged more than 80,000 complaints in the last 12 months, with the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) securing $258.6 million in compensation and refunds direct to consumers. People made 80,546 complaints to AFCA between 1 July 2019 and 30 June 2020. This…
Read More AFCA receives more than 80,000 complaints in FY19/20, nearly 5,000 of which are COVID-19 related
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A new research report by the Consumer Policy Research Centre explores the global response to COVID-19, with nationwide survey of 1114 Australians showing people are drawing on limited resources just to make ends meet. 12 million Australians are concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on their financial wellbeing; 1 in 5 are ‘very’ concerned Almost…
Read More 1 in 4 Australians are struggling to pay for essentials such as energy, groceries and insurance, adding to existing rent and mortgage stress
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Australian Banking Association says Australian banks will issue a record number of debit cards (Mastercard or VISA debit) to customers who don’t have them and who may be self-isolating to make sure they can continue to pay for their goods and services online or over the phone throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently there are over…
Read More Record issuance of debit cards to help isolated or vulnerable customers
