Consumer protection Archives - Page 14 of 31 - Consumers' Federation of Australia

3 December , 2022

Consumer protections for high-cost and harmful payday loans and consumer leases finally pass Parliament

After a late-night Senate sitting, Consumer Advocacy groups across Australia are celebrating the passing through the Federal Parliament of long overdue reforms that will protect consumers from falling into payday loans and consumer lease debt traps. The Financial Sector Reform Bill 2022 has finally passed after 6 years of advocacy by the Stop the Debt…

22 November , 2022

Buy now pay later changes must go all the way, consumer groups say

Buy now pay later (BNPL) products must be fully regulated as credit to protect consumers and put all credit providers on a level playing field, a coalition of consumer groups has said. The group, including CHOICE, financial counselling associations and consumer legal centres, has made the call as Treasury releases a consultation paper setting out…

22 November , 2022

WA consumer laws now synchronised with national changes

National changes to consumer laws will be more easily and more quickly reflected in state laws with a new mechanism now being adopted. WA consumers and businesses will benefit greatly from the amendments to the Fair Trading Act that bring the state’s Australian Consumer Law (ACL) in line with its federal equivalent, offering a consistent…

9 November , 2022

Business integrity and legal requirements in the Assistive Technology sector: industry statement

Assistive Technology (AT) users should expect to be able to make informed decisions based on the highest standards of assistive technology provision to meet their AT goals and needs. Industry groups have put out a joint statement to encourage AT product suppliers and advisory service providers to work collaboratively with the user of AT to…

28 September , 2022

Car sales in remote Indigenous communities: A broken system

In part two of CHOICE’s investigation, we look at the problems faced when trying to get a repair or refund. It’s July 2022 and Marilyn and Peter are sitting in the Cairns office of the Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network (ICAN). They’ve been waiting for this day for a long time. This is an article from CHOICE.…

5 September , 2022

ASIC review finds room for improvement remains with life insurance claims handling

ASIC’s review of nearly 4800 individual disability income insurance (IDII) claims received between 1 January and 30 June 2021 has found more work is needed by insurers to ensure that consumers are protected from unfair practices in non-disclosure investigations and physical surveillances. As a result of ASIC’s review, some life insurers have made improvements to…

25 August , 2022

Button batteries – draft standard open for public comment

Button batteries, also known as coin batteries, are used to charge devices that have a longer shelf-life, like a watch or the key to your car. They’re small, flat, and round. Button batteries can lead to serious internal burns in as little as two hours. If you have young kids and you haven’t heard of button batteries, they need…

22 August , 2022

Red alert for dangerous infant mattresses

The following is a piece by Dr Ron Somers (PhD) former external senior lecturer in public health at the University of Adelaide, former director of epidemiology at SA Health, and a long-time GP practice manager. Ron is also the CFA Standards Representative on two Standards Australia Technical Committees. Australian consumers need to exercise caution over the coming…

12 August , 2022

ACCC seeks to reduce infant sleep product risks to help keep babies safe

The ACCC is seeking feedback on ways to reduce significant safety risks associated with products commonly used to place babies to sleep. A consultation paper published today, outlines a range of proposed regulatory options which aim to prevent infant injuries and deaths caused by inclined and other products when used for sleep. This is a media release from the Australian…

8 August , 2022

Caravan industry on notice for poor treatment of consumers

Australian consumers have reported widespread consumer guarantee failures, misrepresentations by caravan suppliers, and unexpected delays in the delivery and repair of caravans, according to the ACCC’s New caravan retailing report released today. This is a media release from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC). It was originally published on 21st July, 2022. The report highlights key issues of concern…

8 August , 2022

Pram and stroller safety essentials

The recommended pram and stroller safety essentials are the AS/NZS 2088 label on the item, a sturdy frame, a five-point harness and a tether strap, according to the Australian Parenting website. Standards Australia recently published the revised AS 2088:2022 Prams and strollers – Safety requirements which provides manufacturers, authorities, and others with minimum safety requirements for prams and…

8 August , 2022

How ‘bad credit’ lender Cigno has dodged ASIC’s grasp

Cigno is exactly the sort of business the Australian Securities and Investments Commission had in mind when it asked for stronger powers to ban the sale of harmful financial products. This is a news item from The Conversation. It was originally published on 5th August, 2022. If you are experiencing financial hardship contact the National Debt Helpline on 1800…