Everyday Consumer

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A new online tool launched today means Australians can see how their insurer, bank, financial adviser, superannuation fund or other financial firm has responded to consumer complaints brought to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA).  In a move designed to increase transparency and consumer education, AFCA has today released its comparative reporting tool, the Datacube.…

Read More AFCA’s new ‘Datacube’ enables Australians to see how Financial Firms are handling Complaints

A close-up of an oven and dishwasher door A close-up of an oven and dishwasher door

Consumer Affairs Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ) has released two new guidance papers on the concepts of ‘durability’ and ‘safe’ under the consumer guarantees provisions of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). The ACL creates a basic set of guarantees for consumers who acquire goods. One of these guarantees is that the goods will be of…

Read More New guidance on meaning of safe and durable products to provide clarity to consumers

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The Hon Michael Sukkar Media Release: The Coalition Government is committed to progressing the design of a mandatory information sharing scheme for motor vehicle service and repair information. This scheme forms part of our commitment to support appropriate commercial dealing and competition in the new car retail supply chain for the benefit of both small…

Read More Driving Reform on car repairs

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Residential consumers and small businesses made 32,801 complaints in the first quarter of 2020 (1 July 2019 to 30 September 2019). In this period complaints about phone and internet services increased 6.3 per cent compared to the same period in 2018. This data was highlighted in the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman’s Quarter One 2020 Complaints report…

Read More TIO reports increase in phone and internet complaints

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CHOICE research has discovered that Australians purchasing some Silver Plus health insurance policies are losing hundreds of dollars every year. The research follows CHOICE slamming the industry for rip-off Basic policies earlier this year. “Health insurers are scamming Australians with high-cost plus policies,” says Dean Price, Health Campaigner at CHOICE. “We’ve found over 215 Silver…

Read More Health insurers are scamming Australians with high-cost plus policies

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The Insurance Brokers Code Compliance Committee (the Committee) has released its Annual Review 2018–19. This year’s Annual Review highlights a number of key areas where insurance brokers need to make significant improvements, for the sake of the industry and their clients. A snapshot of the key findings reveals that: The number of self-reported Code breaches increased…

Read More Review finds insurance brokers need to take their Code obligations more seriously

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The surge in credit card fraud, identity fraud and scams is commonly achieved through mailbox theft.  Identity crime costs Australia upwards of $1.6 billion each year, with the majority (around $900m) lost by individuals through credit card fraud, identity theft and scams.  Mailboxes have become an easy target for thieves who find breaking into them…

Read More Identity theft and mailboxes

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Data released by the Public Transport Ombudsman Ms Treasure Jennings today shows an overall increase in complaints to her office of 21% over the past year. Ms Jennings said that the rise was largely attributable to complaints about Public Transport Victoria, Metro Trains and V/Line, while complaints about Yarra Trams and bus operators have stabilised.…

Read More Public Transport Ombudsman reports 21% increase in complaints

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Australians could be at risk of injuries or even death from 6.6 million individual products currently under voluntary recall, with about half of these still likely to be found in people’s homes, new figures show. Figures show that each year the ACCC is notified of about 650 consumer product recalls, but only about half of…

Read More Over a million recalled products still in circulation in Australia

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The Financial Rights Legal Centre has called on the life insurance sector to clean up its act following the release of a damning report by ASIC into Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) claims in both direct life insurance and life insurance in superannuation. The report, Holes in the safety net: A Review of TPD insurance claims, found…

Read More Total and Permanent Disability Cover – a total mess

A laptop keyboard with a shopping trolley picture on a key A laptop keyboard with a shopping trolley picture on a key

Changes to the Australian Consumer Law will clarify prices for people shopping online. From 26 October 2019, businesses must include all charges in the advertised price of goods and services payable by a consumer. This includes charges for pre-selected options.  Currently, a business can advertise a low price; during the buying process, they may add extra…

Read More Businesses to display all charges up front

A blow-up swimming ring in a pool A blow-up swimming ring in a pool

Being around water is part of everyday Australian life, however drowning is one of the major causes of unintentional death for Australian children. In 2017/18, 18 Australian children aged 0-4 years drowned. The majority of these incidents occurred in backyard swimming pools. Pool and spa barriers can be effective in reducing the risk of drowning…

Read More Standard on safety barriers for swimming pools is open for public comment