Everyday Consumer - 3/72 - Consumers' Federation of Australia

7 June , 2021

Adopting Trusted Overseas Product Safety Standards

The Morrison Government is supporting businesses to innovate, grow and minimise compliance costs while maintaining stringent safety standards for consumer products and related services. The Government in consultation with Consumer Ministers will look to develop amendments to the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) and associated legislation which would allow the adoption of trusted overseas product safety…

4 June , 2021

Safety and electricity

Electricity is something we all use every day and take for granted. But according to Safe Work Australia risk of death or injury from electricity is strongly linked to where and how it is used. Consumers Federation of Australia (CFA) supports representatives to Standards Australia Technical Committees working on the development of electrical energy standards and ensuring the consumer…

4 June , 2021

World Environment Day – 5th June 2021

The United Nations encourages worldwide awareness and action to protect our environment. Consumers’ Federation of Australia (CFA) has identified the environmental impact of services and products as a priority for participation on Standards Australia Technical Committees as part of the CFA Standards Project. CFA representatives are involved in standards development on Biodiversity and other environmental issues such as Environmental Management,…

3 June , 2021

UK’s Financial Conduct Authority proposes a new “consumer duty” – is it needed in Australia?

The UK’s financial services conduct regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), wants “higher level of consumer protection in retail financial markets, where firms are competing vigorously in the interests of consumers”. A key part of this is a new ‘Consumer Duty’. The consultation proposes: a new Consumer Principle that provides an overarching standard of conduct; and a set of Crosscutting Rules and four Outcomes that…

31 May , 2021

Draft new federal grocery unit pricing legislation released for comment

The federal government is seeking comments on an exposure draft of a new grocery unit pricing code to replace the current code which sunsets on 1 October 2021. The exposure draft, explanatory information, and the outcomes of the review that started in late 2018, are available here. The closing date for comments is Monday 14…

26 May , 2021

Tougher rules banning aggressive energy & solar sales a big win for all Victorians

Consumer Action has welcomed the Victorian Government’s announcement today that it is banning high-pressure sales tactics like unsolicited door-to-door sales and cold-calling to protect people from being taken advantage of by energy retailers. The Victorian Government has also announced plans to ban door-to-door sales of solar panels through the Solar Homes Program. This is a Consumer Action Law Centre media release, originally published on 25th…

19 May , 2021

CFA & ACCC Consumer Advocacy Showcase & Award Winners

On Monday 12 April, Consumers’ Federation Australia (CFA) and the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) co-hosted the Consumer Advocacy Showcase & Award, in the final online session for the 2021 ACCC National Consumer Congress. The Showcase celebrates effective and good practice within consumer advocacy. The joint-winners were Fiona Guthrie, with Who’s Making Australians Bankrupt?; and Matthias Oldham, with Junk Insurance…

30 April , 2021

Electricity Customers on a standing offer will share in over $65 million of bill savings

Thousands of customers on a standing offer contract across New South Wales, South-East Queensland and South Australia will share in over $65 million of bill savings in 2021-22 following the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) today releasing the final Default Market Offer (DMO). This is an Australian Energy Regulator media release, originally published on 27th April, 2021. The final…

28 April , 2021

Losses to car ad scams climbing

Australians have already lost over $288,000 to vehicle scams in the first quarter of this year, more than all losses reported to Scamwatch in 2019, and scammers have now begun impersonating defence personnel to con their victims. This is an ACCC media release, originally published on 27th April, 2021. In a vehicle scam, scammers post fake…

14 April , 2021

Public comment invited on draft standards for summer toboggan runs

There are a number of facilities with summer toboggan runs operating in Australia. Summer toboggans are an amusement or recreational ride which uses a sled or cart to run down a track usually built on the side of a hill. The type of track, safety features, speed and layout vary. The two new standards open…

12 April , 2021

New global update on unit pricing newsletter released by consumer group

A new issue of the Unit Pricing Global Update, a newsletter prepared six monthly by the Queensland Consumers Association, has been released and is available here. It contains short items about unit pricing in, or research on it for, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Japan, and the European Union. The section on Australia includes the results…

12 April , 2021

Unit Pricing (pricing per unit of measure) global update – March 2021

Prepared by Ian Jarratt, Queensland Consumers Association, Australia. Email: ijarratt@australiamail.com. Australia Unit pricing review The results of the federal government’s review of the mandatory Grocery Unit Pricing Code, which started in November 2018, have still not been announced. Unless renewed, the Code will cease to exist on 1 October 2021. The previous 1 October 2019…