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Here is your chance to have your say about the My Health Record system – submissions invited on the Parliamentary inquiry into the expected benefits of the system and other issues, read more here. Individuals and organisations are invited to send in their opinions and proposals in writing (submissions) Preparing a submission to an inquiry. Submissions sought by 14 September…
Read More My Health Record – submissions invited
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The Australian Communications and Media Authority has approved new rules restricting gambling advertising during live sport streamed online. The Broadcasting Services (Online Content Service Provider Rules) 2018 prohibit gambling advertising during live sport that is streamed online between 5.00 am and 8.30 pm. At all other times, gambling advertising is also restricted. The ACMA developed the rules…
Read More New gambling ad rules kick in for online content service providers
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Faulty products continue to cause serious injury and harm to thousands of Australians, with more than 4.5 million items recalled by suppliers in the 2017-18 financial year. New figures show at least 10 people a day are injured and require medical attention as a result of unsafe products, according to mandatory reports provided to the…
Read More Half of all Australian homes affected by unsafe productsThe Consumers Federation of Australia is seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified consumer representatives to sit on the AFTA Travel Accreditation Scheme’s (ATAS) Complaint Appeal Committee (ACAC). The role of the ACAC is to: a) Take all reasonable steps to ensure the resolution of consumer complaints referred to it under the ATAS Charter and…
Read More Consumer Representatives required for the Travel Industry’s Complaint Appeal Committee
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The Federal Government is letting the worst and most harmful financial products in the community run wild, according to consumer advocates. It’s now one year, eight months, one week and fifteen days since the Government accepted recommendations to reform laws governing payday loans and consumer leases. Despite committing to bringing the reforms to Parliament by…
Read More Lobbyists beat the battlers on payday loans and rent-to-buyThe Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) will commence on 1 November 2018, providing consumers and small businesses with easy access to a single scheme to resolve complaints about products and services provided by financial firms. AFCA seeks expressions of interest from interested persons for potential appointment to the panels as either a Consumer or Industry…
Read More AFCA Panel Member Expressions of Interest
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Despite being in existence for so long, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is still clouded in mystery and myths. Here’s one mystery revealed. The 2015 Nobel Prize in Medicine – awarded to a TCM expert for her anti-malarial Artemisinin – has ignited an intense sense of elevated hopes on the future and standards for the sector.…
Read More Traditional Chinese Medicine standards progressing
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Formal education provides a solid foundation for professional practice but alone does not give staff the skills, knowledge and behaviours needed to provide services competently, according to an inquiry undertaken by the Insurance Brokers Code Compliance Committee (the Committee). The inquiry found that staff needed to supplement their educational qualifications with on-the-job support and experience to develop…
Read More Brokers need formal qualifications and on-the-job training, inquiry finds
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The following is an excerpt from an article contributed by John Furbank and Dr Clinton Weeks Many Australian consumers are familiar with and regularly use unit pricing. In Australia Unit Pricing Regulations came into effect in July 2009. However, some unit prices are not easy to read and in other counties there is no unit pricing…
Read More ISO Unit Pricing Committee Meet in Japan
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Peak communications consumer group, the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), has released a report, called Can You Hear Me?, on the customer service provided by 10 telco providers. Major findings are that consumers are unimpressed by the amount of time they spend getting a resolution to a telco issue. It takes an average of 13…
Read More Disappointing Report Card on Telco Customer Service
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A final set of new rules requiring telcos to help their customers move smoothly to the National Broadband Network (NBN) was released today by the ACMA. ‘These new rules will give consumers greater confidence that their telco will make sure their new NBN service will work as expected and provide options if their connection doesn’t…
Read More ACMA finalises new telco rules for NBN migration
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A new report highlighting the issue of phone number loss when migrating to the National Broadband Network (NBN) is recommending greater action by phone companies – including better communication with consumers and small businesses. Residential consumers and small businesses generally expect to retain their existing phone numbers when moving between providers or to the NBN.…
Read More Telephone number loss an issue for consumers and small business