ACCC - Consumers' Federation of Australia

4 September , 2020

Voluntary battery stewardship scheme granted authorisation

The Battery Stewardship Council (BSC) will be able to establish and operate a national scheme for managing expired batteries under an authorisation granted by the ACCC. BSC was formed in 2018 with the primary goal of establishing a battery stewardship scheme in Australia that would see a significant increase in battery collections and recycling. Batteries…

1 July , 2020

Consumer Data Right goes live for data sharing

Consumers can now choose to share their banking data to access more personalised financial products and services following the launch of the Consumer Data Right today. All four major banks are capable of sharing their customers’ data, when requested by the customer. Other authorised deposit-taking institutions will join the Consumer Data Right over the coming…

25 June , 2020

Consumers urged to look out for unexpected international transaction fees

Consumers should look out for unexpected international transaction fees when buying online from major brands, the ACCC has warned. Even websites with a .com.au domain name or that appear to be Australian based may process transactions overseas, meaning consumers can get charged an international transaction fee even for a purchase made in Australian dollars. The…

17 June , 2020

Easier comparisons now available for foreign currency conversions

People who use foreign currency conversion (FX) services now have greater access to accurate online calculators to help compare prices, but the ACCC says greater transparency is still needed at a time when many Australians are sending money to family and friends overseas. The ACCC’s Foreign currency exchange services inquiry report, released in September last…

21 May , 2020

NBN speeds recover after COVID-19 demand

NBN speeds and performance declined as Australians followed social distancing instructions to stay home due to COVID-19, but picked up following measures by NBN Co and streaming providers. The ACCC today released its first new monthly Measuring Broadband Australia report which tracks NBN network performance from February to April 2020. The report shows a recovery in network…

22 April , 2020

Petrol retailers should reduce their prices in line with falls in international petrol prices: ACCC

Petrol retailers should not use the current pandemic to further increase profits, which the latest ACCC petrol industry report shows have risen in recent years, and should pass on the full benefit of falling oil prices to motorists, the ACCC has said. Weekly average international crude oil prices have decreased by around US$ 50 per barrel since…

8 April , 2020

Managing the impacts of COVID-19 disruption on consumers and business

At the Gartner CEO Forum today, ACCC Chair Rod Sims spoke with a group of 70 CEOs and senior executives from a range of companies across Australasia about how the ACCC’s priorities have shifted to respond to the impact of COVID-19 on consumers and businesses. Below is a transcript of his speech. COVID-19 Taskforce The ACCC…

6 April , 2020

Scammers targeting superannuation in COVID-19 crisis

Scammers are now trying to exploit Australians financially impacted by the COVID-19 crisis with new superannuation scams being reported to Scamwatch in recent weeks. Scammers are already trying to take advantage of the Government’s recent announcement that people suffering financial hardship can have partial access to their superannuation from mid-April. “Scammers are cold-calling people claiming…

30 March , 2020

ACCC response to COVID-19 pandemic

The ACCC is highly conscious of the impact COVID-19 is having on Australian consumers and businesses, and has adjusted the focus of its regulatory activities accordingly. Most businesses are facing severe disruption, particularly small businesses, and the future is uncertain for many. The ACCC will factor these circumstances into its consideration of competition matters in…

10 March , 2020

Private health insurance premiums rise despite growing exclusions

For the first time, the majority of hospital treatment policies held by Australians now contain exclusions, the latest ACCC annual report into the private health insurance industry has found. More than 57 per cent of policies held by Australians contain exclusions, up from about 44 per cent in the previous year. “Many people may not be aware…

17 December , 2019

Consumers warned of new airbag safety risk

The ACCC is warning Australian consumers about a new safety risk in using certain vehicles fitted with a different type of faulty Takata airbag. These airbags, which are fitted with a NADI 5-AT propellant, are not captured under the existing compulsory recall of Takata airbags. There is a serious safety risk that these NADI airbags…

21 October , 2019

Over a million recalled products still in circulation in Australia

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…