Report - Consumers' Federation of Australia

9 April , 2021

Consumers from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds experienced greater hardship during COVID-19 lockdown due to financial stress and poor industry practices

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating across Australia. Whilst job losses and financial instability did not discriminate, consumers from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities have been disproportionately impacted. CPRC undertook this research to measure the economic fallout of COVID-19 with consumers who speak a language other than English at home, compared…

22 March , 2021

Assessment of general insurer’s compliance with new code provision on family violence

The general insurance industry committed itself to new requirements relating to family violence policies from 1 July 2020. From that date all subscribers who provide retail insurance products are required to: “… have a publicly available policy about how we [the subscriber] will support you [the consumer] if you are affected by family violence. This…

22 March , 2021

Life insurance code inquiry into review of medical definitions

The Life Code Compliance Committee (the Life CCC) – the independent body that administers and enforces the Life Insurance Code of Practice (the Code) – released its report on the Own Motion Inquiry (OMI) into how subscribers are meeting Code requirements on the review of medical definitions. Section 3.2 relates to the obligation that medical…

22 March , 2021

General Insurance in Australia Report 2019-20

The General Insurance Code Governance Committee (the Committee) has today released its annual report for the 2019-20 financial year. The report includes analysis of trends and service standards in the general insurance industry in a year that included significant summer bushfires, flooding and the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a General Insurance Code…

19 January , 2021

Most brokers handling insurance add-ons well, but there is room for improvement: Report

A report on the sale of add-on general insurance products by the independent committee monitoring the Insurance Brokers Code of Practice (the Code) outlines the extent to which and how Code subscribing insurance brokers provide add-on insurance products to their clients. This is an Insurance Brokers Code Compliance Committee media release The Insurance Brokers Code…

21 December , 2020

Financial Rights report reveals risks and opportunities in Open Insurance

Financial Rights Legal Centre has released a landmark report on the concept of Open Insurance – the application of the Consumer Data Right to the general insurance industry. This is a Financial Rights Legal Centre Media Release Financial Rights’ Chief Executive Officer Karen Cox said the Open Insurance report by Dr Richard Tooth of Sapere…

9 December , 2020

Victoria’s energy reforms positive but enforcement needed: Consumer Action

Victoria has taken the lead among Australian states in recent years with significant reforms designed to protect Victorians from being ripped off by energy retailers and ensure people receive appropriate hardship assistance. There has been some success, but too many people are still falling through the gaps. This is a Consumer Action Media Release That’s…

2 December , 2020

Customer Owned Banking Code Compliance Committee releases Annual Report for 2019-20

The independent committee that monitors the Customer Owned Banking Code of Practice (the Code) has released its annual report for a year marked by natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic, along with extensive regulatory changes stemming from the Financial Services Royal Commission. This is a Customer Owned Banking Code Compliance Committee Media Release Customer owned…

30 November , 2020

Young people wading in sea of debt as they bear the brunt of COVID-19

Consumer data released by the Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC) reveals a growing proportion of young Australians left vulnerable as they face a future of mounting debt due to the lasting impact of COVID-19. This is a CPRC Media Release After 6 months of steep financial challenges, many young consumers have turned to unsustainable practices to get…

27 November , 2020

Report reveals telco failures during COVID-19 crisis

Consumer Action has published a report with case studies and data documenting the ways the telecommunications industry in Australia continues to fail the community, even during the COVID-19 crisis. This is Consumer Action Law Centre Media Release. The Trouble with Telcos: Stories from 2020 report reveals that many people have been left high and dry by their telecommunications providers, with people being: unable to access affordable hardship assistance, forced to take out more credit to pay…

4 November , 2020

CFA Soapbox Prizewinner — Quad Bike Performance Project

On Friday, CFA hosted its Consumer Advocacy Soapbox Session, celebrating the best consumer advocacy campaigns over 2019–20. The Soapbox Session was initially part of the National Consumer Congress, which was to be in March. With the support of the ACCC, CFA moved the Session online. The winner of the Award was Raphael Grzebieta from the…

28 October , 2020

Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman reports third consecutive quarter of growth in overall complaints, Q1 small business complaints spike 28%

Between July and September 2020, residential consumers and small businesses made 34,476 complaints about phone and internet services. This is an increase of 3.4 percent on the previous quarter, and the third consecutive quarter of incremental growth in overall complaints. The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman’s Quarter 1 (Q1) 2020-21 Complaints Report shows complaints from small businesses…