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The Australian Summer is an iconic part of the Aussie lifestyle but did you know that some of our favourite summer pastimes include a range of standards designed to keep us safe? They affect everything from the fans keeping you cool to your coolest pair of sunnies, read more here. Consumers’ Federation of Australia (CFA) regularly seeks…
Read More Summer, standards and how they relate to you
An image of an elderly man's hands holding a walking stick
Age discrimination can creep up on you. Ageism is stereotyping, discrimination or mistreatment based solely upon age. It comes from negative attitudes and beliefs about what it means to be older. Ageism is pervasive and can have profound negative consequences on older adults’ health and wellbeing. We need to act now to improve the lives…
Read More Tackling ageism through Standards
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The recent ABC article titled How safe are GPS trackers for children – and what should I know before buying one? raises concerns about the ethics of technological surveillance and asks, ‘are we being sucked in by their convenience?’ When we digitise information or upload it to the internet, we run the risk of having that information…
Read More Who is protecting your information on the internet?
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Battery waste is a growing problem in Australia; in 2014 it was estimated that Australia was generating 17,500 tonnes of waste in batteries, or 700 million batteries based on an equivalent battery unit. 97% of all batteries were being inappropriately disposed of in landfill and impacting on the environment. It is proposed that an industry-led…
Read More Proposed battery recycling scheme to combat waste
A white letterbox
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
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
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Innovation is an increasingly important contributor to the success of an organization, enhancing its ability to adapt in a changing world. Consumers’ Federation of Australia has recently appointed a representative to Standards Australia’s Technical Committee MB-279 Innovation management mirroring the work of ISO TC 279. Consumers are integral to the innovation process since they have more know-how,…
Read More Innovation management and consumers
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World Standards Day will be on 14 October 2019. World Standards Day promotes the role of standards in meeting the needs of consumers, industry, business and government. Consumers’ Federation Australia takes this opportunity to thank all the CFA Standards representatives participating on Standards Australia Technical Committees who ensure that standards address the concerns of everyday Australians. This…
Read More World Standards Day 14 October 2019: “Video standards create a global stage”
Two pharmacists serving a customer at the store counter
Consumers Federation of Australia provides consumer representatives to Standards Australia Technical Committees as part of the CFA Standards Project. An opportunity exists to represent consumers on a Standards Australia Technical Committee which will be revising the quality and performance of tampons in the current Australian standard. Tampons are required to comply with Therapeutic Goods (Standards for Tampons) (TGO 103) Order 2019 before…
Read More Can you represent consumers on a Standards Australia Technical Committee on tampons?
A green field with wind turbines in the background
Green Action Week 2019 is taking place from Monday September 30 to Sunday October 6. Unsustainable consumption is a relatively new phenomenon, and all over the world communities are pushing back against it. When people collaborate and share goods and services, it benefits the community as well as the environment. Green Action Week 2019 will…
Read More Green Action Week 2019
A nursing chair and a baby's cot in a nursery
An analysis of CHOICE test data has found key products designed for children still pose a risk as doctors, industry, experts and parents converged on Canberra on Wednesday to demand action. The data shows: Portable cots (60 tested from 2011–2018*): 98% or 59 failed. Strollers (163 tested from 2012–2019): 83% or 136 failed. Cots (173…
Read More Parents demand Canberra act on unsafe products
A kitchen tap pouring water into a sink
Tap water is one of our most important and basic necessities. Most Australians don’t have to worry about getting sick from the water they’re supplied with. The downside of ensuring safe drinking water is the lingering taste and smell of disinfectant, causing many people to opt for a water filtering system (read more here). Water treatment…
Read More Standard on drinking water treatment units open for public comment