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From 31 January 2018, petrol stations will not be able to display conditionally discounted prices of fuel on the price board. All fuel retailers must show only the full price of fuel available to all motorists, instead of displaying potentially misleading or confusing prices. The regulation also requires fuel retailers to change the price displayed…
Read More Changes to discounted prices on fuel price boards
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Consumer group CHOICE is calling on the Federal Government to establish an airline ombudsman that is funded by the industry as new research shows travellers are getting increasingly fed up with unresolved complaints. The latest data from CHOICE’s flight delays and cancellations tool, Complane.com.au, has found that Jetstar was the worst offender when it comes to…
Read More Airline complaints falling on deaf ears
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Electric cars might finally be having their moment in Australia – as costs fall, Australia will inevitably see an electric car revolution. Surveys show up to half of Australian motorists would consider going electric the next time they buy a car however the most important factor that affects consumers’ decision to buy an electric car…
Read More Electric car revolution gains momentum, but will it last the distance?
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The Turnbull Government is directing the ACCC to investigate petrol companies and companies involved in all aspects of the petrol supply chain to ensure Australian families are getting a fair deal. The Government has issued a new direction to the ACCC giving them the power to monitor the prices, costs and profits relating to the…
Read More Consumer Watchdog to put petrol companies on notice
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With over 10 million passengers flying last December and January, the ACCC has today released a report Airlines: Terms and conditions ahead of the busy Christmas travel season to remind travellers of their rights. The ACCC received 1400 complaints about airlines from 1 January 2016 to 14 December 2017, largely concerning consumer rights, known as consumer guarantees.…
Read More ACCC Report: Airlines need to comply with consumer law
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The ACCC last week released the final report from its market study into Australia’s new car retailing industry following 18 months of extensive research, investigations and consultation with industry and consumer groups. “The ACCC recommends several reforms to improve the new car retailing industry, which should lead to better outcomes for consumers. Some will require industry led…
Read More Better dispute resolution for cars needed, say ACCC and Consumer Action
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In the race to adopt electric vehicles, Australia is sputtering along in the slow lane. Rather than growing, Australian sales of electric cars are actually in decline. In 2016 they represented just 0.02% of new car sales – even lower than in 2013. Contrast that with Norway, the country with the highest levels of electric…
Read More Why is Australia slow in adopting electric cars?
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The following is a joint media release from the Commonwealth Small Business Minister Michael McCormack and Commonwealth Employment Minister Michaelia Cash. A Taskforce led by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) will conduct an investigation into quad bike safety under plans announced today by the Minister for Employment Michaelia Cash and Minister for Small Business…
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One year ago today, the Access to Justice review was released by the Victorian Government. The review proposed a sensible fix for the thousands of Victorians who buy lemon cars each year. To mark the date, Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is launching a new campaign, “Fix my car”, to drive home the need to implement this…
Read More Fix my car! One-year wait for proper dispute resolution for cars
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Independent Chairperson The AFTA Travel Accreditation Scheme (ATAS) is seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified people interested in serving as the Independent Chairperson to the ATAS Code Compliance Monitoring Committee (ACCMC). ATAS is the travel industry accreditation scheme for travel intermediaries, travel agents in Australia and operates with some 3000 locations nationally. The role…
Read More Expressions of Interest Sought for ATAS Code Compliance Monitoring Committee
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A CHOICE investigation into the largest automotive recall in Australian history has found Toyota, Mazda, BMW, Lexus and Subaru have been refitting vehicles with potentially faulty airbags and have failed to inform consumers of the ongoing risk of death or injury. “With 2.3 million vehicles in Australia requiring their potentially lethal Takata airbags to be replaced, it’s…
Read More Car Companies Caught Refitting Lethal Airbags – CHOICECar buyers are being advised to exercise caution before agreeing to purchase ‘after sale add-ons’ and to get multiple quotes before accepting any finance offered by motor vehicle dealers. The advice follows a recent increase in complaints to Consumer Protection about the ‘extras’ sold at the point of sale of a vehicle which can include…
Read More Doubts about the value of car sale add-ons