Consumers' Federation of Australia

4 May , 2026

Have Your Say – Lighting for roads and public spaces

Road and public space lighting schemes’ primary aim is the safe movement of people whether in motorised vehicles or as pedestrians. Lighting is critical to creating a public area that is safe and inviting for users and appropriate lighting can provide significant community benefits. Standards Australia has released a draft standard DR AS/NZS 1158.1.1:2026 Lighting for roads and…

22 April , 2026

Consumer Advocacy Award – 2026 Nominations Now Open!

The Consumers’ Federation of Australia (CFA) is pleased to announce that applications are now open for the 2026 Consumer Advocacy Award. This award recognises the best consumer advocacy campaign or project run by a CFA member organisation during the past year. If your organisation or group has delivered an outstanding campaign or project, we would love to hear from…

8 April , 2026

Food Loss and Waste

In Australia alone, more than seven million tonnes of food is wasted each year—a third of all food produced. Through Food Systems Horizons, The University of Queensland and CSIRO are using science to help Australians understand the food system, their roles in it, and who they need to work with to develop a more sustainable,…

26 March , 2026

New Moneysmart Research Shows Gen Z Are Turning to Social Media and AI for Financial Advice

ASIC is urging young Australians to ‘sense check’ the information they see online, as new research shows nearly two thirds of Gen Zs are using social media and about one in five are using AI to make decisions about their financial future. Moneysmart’s Gen Z study found that while Gen Z has a strong appetite…

20 March , 2026

People in financial distress urged to seek help as interest rates rise

Today’s interest rate rise will add further pressure to Australians already struggling with housing costs and rising living expenses, with financial counsellors warning that more households may be pushed into financial distress. Demand for help is rising. In February there were?15,857 calls and online chats to the National Debt Helpline (NDH), the highest number recorded for the…

19 March , 2026

ASIC Launches Financial Complaints Data Dashboard

Australians now have unprecedented access to consumer complaints data following the launch of ASIC’s new interactive dashboard. The Internal Dispute Resolution (IDR) data dashboard enables users to compare the complaints reported by individual financial firms for the first time, including their handling of complaints associated with specific products like home loans, credit cards, life and general insurance,…

9 March , 2026

World Consumer Rights Day 15 March 2026

Across the world, consumers continue to encounter unsafe, counterfeit or poor-quality products — from children’s toys and household electronics to medicines and everyday goods. World Consumer Rights Day, coordinated by Consumers International, is the only globally recognised day dedicated to promoting consumer rights and needs. This year’s theme Safe Products, Confident Consumers, calls for collective action across…

25 February , 2026

Have Your Say: Trampoline Parks

Trampoline parks are designed for a wide range of ages, from young children to adults, and are popular for fun, fitness and events designed to cater for a variety of skills. The trampolines in trampoline parks differ from domestic trampolines used in backyards across the country, both in design and patterns of use. Trampoline parks…

18 February , 2026

Consultation on Draft Unfair Trading Practices Legislation

On 9 February 2026, the federal government released for comment draft legislation on Unfair Trading Practices. The draft laws would amend the Australian Consumer Law by: · introducing a general prohibition on conduct that unreasonably manipulates consumers or distorts the environment they make decisions in, causing detriment · providing protections against unfair subscription practices, including…

5 February , 2026

New Standards Reduce Risk of Infant Death and Injury

Two new mandatory standards which aim to reduce risk of death and injury from products that babies do or may fall asleep in must be complied with by businesses from 19 January 2026. Infant sleep products have a surface for an infant to lie on. They are designed or marketed for an infant to sleep…

28 January , 2026

What’s happening with quantum technology?

Quantum technology is already making waves in computing, communications, and sensing. Last year (2025) was proclaimed by the UN as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (see highlights and video), now’s the time to understand what’s coming, and find out more in Standards Australia’s Quantum technologies fact sheet Imagine solving complex problems that would take today’s supercomputers…

27 January , 2026

Consultation Opens for Supermarket Price and Loyalty Program Transparency

The Federal Government has released a consultation paper on new requirements for supermarkets to improve transparency about prices, promotions and loyalty programs. The proposals directly respond to recommendations from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Supermarkets Inquiry, which found that current pricing and promotional practices often make it too difficult for consumers to assess value…