2024 has been a busy year for CFA with the departure of longstanding Chair Gerard Brody and Deputy Chair Chandni Gupta. Following Gerard’s resignation, Dr Gareth Downing has taken on the role of Chair, with Gordon Renouf stepping back into the role of Deputy Chair at the recent CFA AGM.
We’d like to take this moment to thank both Chandni and Gerard for all of their contributions to CFA, consumer advocacy and sector development through the CFA Mentoring Program which will return in 2025.
The advocacy of our members over many years has seen significant change committed to and advanced this year, including:
• Establishment of the designated complaints mechanism
• Commitments to unfair trading practices reforms
• Commitments to introduce penalties for breaches of consumer guarantees
• Commitments to unit pricing reform penalties
• Commitment to the aviation industry ombuds
While CFA does not do significant direct advocacy, we continue to work with and support the work of member organisations to advance improved consumer protections and increased sector resourcing.
CFA had the pleasure of coordinating an annual stakeholder forum with the Consumer Senior Officials Network, which is made up of the heads of each ACL regulator. This year the meeting involved a number of CFA members and raised issues including scam losses, consumer guarantees and refund rights, unfair trade practices, travel consumer protection and cost of living.
From the success of CSON, CFA was invited to meet directly with the Consumer Affairs Ministers meeting where alongside Choice CEO Ashley De Silva and CPRC CEO Erin Turner, CFA had the opportunity advocate on the need for increased sector funding, reforms to the product safety regime and continued progression on unfair trading practices reforms. Finally, we’d like to thank the executive committee for 2024 – including former Chair Gerard Broady, Deputy Chair Chandni Gupta, Treasurer Gordon Renouf, Ian Jarratt, Kerry Connors, Katelyn Cameron and Bev Jowle. We’d also like to welcome Roberta Graelish to the 2025 executive committee and welcome back Chair Gareth Downing, Deputy Chair Gordon Renouf, Ian Jarratt, Kerry Connors and Katie Cameron.