Consumers' Federation of Australia

12 May , 2020

Industry Code for Visiting Residential Aged Care Homes during COVID-19

The ‘Industry Code for Visiting Residential Aged Care Homes during COVID-19’ has been released by 13 aged care peak bodies and consumer advocacy organisations. The Code creates a nationally consistent approach that ensures residents can receive visitors while minimising the risk of spreading COVID-19. Click here to download the Code. The Code, a suggestion of…

12 May , 2020

Banking Code: The Compliance Committee’s approach to consumer protection

Many Australians are facing exceptional financial challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and are likely to need the support and assistance of their bank to help them deal with its impacts. The 2019 Banking Code of Practice provides safeguards and protections for banks’ individual and small business customers and includes many obligations which require banks…

8 May , 2020

Consumers urged to look out for employment opportunity scams in the wake of COVID-19

The Queensland Office of Fair Trading warns of employment opportunity scams in the following media release. COVID-19 has unleashed literally hundreds of scams across Australia and the next ones the Queensland Office of Fair Trading wants consumers to watch out for are employment opportunity scams. Fair Trading Executive Director Brian Bauer said scammers hiding behind…

8 May , 2020

ASIC warns consumers: Investment advertising is not always ‘true to label’

ASIC warns consumers about investment advertising that compares fixed-term investment products to bank term deposits. A surge in such marketing of fixed-term investment products in recent months has prompted ASIC to caution consumers to take care making investment decisions based on such advertising. ASIC is monitoring such advertising and the entities involved because of reports…

5 May , 2020

Free standard on construction in bushfire prone areas

Living in bushfire pone areas has its risks and anyone planning to build or re-build following the recent devastating bushfires should consult the Australian Standard that covers the bushfire safety requirements of building in the area and provides the methodology for calculating your bushfire attack level. The Australian Standard AS 3959:2018 Construction in bushfire prone areas is a…

4 May , 2020

Consumers’ Federation of Australia responds to proposed button battery regulation options

CFA has made a submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Button Battery Taskforce. The ACCC launched the taskforce to investigate the safety of button batteries and the products that contain them. Button batteries pose a severe injury risk for young children and other vulnerable groups, like the elderly and those with dementia,…

4 May , 2020

Consumers’ Federation of Australia responds to COVID19 cooperation proposals from banks & supermarkets

The Consumers’ Federation of Australia (CFA), the peak body for consumer groups nationally, has made two submissions to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) responding to authorisation applications from Australia’s banks and supermarkets. Businesses can seek authorisation from the ACCC where conduct risks breaching competition laws but is in the public interest. More than…

29 April , 2020

Record issuance of debit cards to help isolated or vulnerable customers

Australian Banking Association says Australian banks will issue a record number of debit cards (Mastercard or VISA debit) to customers who don’t have them and who may be self-isolating to make sure they can continue to pay for their goods and services online or over the phone throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently there are over…

24 April , 2020

How to earn public trust before the Contact Tracing App: Australian Privacy Foundation

The Australian public is attracted by the idea of using technology to assist tracing contacts of people diagnosed with COVID-19. A proximity logging app is proposed. The Australian public, along with scientists and researchers around the world, is also very concerned about gifting future governments the power to impose contact tracing on the populace through…

22 April , 2020

Petrol retailers should reduce their prices in line with falls in international petrol prices: ACCC

Petrol retailers should not use the current pandemic to further increase profits, which the latest ACCC petrol industry report shows have risen in recent years, and should pass on the full benefit of falling oil prices to motorists, the ACCC has said. Weekly average international crude oil prices have decreased by around US$ 50 per barrel since…

22 April , 2020

“Banks need to go further on their coronavirus response”: CHOICE

Consumer advocate CHOICE is urging Australian banks to go further in their response to COVID-19, flagging that many Australians are still being harmed by high cost credit cards, personal loans and long term debt. “We welcome that many banks have announced initial support packages for customers but we know they can go further. We have…

20 April , 2020

NBN Co creates $150 million COVID-19 relief and assistance package

NBN Co announced on Friday it will establish a $150 million financial relief and assistance fund to help internet providers to support their residential and small and medium business customers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The relief fund, created following a short industry consultation led by NBN Co, is aimed at helping internet providers connect…