Consumers' Federation of Australia

27 October , 2017

Revisions to Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman Terms of Reference

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) Board has adopted changed to the organisation’s Terms of Reference to: reflect the legislative requirement for carriers and intermediaries in the supply of telecommunications services (such as aggregators) to belong to the TIO strengthen the obligation on members to provide information requested by the TIO in order to resolve a…

27 October , 2017

Quad Bike Safety Taskforce

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…

21 October , 2017

Safety Standards for Exercise Equipment Reviewed and Maintained

Product safety standards for exercise bikes and treadmills have been maintained to ensure the safety of users, Minister for Small Business Michael McCormack says. “As Minister responsible for Consumer Affairs, one of my highest priorities is for Australian consumers’ safety,” Mr McCormack said. “Australians should feel confident when they purchase a good, the item will operate…

19 October , 2017

Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman complaints reveal need for updated safeguards

The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) is disappointed that complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) have increased by a massive 41.1 per cent during 2016-17. This rise in complaints is reflective of the experiences we are hearing from consumers and indicates there are systemic issues with customer service in the industry. Customer…

19 October , 2017

Consumer Advocate Groups welcome ACCC’s Preliminary Report on retail electricity prices

Energy Consumers Australia (ECA) and the Queensland Consumers Association (QCA) have welcomed the ACCC’s Preliminary Report for its Electricity Supply & Prices Inquiry. In his Preliminary Report, ACCC chairman Rod Sims has confirmed that the electricity market is not working as it should and not delivering good value for money outcomes for consumers. The QCA says this confirms what…

19 October , 2017

Free Access to Australian Standards

Free onsite and offsite access to Australian standards online, is being made available via membership of the National Library of Australia and the State Library of your domicile. Check the status with the library for more details. *This service is no longer available. Standards Australia will fund and make available access to Australian Standards by…

19 October , 2017

New Tool to Monitor Australian Consumer Law Review Implementation

Consumers’ Federation of Australia (CFA) is pleased to release a tool for consumer advocates to monitor the implementation of the recommendations from the Review of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) and the Productivity Commission Report into ACL Administration and Enforcement. These reports set a substantial agenda for consumer law reform which has been welcomed by…

13 October , 2017

NSW consumers to get a fairer deal on gift cards

Consumers across NSW will have more money in their pockets thanks to Australian-first gift card reforms, Minister for Better Regulation Matt Kean announced on 10 October 2017. Mr Kean said the proposed plan would see mandatory three-year expiry dates for all gift cards sold in NSW, putting up to $60 million a year back in…

11 October , 2017

ACCAN CEO highlights consumer issues at CommsDay Congress

ACCAN CEO, Teresa Corbin, discussed a range of telecommunications consumer issues in a speech today at the CommsDay Melbourne Congress. In particular, Ms Corbin outlined issues related to nbn’s Special Access Undertaking (SAU) and consumer issues relating to the NBN rollout. The SAU is a document that establishes the regulatory regime of the National Broadband Network for…

11 October , 2017

Stay Smart Online

This Stay Smart Online Week, the ACCC is warning the community to watch out for common online scams they might encounter. The online sphere – email, the internet, social media and mobile apps – has overtaken telephones as scammers’ preferred tool of the trade to contact potential victims. In 2017, the ACCC’s Scamwatch site has…

9 October , 2017

Major NSW Ticket Scalping Reforms to Put Consumers First

Tough new ticket scalping reforms will help stamp out dodgy price gouging practices in the live entertainment industry, NSW Minister for Better Regulation Matt Kean announced today. The proposed reforms would put consumers first and stop tickets from being swept up and resold at grossly inflated prices on the secondary market. Mr Kean said the proposed…

9 October , 2017

Application of the Australian Consumer Law to Fundraising

Consumer Affairs Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ) is consulting on guidance about the application of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) to the activities of charities, not-for-profit entities and fundraisers. The need for new guidance was recognised by the 2017 Review of the ACL, where it was acknowledged that some charities, not-for-profits and fundraisers face difficulties…