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Banks victim-shaming approach ‘immoral’- Tonkin New polling by Essential Media is unequivocal: the vast majority (75%) of Australians expect banks to keep their money safe from criminal scammers, and if they fail, to return it to their accounts. Australians lost a massive $2.74 billion to scammers in 2023, that’s hundreds of dollars for every household in our country…

Read More Banks Victim Shaming Approach ‘immoral’ and Out of Touch with Community Expectations

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The Australian Consumers Insurance Lobby Inc, Financial Rights Legal Centre (which operates the national Insurance Law Service), Queensland Consumers Federation, Consumers Federation of Australia, Unit Owners Association of Queensland and Owners Corporation Network are united in calling on the Queensland Government to show leadership in addressing the escalating crisis of insurance affordability. In the face…

Read More Joint Call for Action: Addressing Insurance Affordability in Queensland

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The Queensland Consumers Association (QCA) says action is needed to give consumers as well as suppliers a fairer go when dealing with supermarkets. QCA spokesperson Ian Jarratt says the Federal Government’s decision to change the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct to help farmers and other suppliers in their dealings s with large supermarkets, highlights…

Read More Consumers Want a Fair Go for Supermarket Shoppers Too

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The ACCC response to the latest draft of the Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code validates long-held consumer concerns about the suitability of self-regulation to protect telecommunications consumers. The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) welcomes and supports the comments of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on the May 20 draft of the TCP…

Read More Advocates Argue for Direct Regulation of Communication as an Essential Service

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The ACCC has accepted undertakings from Telstra and Optus as part of the ACCC’s ongoing competition investigation into Google’s search services in Australia. During the investigation into Google’s conduct, the ACCC became aware of agreements that Google had initiated and entered into with Telstra and Optus, which meant Google’s search services were pre-installed as the…

Read More Telstra and Optus Cooperate with ACCC Google Search Services Investigation

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The Albanese Government has approved three consumer and small business advocates as designated complainants. Designated complainants will be able to submit complaints to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) about significant or systemic market issues affecting Australian consumers or small businesses. When a designated complaint is lodged, the ACCC will be required to consider…

Read More New ‘Designated Complainants’ Appointed by Albanese Government

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The ACMA has today released a Statement of Expectations on the use of consumer consent to provide guidance to businesses that undertake email, SMS, and telephone marketing. The Statement sets out steps for businesses to ensure they have consumer consent before conducting telemarketing and e-marketing. It is an outcome-focused guide to better practice – designed to…

Read More Consent expectations for businesses using direct marketing

Gerard Brody, Chair, Consumers' Federation of Australia: "There's a real value to consumer organisations. As consumer advocates, we see what's going on and we're able to present to government not only the problems, but also the experience, the insights, the connections and the research to help them with solutions."

False information, widespread political change, budgetary cuts. These are just some of mounting issues facing civil society in 2024 at a time when the role they play is needed more than ever. Next week, Consumers International joins discussions at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) to discuss the role of consumer organisations, the value…

Read More Consumers International Speaks With Intergovernmental Group of Experts for Consumer Protection Law and Policy

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The General Insurance Code Governance Committee (CGC) is an independent body that monitors and enforces insurers’ compliance with the General Insurance Code of Practice. The Code covers many aspects of a consumer’s relationship with their insurer, from buying insurance to making a claim, to providing options to those experiencing financial hardship, to the process for…

Read More Consumer Representative – General Insurance Code Governance Committee

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BackgroundThe Youpla Group, also called the Aboriginal Community Benefit Fund (ACBF) sold funeral insurancepolicies to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These were called Youpla funeral funds.When Youpla collapsed in March 2022, many community members could no longer pay for Sorry Business.From July 2024 the Youpla Support Program will replace the existing Treasury Program.The National…

Read More Youpla Support Program Starts Now