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Federal, state and territory governments must take stronger action to stop the scourge of elder abuse, including urgently reforming Power of Attorney laws, says COTA Australia, the nation’s leading advocacy organisation for older people. The call comes as the world marks World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on 15 June. COTA Australia Chief Executive Officer Patricia…

Read More Advocates Call for Stronger Action on Power of Attorney Laws to Prevent Elder Abuse

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From the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission: The ACCC has been working to implement strategies to prevent injuries and deaths caused by toppling furniture. Following a recommendation made by the ACCC, on 3 May 2024 the Assistant Treasurer made the Consumer Goods (Toppling Furniture) Information Standard 2024 (the Information Standard). To give suppliers time to…

Read More Toolkit for Toppling Furniture Information Standard Released

Consumer Protection

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services is conducting an inquiry into the wholesale investor test for offers of securities and the wholesale client test for financial products and services in the Corporations Act 2001. This is a very important inquiry for consumers because: The inquiry’s Terms of Reference, submissions, etc. are available here.…

Read More Consultation on Inquiry into the Wholesale Investor and Client Tests in the Corporations Act

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The ACCC has outlined preliminary competition concerns with Sigma Healthcare Limited’s (ASX: SIG) proposed acquisition of Chemist Warehouse Group Holdings in a Statement of Issues published today. “This is a major structural change for the pharmacy sector, involving the largest pharmacy chain by revenue merging with a key wholesaler to thousands of independent pharmacies that…

Read More Proposed Merger Raises Concerns Over Pharmacy Sector Competition

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Today the Albanese Government will join a cutting?edge intel exchange between Australian banks, telecommunications companies, digital platforms, and the Australian Financial Crimes Exchange (AFCX). The National Anti Scam Centre will join the AFCX intel loop, which enables near real time data sharing between participants about the latest tactics and tools used by scammers. The partnership…

Read More Government Joins Cutting Edge Anti-Scam Intel Exchange

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The number of consumer complaints in Western Australia relating to studio photography businesses has risen sharply in 2024, prompting Consumer Protection to issue a warning. Last year, eight complaints were received, with similar numbers seen in 2022. Eight complaints have already been received this year with issues raised including potential misleading and deceptive conduct, harassment…

Read More Consumer Protection Warns Against ‘predatory’ Studio Photographers

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The ACCC is proposing to grant authorisation for the Tyre Product Stewardship scheme to continue for a further 3 years. The Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) implemented scheme aims to increase the number of tyres being recycled and the use of tyre derived products in environmentally appropriate ways in Australia and overseas. Since the ACCC first…

Read More Consultation Opens on Future of Tyre Stewardship Scheme

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Charities work across multiple sectors, but the Australian Charities Report is of strategic importance as it aggregates charity data (from 51,536 charities) to provide a holistic picture or ‘sector-wide’ view. Cost of living increases impact charities Our [the Australian and Not-for-Profits Commission or ACNC] data shows that cost of living issues had an impact on…

Read More ACNC Releases the 10th Edition of the Australian Charities Report

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New laws regulating Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) have been announced today. Consumer groups respond as follows: Quotes attributable to Stephanie Tonkin, CEO of Consumer Action Law Centre “We welcome the Albanese Government’s new laws that regulate Buy Now, Pay Later as credit and introducing consumer protections. “Every day we speak to people in financial…

Read More Consumer Groups Welcome New Credit Regulations for Buy Now, Pay Later

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The Albanese Government is establishing the Insurance Affordability and Natural Hazards Risk Reduction Taskforce as part of the federal budget to develop an integrated, cross?government approach to minimising the impacts of disaster on the community and help address insurance costs driven by more frequent and intense weather events. The government is committed to working with insurers and…

Read More Insurance Affordability and Natural Hazards Risk Reduction Taskforce

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Australians are being urged to directly seek financial hardship assistance from their bank or lender, as new nationwide research released by ASIC’s Moneysmart sheds light on the state of financial hardship in Australia. The research found that 47% of Australian adults with debt, the equivalent of 5.8 million people, have struggled to make repayments in…

Read More Research Finds Millions Experience Hardship, Yet Many Don’t Ask for Help