Consumers' Federation of Australia

21 May , 2024

Latest ACCC report finds consumers lack visibility and choice over data collection practices

Consumers generate data in almost all aspects of their lives as many activities that were once anonymous are now subject to detailed data collection, such as restaurants that require customers to order via a QR code and input personal details. The latest Digital Platform Services Inquiry report published today, highlights that consumers are generally unaware how much…

21 May , 2024

Airline Travel and Capacity Returns to Pre-Pandemic Levels

Australia’s aviation sector appears to have recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic as passenger levels and capacity returned to pre-pandemic levels, the ACCC’s latest Domestic Airline Competition in Australia report reveals. Australia’s major airlines—Bonza, Jetstar, Qantas, Rex and Virgin Australia —carried 4.9 million domestic passengers in March 2024, which represented 98.8 per cent of passenger figures in March…

20 May , 2024

ASIC Report Highlights Industry Hardship Failures

Some home loan lenders have made accessing financial assistance so difficult that more than one in three (35%) Australians dropped out of the application process at least once, according to a new ASIC report. The report, Hardship, hard to get help: Lenders fall short in financial hardship support (REP 783) outlines findings from ASIC’s review of 10…

20 May , 2024

New Vehicle Efficiency Standard to Commence January 2025

Australian motorists will soon be able to choose from a wider range of cleaner, cheaper to run cars with the Parliament passing the legislation for the Albanese Government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard. This is good news for the hip pocket and for the environment. Car makers now have an incentive to send us their most…

17 May , 2024

Productivity Commission National Competition Policy Reforms Submission

Consumers’ Federation of Australia (CFA) and CHOICE has made a submission to the Productivity Commission about future National Competition Policy reforms. The submission stresses the need to analyse potential policy reforms with a focus on their effects on consumers and households, urging the Commission to prioritise understanding how different groups might be affected. The submission’s…

16 May , 2024

Consumer Groups Call for Increased Resourcing of NSW Strata & Property Services Commissioner as Strata Populations Increase

The groups emphasise the critical role of the Commissioner’s office in addressing the unique challengesof the strata sector, which currently houses 35% of NSW residents, with projections of 50% by 2040. “Despite the visionary establishment of the Strata and Property Services Commissioner’s Office, and thecommendable efforts of John Minns since his appointment, the office is…

16 May , 2024

Some Households Cost-of-Living still rising faster than the CPI

The little known and used Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) quarterly Living Cost Indexes (LCI) for the March 2024 quarter show that, although annual LCIs and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) are falling, for 3 of the 5 household types the annual cost of living increased by more than the better known and much used…

15 May , 2024

Something for Everyone – National Volunteer Week 20-26 May 2024

National Volunteer Week 2024 invites everyone to discover the power of volunteering with the theme ‘Something for Everyone’. This special event provides an opportunity to highlight the important role of volunteers in our community and invites people not currently volunteering to give it a go. Thousands of activities will be held across the country to…

15 May , 2024

Senate Supermarket Inquiry Recommends Grocery Price Transparency

The 14 recommendations of a Senate Select Committee inquiry into supermarket prices included several aimed at increasing the transparency of retail grocery prices for consumers. These recommendations included (in Recommendation 9 ) that: The Australian Government amend the Unit Pricing Code made under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010, so that supermarkets are required to:…

15 May , 2024

Free and accessible Artificial Intelligence course

The free ‘Introduction to Artificial Intelligence’ course provided by CSIRO National AI Centre (NAIC) will cover what AI is, common terminologies, real-world applications of AI, Australian AI case studies, advice from industry experts to start your career in AI, and more. The two-and-a-half-hour course provides a non-technical introduction to AI fundamentals and is designed for…

13 May , 2024

Financial Abuse Inquiry – 1 month left for written submissions

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services commenced an inquiry into the systems and regulatory framework relating to financial abuse at the start of April 2024. The period for written submissions is now half-way through and will officially end on 14 June 2024. Submissions can be made publicly but the committee is also…

10 May , 2024

Advocates Warn that Urgent Change is Needed to Protect Retirement Savings from Dodgy Advice

Super Consumers Australia warns of Royal Commission rehash: Super funds need to do more to protect people from bad advice Today ASIC has released a report highlighting the failure of many super funds to uphold their duty to protect people from being charged for inappropriate, costly advice from their super savings. This follows revelations from…