bin, garbage, recycle bin-42673.jpg
55% of Australians incorrectly dispose of batteries. Australian B-cycle “Never bin your batteries” aims to help consumers understand the risks of throwing batteries away in regular bins. It emphasises the need to never put used batteries in general waste or recycling bins, to instead tape the terminals with clear sticky tape and take them to…
Read More Safe Battery Disposal
An open door with keys hanging in the lock
Consumer Policy Research Centre CEO Erin Turner will be facilitating the ‘Is it liveable?’ webinar with Tenants Victoria CEO Jennifer Beveridge on Wednesday February 7th at 4:00pm-4:30pm AEDT (GMT+11) to discuss the recent joint research project and report on the safety, cleanliness and liveability of rental properties. The webinar will feature discussion and analysis of…
Read More “Is it liveable?” CPRC and Tenants Victoria Rental Property Webinar
Post thumbnail
The Consumers Federation of Australia (CFA) and CHOICE have provided a submission to the newly newly established Competition Taskforce on merger approvals. Australia has many markets that are highly concentrated; supermarkets, airlines, banking, telecommunications, energy and insurance are all markets where a few dominant companies provide most Australians with essential products and services. Increasingly, we…
Read More CFA Supports Reforms to Merger Approvals
Magnifying glass over the word 'facts', with 'facts' repeated for 12 lines.
The Albanese Government has announced its intent to have the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) conduct a year-long inquiry into supermarket prices as allegations of price gouging, a lack of competition in the sector and the cost of living crisis continue. According to a joint press release by the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese MP,…
Read More Government Announces ACCC Inquiry into Supermarket Prices
Post thumbnail
In February 2023, health ministers announced they would take action to ensure the management of professional misconduct by health practitioners relating to sexual misconduct and sexual boundary violations would better meet community expectations.
Health ministers are seeking feedback to determine if amendments to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law are needed to provide greater transparency to the public about health practitioners’ regulatory history when they have engaged in sexual misconduct or sexual boundary violations.
Read More Proposed Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Reforms
construction, sign, under-3075498.jpg
While AI has immense potential to improve wellbeing and grow our economy, Australians want stronger protections in place to help manage the risks, according to the recent Australian Government’s interim response to the consultation on Safe and Responsible AI in Australia conducted last year. The interim response includes feedback from stakeholders and how the government…
Read More Safe and Responsible AI in Australia
phishing, scam, website-7100899.jpg
Jobs and employment scams were the fastest growing scam type last year, with Australians reporting over 4,800 job scams to Scamwatch in 2023 leading to losses of $24.7 million, compared to $8.7 million in 2022.
Reports to Scamwatch show that these scams are disproportionally affecting younger Australians aged 18-44 years old, including students looking for part-time work. People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds including non-resident visa holders are also particularly at risk.
Read More Employment and Side Hustle Scams on the Rise
bridge, steel bridge, building-2934151.jpg
The Australian Government is taking action to help ensure that AI is safe and responsible, releasing its interim response to the Safe and Responsible AI in Australia consultation today.
The consultation made clear that while AI has immense potential to improve wellbeing and grow our economy, Australians want stronger protections in place to help manage the risks.
The Government’s response is targeted towards the use of AI in high-risk settings, where harms could be difficult to reverse, while ensuring that the vast majority of low risk AI use continues to flourish largely unimpeded.
Read More Government Considers “mandatory guardrails” for AI Development
technology, hands, agreement-4256272.jpg
Enforcement Technology, also known as EnfTech, is technology used in any enforcement capacity for investigation, preventative measures, surveillance, remedies and/or sanctions and there could be a vital role for EnfTech to play in consumer protection. With the advent of the global digital market as the new norm for most consumers the need for consumer protection…
Read More Enforcement Technology and Consumer Protection
circle, hands, teamwork-312343.jpg
Most sectors are undergoing major transformations. The energy world is shifting towards green power, generative artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing rapidly, while e-commerce and digital finance are becoming ever more embedded, impacting how we shop, spend and save.
Consumer advocates are responding by ensuring consumer rights are upheld as the marketplace undergoes rapid change and acting as an early warning signal to unfair or harmful practices. But we also have a powerful role to play in championing meaningful, positive innovation when we see it. What’s clear to me is that we’re at a tipping point for business model innovation, and that for those companies willing to think big, embrace change and push forward, there’s an opportunity to affect real change and leave a long-lasting legacy.
dresser, furniture, cabinet-576043.jpg
How stable is your furniture? Does your heavy, full wardrobe have appropriate anchors or tip-over failsafes? Currently, Australia only has a voluntary safety standard (AS/NZS 4935:2009) but in light of the recently published mandatory American standard (ASTM F2057–23 Standard Safety Specification for Clothing Storage Units) the Australian Competition and ConsumerCommission has decided to re-investigate the…
Read More Survey on Mandatory Furniture Safety Standards
lemons, fruits, food-2039830.jpg
The Communications Alliance, the peak industry body for the Australian communications sector, has released a proposed framework and review package for the Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code.
Read More New Telco Code Proposal Fails to Deliver
