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“We need all three levels of government to come together and develop a national plan for households to go all-electric that provides the information, funding and support people need, and identifies the policy changes that will ensure no one is left behind.”
Read More Calls to End Gas Connections and Electrify Households
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“If lotteries get this carve-out and people can use credit cards, it will be the thin edge of the wedge. They will then get carve-outs from future advertising and inducement reforms. We’ll regret this mistake when lotteries are advertised day and night and people increasingly spend large sums of money.”
Ms Levin said lotteries were no longer harmless fun as portrayed by providers. They were now also a far cry from the benign, government-owned public sweeps that we remember from childhood, and which had legislation that mandated donating money to charitable causes.
Read More ‘Not harmless fun’ – Advocates Call for Credit Card Ban to Extend to Scratchies and Lottery Tickets
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The ACCC is putting the caravan industry on notice that the use of misleading representations in advertising is in breach of the Australian Consumer Law and may result in strong enforcement action being taken against retailers.
Read More ACCC Warns Caravan Industry Over Misleading Representations
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In more battery related news, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has issues a Public Service Announcement on the safe use and storage of lithium-ion batteries as part of a larger push to improve safety standards around Li-ion batteries and prevent potentially deadly and highly damaging fires.
Read More ACCC Issues PSA on Lithium-Ion Battery Safety
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The ACCC alleges Tesla failed to conduct the required safety tests before supplying three of its key fob models and two of its illuminated door sill models and failed to provide the mandatory safety warnings on these products as required by the standard.
Read More Tesla Penalised for Alleged Breach of Button Battery Safety Standards
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The Consumer Affairs Victoria Strategic Plan for 2023-26, and regulatory priorities for 2023-24 have been published this week.
Read More Consumer Affairs Victoria Releases New Strategic Plan and Regulatory Priorities
A list of three key takeaways from the 2023 TIO Annual Report
Complaints from phone and internet consumers decreased 16.5 per cent in the last financial year ending 30 June 2023. In this period, consumers and small business made 66,388 complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, highlighted in the Annual Report 2022—23 published today.
Read More TIO Annual Report Finds Mobile Problems, Optus Data Breach are Top Issues for Consumers
Solar battery storage outside a brick house. The plastic and metal is charred black and melted in some areas.
All households with a solar storage system need to urgently check if the system has a recalled LG battery installed and should switch off affected batteries immediately, the ACCC has warned.
When these batteries malfunction there is a serious risk of injury or death due to the affected batteries overheating and causing a fire.
Read More LG Solar Batteries Recalled – Consumers Urged to Check and Switch Off Affected Batteries Immediately
Drawing of a toy for an infant. If has a smiling face, string coming out of its head and a segmented body ending in a teething ring.
The ACCC will enforce the new toy safety standard which will make it mandatory for all toys marketed at children under three to adhere to strict design and testing requirements ensuring toys do not contain small parts.
Read More New Mandatory Safety Standards to Protect Children from Choking Hazards
Shared Vision for a Better World
Standards for SDGs
World Standards Day:
14 October
IEC, ISO, ITU
Saturday October 14th is World Standards Day, a time to acknowledge and celebrate the work of the thousands of people around the world who dedicate their time and effort into creating technical voluntary standards. This year’s theme for World Standards Day is ‘a shared vision for a better world’, CFA’s Standards Project Manager, Regina Godfredson, has prepared a short piece for the occasion.
Read More World Standards Day: Shared Vision for a Better World
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The Australian Energy Regulator’s (AER) latest State of the energy market report highlights that the energy system in 2023 experienced fewer shocks and better outcomes than in the preceding year, however many of the vulnerabilities observed in 2022 remain.
The report reveals some improved outcomes in wholesale energy markets with average wholesale electricity prices significantly lower than the record highs seen in 2022. Wholesale gas prices also declined significantly from 2022 but remain high by historical standards.
Read More AER Highlights Better Outcomes but Continue Challenges
A cartoon battery with low, dark yellow charge. In front of it is a drawing of the charging symbol.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission today published its latest report on consumer product safety and lithium-ion or Li-ion batteries – the type of batteries used in personal electronic devices, renewable energy storage, and e-vehicles. The report, available here in pdf and audio form, is part of the ACCC’s 2022-23 and 2023-234 priority on product…
Read More ACCC Report on Lithium-Ion and Consumer Product Safety Urges a ‘Multi-Faceted Approach’
