Consumers' Federation of Australia

12 September , 2023

Housing Delayed and Denied: Improving Access to Specialist Disability Accommodation

Specialist Disability Accommodation, or SDA, is a vital piece of infrastructure for may disabled people to navigate their own home and retain independence. However, despite recent improvement spurred on by the advocacy of organisations and individuals, a recent report from the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) and the Housing Hub shows there is still great room for improvement in the decisions and delivery of these vital accommodations.

12 September , 2023

Consultation: Australia’s Draft National Science and Research Priorities

The Department of Industry, Science and Resources has opened consultation to the the drafts for the National Science and Research Priorities and National Science Statement in a revitalisation project to shape the long-term vision of science in Australia. The consultation period will end September 29th 2023.

12 September , 2023

“The sky didn’t fall in”

Lauren’s eye-opening presentation on gambling harm prevention demonstrates just how much Australian regulators and politicians can learn from their European counterparts.

12 September , 2023

Global Update on Unit Pricing

The latest edition of the Queensland Consumers Association’s (QCA) newsletter Unit Pricing Global Update (found here) contains information about unit pricing in several countries including in: QCA spokesperson, Ian Jarratt says that in Canada the Competition Bureau and the parliamentary committee’s recommendations on grocery unit pricing are important not only for consumers in Canada (where…

11 September , 2023

Aviation Green Paper Open for Consultation

The Federal Government is calling for feedback on its ‘Aviation Green Paper – towards 2050’, found here.

The Green Paper is the next step in the development of the Aviation White Paper which will set the policy direction for the aviation sector out to 2050 and is likely to be released in mid-2024.

11 September , 2023

60 Day Script Change Welcomed by Consumer Advocates

Dr Deveny said the targeted program, to be implemented in three stages over 12 months, will effectively halve the cost of medicines for up to six million Australians with chronic health conditions, and result in savings for individual consumers of up to $180 every year per medicine.

8 September , 2023

Super Consumers Australia: “System-wide quality testing needed”

Today’s super performance test results have revealed 96 underperforming choice products in
the market.

8 September , 2023

Priced Out – House Insurance Affordability

One-and-a-quarter million Australian households face home insurance affordability stress

7 September , 2023

Mail Under Threat – Australia Post Warns of Losses, Price Increases, and Potential Office Closures

Australia Post lost $200 million last financial year. It expects further losses unless it can “secure the necessary support required to modernise its business”.

Now, this necessary support could come in various forms, but it means one of two things: massive government subsidies to Australia Post so that it can keep delivering mail as always or fewer mail deliveries and fewer post offices.

7 September , 2023

COTA: Federal Government Needs to Increase Services for All Ages

“COTA Australia has been calling for action to support older people better plan for retirement. Financial literacy and retirement income products are key elements to make sure people are confident to spend more than the legislated minimum draw down and support them to have a dignified retirement.”

6 September , 2023

ACCC Opens Submissions on Australia Post’s Proposed Price Increases

Australia Post is proposing to increase its stamp prices by 25 per cent from January 2024.

This change would increase the price of delivering reserved ordinary small letters from $1.20 to $1.50, ordinary large letters up to 125 grams from $2.40 to $3.00 and ordinary large letters between 125 grams and 250 grams from $3.60 to $4.50.

Australia Post is not proposing to increase the price of concession stamps (60 cents each) or stamps for seasonal greeting cards (65 cents).

6 September , 2023

ASIC ‘takes aim’ at Over-the-Counter Derivate Distribution and Other High Risk Products

Since March 2023, ASIC has taken regulatory action against five issuers of retail OTC derivative products for breaches of DDO. This has resulted in 10 interim stop orders relating to retail OTC derivatives, with further DDO-related investigations of high-risk product issuers underway. ASIC recently commenced its first design and distribution proceedings in the Federal Court against a CFD issuer (23-204MR) and will continue to take appropriate regulatory action where it sees DDO contraventions and risk of consumer harm.