Consumers' Federation of Australia

Image 29 March , 2023

TIO Submission for Digital Platforms Ombudsman

Following the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Digital Platform Services inquiry in 2019, and the Treasury’s recent follow-up consultation the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) placed a submission late February 2023 to expand their remit from telecommunications to digital platform services (e.g. search engines, apps). The TIO has supported the proposal for a Digital Platforms…

Image 29 March , 2023

Save Sorry Business Day of Action

March 28th was a day of action for First Nations advocates a year after the federal government established an interim scheme so that some of the families harmed by Aboriginal Community Benefit Fund/Youpla could conduct the important cultural practice of Sorry Business. The Save Sorry Business coalition used this day of action to call for…

Image 28 March , 2023

‘Risk to gas consumers of declining demand’

Energy Consumers Australia (ECA) engaged Boardroom Energy to research the problems for consumers that shifts away from gas will likely cause. This is especially important because gas networks are shared assets, if more people leave the gas network due to decarbonisation and changes to energy access and pricing then remaining gas users are likely to…

Image 27 March , 2023

Queensland Consumers Association Makes Submission to Senate Cost of Living Inquiry

The Queensland Consumers Association has made a submission to the Senate Select Committee on the Cost of Living which is inquiring into: the cost of living pressures facing Australians; the Government’s fiscal policy response to the cost of living; ways to ease cost of living pressures through the tax and transfer system; measures to ease…

Image 24 March , 2023

1 in 5 Australians Struggling to Pay a Telco Bill

From ACCAN, original media release 21/03/2023 found here. Households are increasingly feeling the impact of higher costs of living. New research by the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), conducted in March, has revealed a fifth of consumers reporting that they missed a payment for a phone or internet service because they could not afford…

Image 23 March , 2023

Australians want super paid on time

The following is a media release from Super Consumers Australia, released 21/03/2023 Super Consumers’ national consumer survey finds that two in three Australians agree that super should be paid at the same time as wages. This is in contrast to the three months the law currently allows employers to pay super. Super Consumers Australia is…

21 March , 2023

Calls for Telco Retail Registration Scheme

Supported by the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO), the Australian Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) is calling for the registration of all telecommunication providers in Australia for the benefit of all consumers, regulators, and providers. From ACCAN media release (03/03/2023): The Australian Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) is calling for the development of a retail registration scheme for telco…

17 March , 2023

Domestic airfares fall but prices remain above pre-pandemic levels

This is a media release from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. It was originally published on March 7th 2023 and can be found on the ACCC website here, with graphs. Domestic airfares have declined from historic highs at the end of 2022; however, they remain above 2019 prices, the ACCC’s latest Airline Competition in Australia…

Image 17 March , 2023

Consumers International Whitepaper – ‘Consumer protection and empowerment for a clean energy future’

Consumers International has recently released a white paper on ‘Consumer protection and empowerment for a clean energy future’ centred on the “twin challenge” of switching to sustainable and affordable alternatives in an increasingly shorter timeframe while ensuring consumers are represented and helped through and with the process. The report focuses on how “consumer protection and…

15 March , 2023

World Consumer Rights Day – what’s happening around the world

Within the consumer movement, the World Consumer Rights Day, is an annual reminder and recognition of the importance of consumer rights in any market, no matter how complex or diverse. With the clean energy transition being a core theme this year, check out the events taking place around the world that you can be part…

Image 14 March , 2023

ACCC competition and consumer issues in essential services, sustainability among 2023-24 compliance and enforcement priorities

This is a media release from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC). It was originally published on 7th March 2023. Consumer and competition issues in essential services, environmental claims and sustainability, financial services and other critical areas will be among the ACCC’s compliance and enforcement priorities during 2023-24, ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb announced today. Unveiling the ACCC’s annual…

7 March , 2023

Women and Standards International Women’s Day 8 March 2023 DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality

The latest available Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 data show that the world is not on track to achieve gender equality by 2030 see the report Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The gender snapshot 2022. A gender-responsive approach to innovation, technology and digital education can increase the awareness of women and girls regarding their…