Consumers' Federation of Australia

16 August , 2021

Banking Code Compliance Committee critical of banks’ guarantees practices

In a report released on the 11th of August, the Banking Code Compliance Committee (BCCC) highlighted serious concerns about banks’ failure to consistently comply with the 2013 Code’s guarantee obligations. This is a Banking Code Compliance Committee (BCCC) media release, originally published on 11th August, 2021. For the first time in a BCCC Inquiry, a sub-set of…

9 August , 2021

Consumers International releases statement on the future of food

To mark this year’s UN Food Systems Summit being held in late September, Consumers International (CI) has prepared a global consumer advocacy statement on the future of food. The statement contains a set of people-centred solutions for the development of healthy, safe, fair, and sustainable food systems. CI is the membership organisation for over 200…

9 August , 2021

Stationary training equipment standards open for public comment

Stationery training equipment incudes exercise bicycles, training benches, treadmills, rowing machines, steppers, and other equipment for use in training areas of organisations such as sports associations, hotels, sports halls, educational establishments, studios, gyms, fitness centres etc where access and control are regulated by the owner. The nine parts of the new standards are open for…

9 August , 2021

Insurers targeting people who rent with unjust bills over $300,000

CHOICE and WEstJustice have called for regulatory intervention to stop insurance companies unfairly pursuing people who rent for claims made on landlord insurance. This is a CHOICE and WEstJustice media statement, originally published on 6th August, 2021. Read the full investigation. The advocacy groups have presented finance regulator ASIC with evidence of insurers pursuing debts…

2 August , 2021

Views sought to help prevent deaths and injuries from toppling furniture and televisions

The ACCC is seeking submissions from stakeholders, including consumers, consumer safety advocates, the furniture and television industries, and medical professionals about the safety hazards posed by toppling furniture, such as bookshelves, drawers and televisions. This is an Australian Competition & Consumer Commission media release, originally published on 2nd August, 2021. There have been at least…

2 August , 2021

Government must go back to the drawing board on new Open Banking rules that undermine Australians’ privacy rights

Financial Rights Legal Centre is calling on the Australian Government to halt the introduction of new rules that will increase privacy and security risks for people when sharing their financial data. This is a Financial Rights Legal Centre media release, originally published on 30th July, 2021. The government should rescind proposals to: allow the transfer…

2 August , 2021

Federal government misses opportunity to help shoppers save at the checkout

The nation’s peak body for consumer organisations, the Consumers Federation of Australia (CFA) says shoppers will miss out on big savings possible when buying groceries, and other packaged products, as a result of federal government not improving the current Unit Pricing Code. The Code requires only large supermarkets and some online grocery retailers to provide…

29 July , 2021

AICD program scholarships available for directors, executives and emerging directors of NFP organisations

The Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), in partnership with the Australian Scholarships Foundation (ASF), are pleased to make 200 full scholarships available to the Australian not-for-profit sector in 2021/2022. The scholarships will be offered in all states and territories across Australia and will enable directors, executives and emerging directors of NFP organisations with a turnover of…

28 July , 2021

Australian consumers back proposed solar export rule changes

Consumers have strongly backed proposed rule changes being considered by the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) that are designed to enable growth in electricity exports from rooftop solar panels, enabling more Australians to share in the economic and environmental benefits. This is an Energy Consumers Australia media release, originally published on 27th July, 2021. The changes would allow…

26 July , 2021

Toward a meaningful right to repair

A ‘right to repair’ is the ability of consumers to have their products repaired at a competitive price using a repairer of their choice. A recent CHOICE consumer pulse survey identified that more than eight in ten (85%) people said that buying products that will last a long time is important to them and more…

20 July , 2021

Fraud and corruption control in your organisation

Australia ranks 11/180 in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index 2020 (-8 since 2012) and safeguarding against loss or having any connection to corruption is a key responsibility of all organisations. Managing the fraud and corruption risk to business is a governance issue and the recently published Australian standard is intended to apply to all organisations operating…

19 July , 2021

ACCC seeks feedback on safety of potentially deadly inclined sleeping products for infants

After a review into the safety of inclined infant sleeping products, the ACCC is now seeking views on how best to respond to these potentially deadly products. Infants can suffocate when sleeping in so-called ‘infant inclined products’, such as bouncers, rockers, swings, loungers, bassinet-type products, wedges, recliners and sleep accessories due to the incline, curvature…