A typewriter with the words '2020' on the page A typewriter with the words '2020' on the page

Consumer Affairs Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ) has published its annual report highlighting the key education, enforcement and policy activities undertaken by the regulators of the ACL in 2019-20. It provides an insight into the work completed by policy officers, educators and regulators to refine and enforce the ACL over the course of the year.…

Read More Australian Consumer Law Year in Review Report 2019-20

Cans of food stacked on a shelf in a grocery store Cans of food stacked on a shelf in a grocery store

CFA’s recent submission on a consultation paper prepared by consultants on the Consistency of Food Regulatory Approaches in Australia and New Zealand identified labelling, food medicine, and health claims as the main areas of inconsistency. The submission included the following points: Labelling: The present requirements provide great scope for between jurisdiction inconsistencies in the assessment…

Read More CFA Submission on Consistency of Food Regulation

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The Morrison Government is delivering on its commitment to improve the safety of button batteries with the introduction of new mandatory safety and information standards to help protect Australian children. This is a media release by the Hon Michael Sukkar MP In Australia three children have died from injuries sustained as a result of swallowing…

Read More Mandatory improvement to button battery safety to save lives

Denim jean pocket holding four credit cards Denim jean pocket holding four credit cards

A new report by the Australian Banking Association (ABA) shows it’s time to immediately ban the use of credit cards for gambling. This is a Financial Counselling Australia Media Release The ABA has released the results of its consultation process about the use of credit cards for gambling. A survey conducted to inform the report…

Read More ABA report confirms credit card funded gambling doesn’t have community support

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Financial Rights Legal Centre has released a landmark report on the concept of Open Insurance – the application of the Consumer Data Right to the general insurance industry. This is a Financial Rights Legal Centre Media Release Financial Rights’ Chief Executive Officer Karen Cox said the Open Insurance report by Dr Richard Tooth of Sapere…

Read More Financial Rights report reveals risks and opportunities in Open Insurance

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The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has issued a public warning to consumers to avoid using a Melbourne-based furniture removalist who operates nationally. This is an OFT Media Release 18 December 2020. Consumers should avoid engaging Ajanvi Pty Ltd, trading as My Moovers and Saka Qld Pty Ltd trading as My Moovers Qld and the…

Read More Public warning: Avoid dodgy furniture removalist – My Moovers

A kitchen tap pouring water into a sink A kitchen tap pouring water into a sink

When it commenced on 1 January 2019 the Payment Difficulty Framework (PDF) represented a major shift in the Victorian retail energy sector’s response to payment difficulty. This is an EWOV article. Under the PDF, energy retailers have been required to take a much more proactive and tailored approach when assisting financially struggling customers. Almost two…

Read More Missing the Mark: EWOV insights on the impact of the Payment Difficulty Framework

An apple on a pile of school books An apple on a pile of school books

Corporate regulator slams banks’ school marketing schemes as CHOICE calls on State and Territory Education Ministers to ditch Dollarmites. This is a CHOICE Media Release “CHOICE welcomes ASIC’s comprehensive review into school banking programs. This is the first time ever in over a century that these school-based marketing schemes have been reviewed,” says CHOICE CEO…

Read More “Nothing more than marketing schemes”: CHOICE on ASIC’s review of school marketing programs

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According to a new report released yesterday by Consumer Action Law Centre, approximately 1.4 to 1.9 million Australians have paid for debt management or credit repair services in the last 12 months. These companies are known as ‘debt vultures’ as they often target people in financial hardship with poor quality debt advice and services. This a Consumer…

Read More Up to 1.9 million Australians paid debt vultures in the last 12 months: Consumer Action Law Centre

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Consumer advocate CHOICE has released a statement in response to ASIC’s updated regulatory guide on time-sharing schemes, stating that ASIC has failed to clean up the harmful timeshare industry. The following is a CHOICE media release. “ASIC’s new rules for timeshare schemes have failed to protect consumers. ASIC has taken years to assess the regulations…

Read More “Failed to protect consumers”: CHOICE on ASIC’s timeshare regulations

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Consultations are currently occurring on two more phases of the major review of the food regulation system that operates in Australia and New Zealand. Stakeholder views are being sought on consultation papers prepared by consultants on: Consistency of food regulatory approaches (responses due by 18 December) Aspirations for the food regulatory system (responses due by…

Read More More opportunities to participate in the review of the food regulation system

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Mobile consumers received much better value over 2019-20, as reported in the ACCC’s just released annual Communications Market Report. This is an ACCC Media Release The report also shows that communications networks successfully met the significant challenges posed by COVID-19 in 2020 and details significant trends and market developments in fixed broadband and mobile markets. Mobile…

Read More Consumers benefit from reduced prices in a year affected by COVID