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South Australians will be better protected from unscrupulous payday lenders and those offering consumer leases, under draft legislation tabled in State Parliament on Friday. Attorney-General Vickie Chapman said there was a pressing need to act to protect South Australians from payday loan sharks as discussions on a nationwide approach have gone nowhere.  Last year all…

Read More SA takes the lead on unscrupulous payday lenders

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Country of origin labelling (CoOL) lets consumers know which country a product came from. The Federal Government developed a discussion paper to consider if labels are helping consumers make more informed choices and clarifying the origin claims that businesses can make. In summary, we recommend that: Requirements under the Country of Origin Food Labelling Information…

Read More CFA makes submission to Evaluation of Country of Origin Food Labelling

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CFA is represented on the NDIS industry reference group and has made a submission to a consultation paper on support coordination. Support coordination is a type of funded intermediary that can assist NDIS participants access other services funded by the NDIS. This submission argues: There needs to be a stronger conceptual foundation for the role…

Read More CFA makes a submission to NDIS consultation on support coordination

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Consumers’ Federation of Australia member CHOICE has priced national brand groceries at Coles, Woolwoths and Aldi. Read CHOICE’s article to see where to find products for the cheapest price and how to use unit pricing to check which pack size ofers the best value for money. Our price survey found that products from national brands…

Read More Cadbury, Coca Cola, Colgate. Which supermarket is cheapest for national brands?

A receipt for grocery items. In the background are grocery items A receipt for grocery items. In the background are grocery items

In the latest edition of the ISO Consumer Update, Consumers International says consumer advocacy has a vital role to play in guiding, advising and informing consumers to ensure they can access a fair and affordable market for essential products and services. The Update also refers to a recent guest blog on CI’s website about: How…

Read More ISO standard on unit pricing relevant to consumers affected by the COVID-19 economic crisis

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The Battery Stewardship Council (BSC) will be able to establish and operate a national scheme for managing expired batteries under an authorisation granted by the ACCC. BSC was formed in 2018 with the primary goal of establishing a battery stewardship scheme in Australia that would see a significant increase in battery collections and recycling. Batteries…

Read More Voluntary battery stewardship scheme granted authorisation

windmills in the distance on a field of grass windmills in the distance on a field of grass

Consumers are more aware of environmental issues than ever before and feeling anxious about the state of the planet. There are many opportunities to contribute to global projects working on improving the environment. You can help find out how much plastic pollution there is globally by uploading images of pollution when you see it –…

Read More What can I do about improving the environment?

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Beyond Blue and Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) are encouraging people to access free support services to cope with the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. The organisations have launched the Money on Your Mind campaign to support people experiencing financial stress and mental health issues. Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows 41 per cent of…

Read More Money on your mind – campaign to improve mental and financial health

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The Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation has begun a reform agenda for the food regulation system aimed at ensuring that it remains strong, robust and agile into the future. The reform agenda is being progressed via several interconnected projects and will include stakeholder engagement. The projects are: 1. Review of the…

Read More Major reform agenda underway for the food regulation system

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In a report released on Monday, the Banking Code Compliance Committee (BCCC) has urged banks to improve their breach reporting to the BCCC. The report summarises banks’ self-reported breach data for the six months that followed their adoption of a revised Banking Code of Practice on 1 July 2019. The report outlines that banks have…

Read More Banking Code monitoring body calls for further improvements in breach reporting

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Queensland’s Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is advising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers to protect themselves after it was revealed they had lost millions of dollars to scammers. Fair Trading Executive Director Brian Bauer said Indigenous Australians last year reported more than 2,700 scams resulting in $2.1 million in losses, and that figure was…

Read More Indigenous Australians lose millions to scammers