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Today’s announcement by the banking industry of further assistance to help customers experiencing financial hardship will provide some important relief to those who continue to be impacted by COVID-19.  CHOICE, Financial Rights Legal Centre, Consumer Action Law Centre and Financial Counselling Australia are at the forefront of helping people impacted by COVID-19, particularly people doing…

Read More Banks Announcement of Further Assistance for Customers a Timely Relief: Consumer Groups

In this short animated video, Legal Aid Queensland’s Paul Holmes, senior lawyer (consumer advocate), Civil Justice Services team talks about how to reduce your debt, particularly during COVID-19. In the legal information bites series, Legal Aid Queensland talks about the law, your rights and where to get legal help if you need it. To find…

Read More How to reduce your debt – Legal information bites by Queensland Legal Aid

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Ladders are used in most households for a range of jobs from DIY to changing lightbulbs; however, if the ladder is not in good condition or is used unsafely, falls can occur and cause fractured limbs, spinal cord damage, severe brain injury or death.  Standards Australia has just published a revised standard AS 1895.2:2020 Portable ladders which provides minimum requirements…

Read More Safe ladder use and Australian Standards

Three people sitting at a desk having a meeting, two with their backs to the camera Three people sitting at a desk having a meeting, two with their backs to the camera

Australians in dispute with their bank, insurer, super fund or financial firm have lodged more than 80,000 complaints in the last 12 months, with the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) securing $258.6 million in compensation and refunds direct to consumers.  People made 80,546 complaints to AFCA between 1 July 2019 and 30 June 2020. This…

Read More AFCA receives more than 80,000 complaints in FY19/20, nearly 5,000 of which are COVID-19 related

A person's hand on the keyboard of a laptop on a desk A person's hand on the keyboard of a laptop on a desk

Consumers can now choose to share their banking data to access more personalised financial products and services following the launch of the Consumer Data Right today. All four major banks are capable of sharing their customers’ data, when requested by the customer. Other authorised deposit-taking institutions will join the Consumer Data Right over the coming…

Read More Consumer Data Right goes live for data sharing

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A number of life insurers appear not to be taking their obligations under the Life Insurance Code of Practice (the Code) seriously, according to a report released on Friday by the Life Code Compliance Committee (the Committee) – the independent Committee which monitors and enforces industry compliance with the customer service standards set out in…

Read More Report shows life insurers need a stronger commitment to their Code compliance obligations

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The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) and Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on Friday published Testing Comprehension of the Reference Price, research jointly commissioned from the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT). This research provides new insights about the ways consumers understand electricity offers and the AER and the ACCC will use these insights to consider how…

Read More New research shines light on how consumers understand electricity offers

A black calculator next to a hard copy bank statement A black calculator next to a hard copy bank statement

A new research report by the Consumer Policy Research Centre explores the global response to COVID-19, with nationwide survey of 1114 Australians showing people are drawing on limited resources just to make ends meet. 12 million Australians are concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on their financial wellbeing; 1 in 5 are ‘very’ concerned Almost…

Read More 1 in 4 Australians are struggling to pay for essentials such as energy, groceries and insurance, adding to existing rent and mortgage stress