ACCC Archives - Page 14 of 28 - Consumers' Federation of Australia

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…

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 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…

24 February , 2023

Product Safety Pledge removes thousands of dangerous items from online marketplaces

More than 15,000 potentially unsafe products were delisted by online marketplaces signed up to the ACCC’s Australian Product Safety Pledge last financial year, with 98 per cent of regulator-initiated take down requests actioned within 2 days. Pledge signatories also used artificial intelligence, image recognition and automated scanning to prevent hundreds of thousands of unsafe products…

19 February , 2023

Urgent action needed to help grocery shoppers save money

The Queensland Consumers Association (QCA) wants action now from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Albanese government to make it much easier for consumers to manage the cost of living and grocery price inflation crises by getting better value when shopping for groceries. QCA’s spokesperson, Ian Jarratt, says the results of a…

16 February , 2023

ACCC launches inquiry into deposit interest rates

he ACCC will investigate how banks set interest rates for savers, including differences in interest rate increases between bank deposits and home loans after the Federal Government directed the ACCC to commence an inquiry into Australia’s retail deposit market. “We welcome this direction from the Government to shine a light on the retail deposit market…

27 January , 2023

CFA submission cautions against ANZ proposed acquisition of Suncorp Bank

Consumers’ Federation of Australia has made a submission to the ACCC consultation, ANZ proposed acquisition of Suncorp Bank. The CFA considers that the proposed acquisition is likely to substantially lessen competition for retail banking services in Australia. We also consider the likely detriments of the proposed acquisition exceed any likely public benefits. CFA’s submission notes that ANZ’s proposed…

25 January , 2023

Insurance premiums in northern Australia remain high ahead of insurers joining reinsurance pool

Insurance affordability remains a significant issue in northern Australia and other high cyclone risk areas, according to the ACCC’s first insurance monitoring report. This is a media release from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC). It was originally published on 20th December, 2022. The report finds that policyholders in those regions face much higher premiums on…

12 January , 2023

Media Release: ANZ-Suncorp merger ‘tipping point’ in eliminating effective competition in banking

The Consumers’ Federation of Australia (the CFA) has labelled the proposed ANZ-Suncorp merger a “tipping point” in eliminating effective competition among Australia’s banks. In a submission to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (the ACCC), the CFA says that if the ANZ-Suncorp merger is approved, there will be no limits on further bank mergers resulting…

7 December , 2022

Feedback sought on ways to smother fire risks linked to lithium-ion batteries

The ACCC is seeking input on ways to reduce the significant fire and safety risks associated with lithium-ion batteries, which can overheat or explode, particularly when used, charged or stored incorrectly. An issues paper published today, will help the ACCC to better understand the risks posed by lithium-ion batteries and inform recommendations to reduce the…

1 December , 2022

Health funds continue to return profits to meet COVID-19 commitments

Health insurers have handed back to policyholders about $2.1 billion of the profits they gained from a reduction in claims between the start of the pandemic and 30 June 2022, the ACCC’s latest report into the private health insurance industry has found. Figures submitted by insurers to the Department of Health and Aged Care show…

24 November , 2022

Quad bike safety checks show improved compliance

Ninety-four per cent of new quad bikes assessed by Australia’s consumer law regulators were compliant with the national safety standard that has been in force since October last year, a nationwide surveillance program has found. The ACCC worked with state and territory consumer protection and work health and safety agencies to conduct a second annual…