AusPol

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The Albanese Government will strengthen the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct, accepting all recommendations of a recent independent review into the Code as part of a wide?ranging cost?of?living crackdown on anti?competitive behaviour in the food and grocery sector. This is about getting a fair go for families and a fair go for farmers. Our…

Read More Government Accepts All Recommendations to Strengthen Food and Grocery Code

Consumer Protection

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services is conducting an inquiry into the wholesale investor test for offers of securities and the wholesale client test for financial products and services in the Corporations Act 2001. This is a very important inquiry for consumers because: The inquiry’s Terms of Reference, submissions, etc. are available here.…

Read More Consultation on Inquiry into the Wholesale Investor and Client Tests in the Corporations Act

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Today the Albanese Government will join a cutting?edge intel exchange between Australian banks, telecommunications companies, digital platforms, and the Australian Financial Crimes Exchange (AFCX). The National Anti Scam Centre will join the AFCX intel loop, which enables near real time data sharing between participants about the latest tactics and tools used by scammers. The partnership…

Read More Government Joins Cutting Edge Anti-Scam Intel Exchange

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The number of consumer complaints in Western Australia relating to studio photography businesses has risen sharply in 2024, prompting Consumer Protection to issue a warning. Last year, eight complaints were received, with similar numbers seen in 2022. Eight complaints have already been received this year with issues raised including potential misleading and deceptive conduct, harassment…

Read More Consumer Protection Warns Against ‘predatory’ Studio Photographers

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Charities work across multiple sectors, but the Australian Charities Report is of strategic importance as it aggregates charity data (from 51,536 charities) to provide a holistic picture or ‘sector-wide’ view. Cost of living increases impact charities Our [the Australian and Not-for-Profits Commission or ACNC] data shows that cost of living issues had an impact on…

Read More ACNC Releases the 10th Edition of the Australian Charities Report

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New laws regulating Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) have been announced today. Consumer groups respond as follows: Quotes attributable to Stephanie Tonkin, CEO of Consumer Action Law Centre “We welcome the Albanese Government’s new laws that regulate Buy Now, Pay Later as credit and introducing consumer protections. “Every day we speak to people in financial…

Read More Consumer Groups Welcome New Credit Regulations for Buy Now, Pay Later

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The Albanese Government is establishing the Insurance Affordability and Natural Hazards Risk Reduction Taskforce as part of the federal budget to develop an integrated, cross?government approach to minimising the impacts of disaster on the community and help address insurance costs driven by more frequent and intense weather events. The government is committed to working with insurers and…

Read More Insurance Affordability and Natural Hazards Risk Reduction Taskforce

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The industry codes will start with banks, telcos, social media, digital messaging and search advertising services, and will require these groups to have measures in place to prevent, detect, disrupt, respond and report scams.

This will be complemented by strong regulator enforcement action, penalties for non?compliance, and victim compensation where wrongdoing occurs.

Read More Albanese Government to Introduce Mandatory Anti-Scam Industry Codes

Have your say on Centrepay

The Albanese Government has renewed its commitment to Centrepay reform, today announcing a range of short- and long-term priorities to improve the program. Australians who rely on Services Australia’s direct bill paying service Centrepay are encouraged to join advocates, business and other stakeholders to share their views and experiences as part of a nation-wide call…

Read More Community Consultation on Centrepay Reform

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The 2024 Federal Budget provides $1.5 million over 2 years from 2023-24 for the Government to work with industry and regulatory agencies to improve existing arrangements and, in parallel, undertake independent consumer research to understand the extent of any consumer confusion in relation to plant-based and alternative protein labelling. The Department of Agriculture Fisheries and…

Read More Budget Funds $1.5m for Labelling of Plant-Based and Alternative Protein

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The 14 recommendations of a Senate Select Committee inquiry into supermarket prices included several aimed at increasing the transparency of retail grocery prices for consumers. These recommendations included (in Recommendation 9 ) that: The Australian Government amend the Unit Pricing Code made under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010, so that supermarkets are required to:…

Read More Senate Supermarket Inquiry Recommends Grocery Price Transparency