vaping, no, addiction-892290.jpg
Two weeks ago changes to vaping laws were made via reforms to customs and therapeutic goods regulations. The reforms focus primarily on the sale and importation of disposable vapes and on the prescription of vapes for therapeutic purposes by qualified medical practitioners. The reforms go into effect on January 1st 2024, and by March 1st…
Read More Vaping Reform and Webinar
mic, microphone, podcast-4250217.jpg
The Senate has established a Select Committee on Supermarket Prices, to inquire into and report on the price setting practices and market power of major supermarkets.
The committee is seeking submissions that address the terms of reference by Friday, 2 February 2024 and the committee’s final report is due by 7 May 2024.
Read More Submissions Open for Senate Inquiry into Supermarket Prices
smileys, customer satisfaction, review-5617876.jpg
The 2023 Australian Consumer Survey has just been released and the figures are interesting, with a little over half of all purchases in Australia are now made online compared to 23% in 2016. The concerns of consumers also reflects this online trend as consumers making online international purchases are often unsure about the application of Australian Consumer Law (ACL), and as more and more people are targeted by, and are concerned about, scams.
Read More Consumer Thoughts: 2023 Australian Consumer Survey Released
gavel, mallet, icon-5660494.jpg
Yesterday, the High Court unanimously ruled in favour of the passengers. In so doing, it put companies doing business in Australia on notice that Australia’s consumer protection laws apply both inside and outside the country’s borders.
It decided the class action waiver was unfair to the passengers. This was because Australian consumer law prohibits unfair consumer contracts and because the express terms of that law apply to companies doing business in Australia, regardless of whether they are headquartered in Australia or overseas.
As the High Court explained, a price of a company doing business in Australia is that it must adhere to Australia’s consumer protection laws.
Read More T’s & C’s In and Out of Australia
hurricane, cyclone, typhoon-58025.jpg
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has released its Insurance Monitoring Report for 2023, the reports second annual release. The reports key focus was on insurance for homes, strata and small business in the Northern Territory and the effect, reception and role of the government’s new cyclone reinsurance pool. Due to the differences in…
Read More Insurance Monitoring Report 2023 Released
call out, advertisement, campaign-2702440.jpg
Following the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) September 2022 Digital Platform Services Inquiry report, and the Albanese Government’s commitment in November to mandatory industry codes regarding scams (consultation closes 29/01/2024) has now announced an in-principle agreement to desperately needed new consumer and competition laws regarding digital platforms. Currently, the government is requesting that industry…
Read More Government Responds to ACCC’s Digital Platform Recommendations
Post thumbnail
A report from our Consumers International Global Congress representative, Deputy Chair Chandni Gupta Final day of the 2023 Global Congress and the pace remained fast and fascinating with enlightening presentations with a key focus on sustainability to close off the conference. Below are some highlights from Day 3. Sustainable appliances for a green transition An…
Read More Building a Resilient Future – Day 3 of Consumers International Global Congress
speech bubbles, balloons, feedback-6465143.jpg
The mandatory Code for Scams consultation paper announced by the Federal Treasury today sets out some proposals to tackle the scams crisis, however the final regulation must land on clearer stipulated standards and consumers’ rights to reimbursement of scams losses from banks if standards are not met.
“Mandatory and enforceable codes are a step forward, but consumers must be able to seek reimbursement easily, and there needs to be clarity on the high standard expected of banks and their liability,”
Read More Mandatory Code for Scams Promising But More Regulation Needed
Law Cases
“It is important that we remain focused on progressing reforms to the Australian Consumer Law to strengthen protections for consumers and small business and improve consumer confidence.”
“The agreed priorities for 2024 build on the important enhancements to consumer protections that have been delivered in 2023, such as strengthening Unfair Contract Term Protections, increasing penalties for breaches of the competition and consumer laws, and establishing the National Anti-Scam Centre.”
Read More Consumer Affairs Ministers Agree on 2024 Priorities
seafood, food, healthy-165220.jpg
Previously, the Consumers’ Federation of Australia has campaigned for changes to current labelling laws for seafood at cafes, restaurants and clubs – advocating for country of origin-specific labelling. Recently, the Albanese government has announced that while there will be changes to seafood country of origin labelling, the labelling will be restricted to differentiating between Australia and overseas.
The below press release from Senator the Hon Tim Ayres, Assistant Minister for Manufacturing and Assistant Minister for Trade explains some of the reasoning behind the conversation and the government’s approach.
Read More Seafood Country of Origin Labelling Changes
flat, design, symbol-2126884.jpg
A few days ago, on November 20th 2023 the Albanese Government’s Competition Taskforce released a Consultation Review on Australia’s laws and practices surrounding mergers. Below is information from the Treasury website on the consultation paper as well as how to make a submission and what to include. The Treasurer has also issued a media release on the consultation which is available here. Submissions for the merger consultation paper close on January 19th 2024.
Read More Submissions Open for Consultation Paper on Merger Reform
attention, warning, sign-303861.jpg
Original media release by the ACCC (20/11/2023). Following a recommendation by the ACCC, the Assistant Treasurer, the Hon. Stephen Jones, has today issued a national safety warning notice to warn consumers of fire risks associated with recalled LG solar lithium-ion batteries which are installed in solar energy systems across the country. The safety warning notice was issued…
Read More National Safety Notice Issued for Recalled LG Solar Batteries
