Consumer protection Archives - Page 27 of 38 - Consumers' Federation of Australia

23 November , 2020

E-commerce businesses pledge to strengthen product safety online

Four of Australia’s largest e-commerce businesses have confirmed their commitment to protecting consumers from unsafe goods online after signing on to a new product safety pledge. The following is a media release by the ACCC. The Australian Product Safety Pledge launched today, is a voluntary initiative that commits its signatories to a range of safety related responsibilities…

30 October , 2020

Rather than recalling unsafe products, why not ensure they’re safe in the first place?

Luke Nottage, Professor, Sydney Law School, University of Sydney This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The death of Brittney Conway, the three-year-old Gold Coast girl killed by swallowing a button battery, has again drawn attention to deaths and injuries caused by consumer goods – and to…

26 October , 2020

Button batteries – tiny batteries, big danger

The ACCC is urging parents and carers to be aware of the serious risks associated with button batteries, as it launches its ‘Tiny batteries, Big danger’ safety campaign today. In Australia, one child a month is seriously injured after swallowing or inserting a button battery, with some of them sustaining lifelong injuries. In Australia and globally, there…

14 September , 2020

SA takes the lead on unscrupulous payday lenders

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…

1 September , 2020

New rules in WA to keep funds for a future funeral safe

A new mandatory code of practice for Western Australia’s prepaid funeral industry has been approved by the McGowan Government that aims to safeguard the estimated $170 million being held to pay for future funerals. The new code, which comes into effect on March 1, 2021, will ensure that the funds will be managed within secure…

28 August , 2020

New safety standards for toys containing magnets

The Morrison Government has approved a new mandatory safety standard for toys with loose small high-powered magnets to help protect younger children. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s new mandatory safety standard limits toys with loose small high-powered magnets to scientific sets for children aged eight years and over. Children are at risk of serious…

1 July , 2020

New protections for energy customers take effect

Victorian energy consumers can now sign up to a new energy deal with the assurance that prices won’t increase more than once every 12 months, with new rules taking effect today. The change is one of many energy reforms to begin on 1 July and mean retailers can no longer engage in ‘bait and switch’…

26 June , 2020

New safety standard for aquatic toys

An updated mandatory safety standard for aquatic toys will help to better protect children using inflatable aquatic toys in and around water. Children, in particular young children who often cannot swim, are at risk of drowning if their inflatable aquatic toy suddenly deflates when air is released through the air inlet. The hazard increases if…

22 June , 2020

Scams cost Australians over $630 million

Australians lost over $634 million to scams in 2019, according to the latest figures in the ACCC’s Targeting Scams report released today. There were more than 353,000 combined reports to Scamwatch, other government agencies and the big four banks last year. “Unfortunately it is another year with devastatingly high losses, and scammers are constantly finding…

9 June , 2020

Airlines must respect consumers’ rights: UNCTAD

UNCTAD is calling on governments to intensify efforts to protect consumers. Written by Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Director of International Trade and Commodities, UNCTAD. Global lockdowns to contain the spread of COVID-19 currently affect half of the world’s population and 4.5 million flights are expected to be cancelled until 30 June. The UN World Tourism Organization estimates that international…

20 May , 2020

Don’t rush into your next ‘pay now/book later’ getaway

The Queensland Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is advising consumers wanting to make travel plans to be wary about ‘pay now/book later’ holidays in the current climate and to read the terms and conditions carefully. Fair Trading Executive Director Brian Bauer said that while regional travel restrictions may be easing, international travel restrictions were likely…

14 May , 2020

Using standards as a tool for consumer protection

UNCTAD held its first UNCTAD / ISO COPOLCO/ Consumers International joint webinar on Using standards as a tool for consumer protection. This webinar brought together standards experts and consumer agencies’ representatives to inform both communities about the work of COPOLCO and the standards it promotes – read the notes on the webinar here. Consumers’ Federation of Australia (CFA) has two representatives on the Standards…