Everyday Consumer

Rod Sims ACCC Chair Rod Sims ACCC Chair

Rod Sims, new chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission made his first address to the Melbourne Press Club on 10 October 2011, putting a number of sectors on notice, including the major supermarket chains. “The two major supermarkets have significant market power, with many smaller suppliers feeling they lack a real ability to…

Read More ACCC Chair puts supermarkets on notice

SCAMwatch is warning Australians to continue to be wary of scammers who offer bogus government rebates for the installation of solar panels and scam websites that either falsely claim to be affiliated with government or boast bogus government endorsements.

Read these latest scam watch alerts from the ACCC.

Read More New ACCC scam alerts: solar offers and fake government websites

“Nanny state” is an ideological term invented by extremists to deride the innovations of modern law and government designed to offer consumers and citizens protections from risks that it is unreasonable to place on individuals alone. Of course many who now use the term d so innocently and now are merely concerned that in some…

Read More The “Nanny State” cleans up at IQ squared debate

Peter Kell Peter Kell

On Monday 12th September 2011 in Canberra more than 70 business, industry association and government representatives attended the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce forum Small business and scams: sorting out the shams. Academics, compliance and enforcement experts and small business specialists, including ACCC Deputy Chair Dr Michael Schaper, shed light on their experience of scams, the…

Read More Scams, shams and small business

The Travel Compensation Fund (TCF) protects consumers against loss if a travel agent becomes insolvent. Consumer group submissions have been important in ensuring that the TCF continues to offer statutory protection to Australian consumers. Earlier this  year a government discussion paper raised options for the future of the TCF. One option was to wind up…

Read More Consumer groups help ensure continuation of travel compensation fund

New unfair contract terms legislation came into effect fully across Australia on 1 July 2010, following a concerted campaign by CFA and its members. These laws make unfair terms in consumer contacts void. Many industries use standard-form consumer contracts, including telecommunications, finance, motor traders, gyms, travel and utilities. A term will be unfair where it…

Read More Unfair contracts