Everyday Consumer Archives - Page 2 of 104 - Consumers' Federation of Australia

14 March , 2025

A Just Transition to Sustainable Lives: World Consumer Rights Day 2025

The past decade has been the warmest on record, and extreme weather has become routine in many nations, disrupting lives and livelihoods. At the same time, biodiversity loss and pollution are posing a growing threat to planetary and human health. It is increasingly clear that the impact of these crises is not just environmental, but economic and social too and is undermining progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To remain within planetary boundaries, we will need…

13 March , 2025

Scam losses fall, but the cost is still too high

Consumer Action Law Centre says a report released today from the National Anti-Scam Centre, Targeting scams, reveals a welcome fall in the value of reported scams losses for 2024 (down by 25.9% to $2.03 billion). Still, the huge sum lost by nearly half a million victims, in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, is deeply concerning. “While…

13 March , 2025

AFCA empowered to investigate all banks involved in a scam

Assistant Treasurer, Stephen Jones has announced strengthened pathways for victims to seek compensation where wrongdoing has occurred. A Ministerial Direction announced yesterday, will empower the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) to investigate every bank involved in the scam, both the sending and receiving bank. Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Stephanie Tonkin thanked the Assistant Treasurer for his…

21 February , 2025

ACCC releases 2025-26 enforcement and compliance priorities

ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb has stressed the positive impacts of a competitive economy for consumers as she outlined the agency’s priorities for the 2025-26 financial year. Speaking at a Committee for Economic Development of Australia event in Sydney today, Ms Cass-Gottlieb outlined the agency’s annual compliance and enforcement priorities which include working decisively on consumer…

20 February , 2025

Beyond the Label: Misleading Marketing for Baby and Toddler Food

As part of their ‘Our Kids are Sweet Enough’ campaign the Food for Health Alliance has recently released a report, Beyond the label: seeing past marketing on baby and toddler foods in Australia. The Beyond the label report highlights the use of misleading marketing tactics on food packaging to lead parents and caregivers to believe…

17 February , 2025

The Small Business Debt Helpline sees a massive increase in case numbers

There has been a 66% increase in the number of cases the Small Business Debt Helpline (SBDH) has dealt with over the past 12 months. In 2024 SBDH financial counsellors had 5,135 cases compared with 3,091 in 2023. Case numbers continue to grow with more than 400 cases in January 2025, that’s 30% more than…

15 February , 2025

Advocates alarmed by last-minute fee increases to BNPL Regulations

Consumer groups welcome BNPL Regulations but sound the alarm over last-minute fee increaseLeading consumer groups have sounded the alarm over a last-minute increase to certain fees under the Federal Government’s proposal to regulate Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL). The BNPL Draft Regulations 2025 will see the introduction of long-overdue consumer protections which will make the…

14 February , 2025

Advocates welcome scam laws, but highlight need for reimbursement

Consumer advocates say the passing of the Scams Prevention Framework (SPF) fills a gaping hole in the law and in time should protect many Australians from falling victim to the scourge of scams. But thousands of future victims -many of whom will lose everything to sophisticated scams- have an uphill battle for redress. “I am…

31 January , 2025

Joint media release from Australian and Philippines authorities as over 5,000 Australians receive text warnings over a romance scam

This is a joint media release between the AFP, National Anti-Scam Centre, Philippines Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission and National Bureau of Investigation Editor’s note: Text message screenshot, images from investigation, and audio grabs from AFP Commander Graeme Marshall are available via Hightail Authorities have texted more than 5000 potential victims in Australia to warn they may…

15 January , 2025

Joint Submission Urges Law Reform and Mandatory Industry Action

This is a joint submission made on behalf of:• Consumer Action Law Centre• CHOICE• The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network• Financial Rights Legal Centre• Super Consumers Australia• Financial Counselling Australia• Westjustice• Consumer Credit Legal Service WA Our organisations are pleased to have the opportunity to provide our feedback to the Senate Economics Legislation Committee. We…

7 January , 2025

Electricity Inquiry finds no reward for loyalty

The ACCC is urging consumers to shop around or at least to contact their electricity provider to ask if a cheaper electricity plan is available, following a decline in retail electricity prices in 2024 that many households are not currently benefiting from. More than 80 per cent of Australian households in the National Electricity Network…

6 January , 2025

Aviation Charter of Rights needs more to take off: CHOICE

CHOICE responds to the Federal Government’s announcement releasing the draft Aviation Customer Rights Charter for public consultation. Quotes attributable to Rosie Thomas, Director of Campaigns at CHOICE: “CHOICE welcomes the release of a proposed Aviation Customer Rights Charter. The announcement is an important step towards giving consumers clear rights when flights don’t go to plan.”…