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There are a number of facilities with summer toboggan runs operating in Australia. Summer toboggans are an amusement or recreational ride which uses a sled or cart to run down a track usually built on the side of a hill. The type of track, safety features, speed and layout vary. The two new standards open…
Read More Public comment invited on draft standards for summer toboggan runs
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A new issue of the Unit Pricing Global Update, a newsletter prepared six monthly by the Queensland Consumers Association, has been released and is available here. It contains short items about unit pricing in, or research on it for, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Japan, and the European Union. The section on Australia includes the results…
Read More New global update on unit pricing newsletter released by consumer group
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Prepared by Ian Jarratt, Queensland Consumers Association, Australia. Email: ijarratt@australiamail.com. Australia Unit pricing review The results of the federal government’s review of the mandatory Grocery Unit Pricing Code, which started in November 2018, have still not been announced. Unless renewed, the Code will cease to exist on 1 October 2021. The previous 1 October 2019…
Read More Unit Pricing (pricing per unit of measure) global update – March 2021
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The Code Review Panel for the Retirement Living Code has published its inaugural Annual Report. The report confirms that in Australia today, more than 46% of retirement village residents are living in a Code Compliant community. The Code Review Panel comprises Dr Elizabeth Lanyon (Independent Chair of the Code Review Panel), Peter Nilsson (Operator Representative),…
Read More Retirement Living Code of Conduct – Annual Report
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Australian banks are urging state and territory governments to adopt consistent laws on powers of attorney to prevent elder financial abuse. This is a media release from the Australian Banking Association. It was originally published on 31st March, 2021. State and federal Attorneys-General are meeting today to consider a scope for a national register of power of…
Read More Banks call for consistent laws to prevent elder abuse
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As online shopping becomes the new norm consumers should be aware of the product safety risks in the online marketplace. According to the OECD Global Awareness Campaign toys and games are one of the most recalled products and may pose serious safety risks to consumers, accounting for over 20% of recall notices published. The ACCC is co-leading the OECD Global…
Read More Shop safely online for toys and games
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The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code has been amended to introduce new requirements for the labelling of allergens in food. The changes will make allergen information on food labels clearer and more consistent for consumers by requiring simple, plain English allergen declarations in a specific format and location on food labels. The key features…
Read More New requirements for labelling of allergens on packaged foods
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Women are widely under-represented in developing the standards that affect so many areas of our lives, from the products we consume every day to the technologies needed to address a wide range of sustainability challenges. Many of these standards do not adequately address how women and men may be affected differently, for example ill-fitting personal protective…
Read More Women in standards development – International Women’s Day 2021 March 8 “Choose to challenge”
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Australians reported a record-breaking $37 million lost to Scamwatch last year for dating and romance scams. Total losses are expected to be much higher and scammers are now using dating apps to lure victims into investment scams. This is an ACCC Media Release. This new technique, called romance baiting, involves scammers meeting people on dating…
Read More Romance baiting scams on the rise
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Electric vehicles (that use minimal to no fuel) are becoming more popular and Australian consumers need to feel confident electric transportation will meet the challenges facing the Australian landscape, such as the size of our county or capability of our electricity grid. According to the Australian Electric Vehicle Market Study Report Electric Vehicles (EVs) are expected to…
Read More Why an electric vehicle?
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Consumer Affairs Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ) has published its annual report highlighting the key education, enforcement and policy activities undertaken by the regulators of the ACL in 2019-20. It provides an insight into the work completed by policy officers, educators and regulators to refine and enforce the ACL over the course of the year.…
Read More Australian Consumer Law Year in Review Report 2019-20
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Financial Rights Legal Centre has released a landmark report on the concept of Open Insurance – the application of the Consumer Data Right to the general insurance industry. This is a Financial Rights Legal Centre Media Release Financial Rights’ Chief Executive Officer Karen Cox said the Open Insurance report by Dr Richard Tooth of Sapere…
Read More Financial Rights report reveals risks and opportunities in Open Insurance