Everyday Consumer Archives - Page 45 of 106 - Consumers' Federation of Australia

12 March , 2020

Understand the cost of medical procedures using Medical Costs Finder

The Medical Costs Finder is an online tool that helps people understand the cost of common medical procedures by specialists in Australia. In line with the Australian Government’s strategy to improve understanding and transparency of out of pocket costs, the web tool uses the most recent publicly available Government data about what people have paid…

6 March , 2020

Scammers exploit payment loophole on PayPal

Concert-goers are being warned to avoid paying for tickets via PayPal using the ‘friends and family’ function, as these transactions are not covered by the financial service’s buyer protection policy. The warning comes as Consumer Protection has received numerous complaints from Western Australians unable to retrieve their money after using this function to transfer funds…

2 March , 2020

Revised version of the Banking Code in effect from 1 March 2020

On 17 December 2019, the Australian Banking Association announced a revised version of the Banking Code would take effect from 1 March 2020. The changes to the Code address recommendations from the Final Report of the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry. The changes include: ceasing default interest on…

27 February , 2020

Australia’s love affair with streaming continues to thrive

Australia’s love affair with streaming continues to thrive with a new report from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) showing 71 per cent of Australians with a TV set in the home used at least one paid video streaming service in 2019. One in 10 Australians had four or more subscription services in the…

26 February , 2020

ASIC releases update on its enforcement and regulatory work

ASIC has released an update on its work in the six-month period from September 2019 to February 2020, including its response to the referrals and recommendations of the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry (the Royal Commission). It follows previous updates on ASIC’s response to the Royal Commission’s recommendations…

26 February , 2020

ACCC releases its compliance and enforcement priorities for 2020

ACCC Chair Rod Sims announced the ACCC’s compliance and enforcement priorities for 2020 in a speech to the annual Committee for Economic Development Australia (CEDA). These priorities provide focus to the ACCC’s enforcement and advocacy work, as well as develop solutions to deliver benefits for all consumers. The 2020 priorities include: Competition and consumer issues in the…

25 February , 2020

Will coronavirus effect my travel plans? Check the fine print

Extreme weather events in Australia and the recent outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in China, may leave you wondering where you stand in terms of cancelling, rescheduling or getting a refund on holiday accommodation bookings, flights and other travel plans. The Office of Fair Trading Queensland has released the following media statement: Under the Australian…

19 February , 2020

Battery storage an energy option for consumers

The domestic battery storage market looked set to take off when significant price reductions and rapidly rising electricity prices indicated batteries would soon be cost effective. Unfortunately, over the past few years electricity prices have continued to soar but the price of battery storage has remained high. Do Government subsidies help? Read Dr Martin Gill’s…

17 February , 2020

ASIC releases report reviewing trustees’ PYSP communications

ASIC has released the findings from its recent review of superannuation trustees’ communications with their members about changes introduced through the Treasury Laws Amendment (Protecting Your Superannuation Package) Act 2019 (PYSP). The PYSP reforms were introduced to protect the superannuation savings of Australians from erosion due to inappropriate fees and insurance premiums as well as to reduce unintended…

17 February , 2020

Reforming the new car retail market: Consultation

Car manufacturers, new car dealers and customers now have an opportunity to comment on the draft regulations that introduce changes for the sector under the Franchising Code of Conduct. Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said the Government is committed to ensuring car dealers are given a fair go and that consumers have…

16 February , 2020

Consumer research centre releases latest report – Choosing care: the difficulties of navigating home care

The report from Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC) draws on research undertaken in partnership with University of South Australia (UniSA) which surveyed 502 Home Care Package (HCP) recipients across metropolitan Australia in June and July last year. “Older Australians are being abandoned by the system, often unable to access the necessary support to live happier,…

14 February , 2020

CHOICE calls for stronger ticket resale protections

CHOICE is warning Australians to avoid ticketing fakes on platforms like Viagogo after Google let the exploitative ticket seller back onto its search advertising. “The Federal Government and Michael Sukkar have the power to make this the last summer of ticketing fakes,” says Julia Steward, Head of Policy at CHOICE. “We’re glad to see the…