Everyday Consumer Archives - Page 48 of 106 - Consumers' Federation of Australia

4 December , 2019

ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard provides address to CFA’s annual general meeting

In her address, Delia Rickard noted that issues raised by consumer organisations with the ACCC commonly form part of its priorities for compliance and enforcement. Delia noted that consumer groups have recently raised issues such as funeral services, debt collection, product safety and sustainability which will be considered for future priorities. Other trends and issues identified by…

3 December , 2019

FCA Welcomes Gambling Self-Exclusion Register

Financial Counselling Australia welcomes the bill to establish the National Online Gambling Self-Exclusion Register. The Bill was introduced this week in Federal Parliament by the Minister for Communications, the Hon. Paul Fletcher. The register means that people experiencing harm can press one button and self-exclude from all the online wagering companies. With that single trigger, the wagering operators…

29 November , 2019

ACMA recommends immediate action to combat scams

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has released its Combating Scams report which recommends new enforceable obligations on telcos and the immediate commencement of trials for a number of scam reduction initiatives. The trials aims to reduce common phone scams such as malicious ‘spoofing’, where scammers disguise their number to make it look like…

27 November , 2019

Consumer representatives report back

Consumer representatives nominated or supported by CFA have written a short report on their activities over the past year. All consumer representatives, whether or not nominated by CFA or representing CFA, are accountable to the consumers whose interests they represent. They have a duty to stay informed about consumers’ interests and how the body to…

26 November , 2019

20,000 Australians demand the end of unfair insurance

“Stand up to the insurance lobby” – that’s the message of leading consumer groups as they deliver signatures of over 20,000 Australians to Parliament House in Canberra. The groups anticipate the Federal Government to act on “Unfair Contract Terms” laws this fortnight, closing a damaging loophole that has allowed insurance companies to profit by using…

25 November , 2019

CCLSWA releases Consumer Protection Report

In October 2018, Consumer Credit Legal Service WA (CCLSWA) received funding from the Consumer Protection division of the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) for a 12-month law reform project. The project focused on four areas of law and policy that affect Western Australian consumers: Retirement village schemes Motor vehicle industry Australian Consumer Law with…

25 November , 2019

ACCC warns of increase in online shopping scams

Australians have already lost more money to online shopping scams in 2019 than in the entire previous year, and Scamwatch is warning people to be cautious of online shopping scams in the lead up to the holiday season. So far in 2019, reported losses from online shopping scams are over $4 million, well in excess…

25 November , 2019

SACOSS’ Working to Make Ends Meet Report highlights energy affordability struggles for “waged poor” households

South Australian Council of Social Service (SACOSS) today launched its report, Working to Make Ends Meet: Low-income Workers and Energy Bill Stress. The report investigates households whose main source of income is wages but who are still living below the “poverty line”. This report, based on national statistical data and South Australian case studies, is…

22 November , 2019

Almost half of Aussie kids own or use a mobile phone

New analysis of Roy Morgan data from the Australian Communication and Media Authority (ACMA) shows that nearly half of Aussie kids aged 6-13 own or use a mobile phone. The analysis shows that in 2018, 32 per cent of kids owned a mobile phone with a further 16 per cent having access to one. One…

19 November , 2019

Lifting the cyber security of the Internet of Things

The Australian Government is seeking community and industry input on a voluntary Code of Practice to improve the security of the Internet of Things for consumers in Australia, including the security of everyday smart devices that connect to the internet; such as smart TVs, watches and home speakers. With over 64 billion devices expected to…

15 November , 2019

First Nations Foundation launches word-first financial literacy program

First Nations Foundation (FNF) has launched the world’s first digital financial literacy education program to help First Nations people develop their financial knowledge. While the content of My Money Dream has been developed by Indigenous people for Indigenous people, FNF has added the might and scale of Australia’s largest industries by offering this to the…

8 November , 2019

AFCA’s new ‘Datacube’ enables Australians to see how Financial Firms are handling Complaints

A new online tool launched today means Australians can see how their insurer, bank, financial adviser, superannuation fund or other financial firm has responded to consumer complaints brought to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). In a move designed to increase transparency and consumer education, AFCA has today released its comparative reporting tool, the Datacube.…