Food, Health and Product Safety Archives - Page 9 of 46 - Consumers' Federation of Australia

31 January , 2024

Consumer Advocates Call on Insurers to Act Now at Flood Insurance Inquiry

Consumer advocates call on insurers to act now at flood insurance inquiry

Urgent changes needed to improve claims handling process

A number of consumer advocacy groups – including CHOICE, Financial Rights Legal Centre, Consumer Action Law Centre, and Financial Counselling Australia – will be the first to appear today and tomorrow at a public hearing for the parliamentary inquiry into insurers’ responses to 2022 major floods claims.

31 January , 2024

Safe Battery Disposal

55% of Australians incorrectly dispose of batteries. Australian B-cycle “Never bin your batteries” aims to help consumers understand the risks of throwing batteries away in regular bins. It emphasises the need to never put used batteries in general waste or recycling bins, to instead tape the terminals with clear sticky tape and take them to…

25 January , 2024

Government Announces ACCC Inquiry into Supermarket Prices

The Albanese Government has announced its intent to have the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) conduct a year-long inquiry into supermarket prices as allegations of price gouging, a lack of competition in the sector and the cost of living crisis continue. According to a joint press release by the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese MP,…

25 January , 2024

Proposed Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Reforms

In February 2023, health ministers announced they would take action to ensure the management of professional misconduct by health practitioners relating to sexual misconduct and sexual boundary violations would better meet community expectations.

Health ministers are seeking feedback to determine if amendments to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law are needed to provide greater transparency to the public about health practitioners’ regulatory history when they have engaged in sexual misconduct or sexual boundary violations.

19 January , 2024

Government Considers “mandatory guardrails” for AI Development

The Australian Government is taking action to help ensure that AI is safe and responsible, releasing its interim response to the Safe and Responsible AI in Australia consultation today.

The consultation made clear that while AI has immense potential to improve wellbeing and grow our economy, Australians want stronger protections in place to help manage the risks.

The Government’s response is targeted towards the use of AI in high-risk settings, where harms could be difficult to reverse, while ensuring that the vast majority of low risk AI use continues to flourish largely unimpeded.

17 January , 2024

Survey on Mandatory Furniture Safety Standards

How stable is your furniture? Does your heavy, full wardrobe have appropriate anchors or tip-over failsafes? Currently, Australia only has a voluntary safety standard (AS/NZS 4935:2009) but in light of the recently published mandatory American standard (ASTM F2057–23 Standard Safety Specification for Clothing Storage Units) the Australian Competition and ConsumerCommission has decided to re-investigate the…

16 January , 2024

Consultation on Maximum Permissible Errors for EV Equipment

The National Measurement Institute is seeking your views on the draft General Certificate of Approval for Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE).

Any feedback and comments on the proposed documents should be provided by Friday 8 March 2024, 11:59 PM AEST.

28 December , 2023

Vaping Reform and Webinar

Two weeks ago changes to vaping laws were made via reforms to customs and therapeutic goods regulations. The reforms focus primarily on the sale and importation of disposable vapes and on the prescription of vapes for therapeutic purposes by qualified medical practitioners. The reforms go into effect on January 1st 2024, and by March 1st…

7 December , 2023

Fair, Safe and Sustainable – Day 1 of Consumers International Global Congress

The Consumers International Congress 2023, held in beautiful Nairobi, Kenya, kicked off its first day with a stellar consumer protection agenda. Officially opened by the Deputy President of Kenya, His Excellency Rigathi Gachagua, E.G.H, the theme of building a resilient future for consumers was well and truly alive through the panel discussions and the conversations throughout the day. Below are some of the highlights from an action-packed Day 1!

5 December , 2023

“[U]nlikely to result in a substantial lessening of competition”, ACCC Okays Coles Milk Plant Acquisitions

“While we found that Coles may have an incentive to consolidate some of its milk volumes in the eastern states, this was unlikely to lead to a substantial lessening of competition,” Mr Keogh said.

“Coles will likely continue to face financial incentives to stock and support branded milk from other processors, due to the higher retail margins it earns on these products.”

In addition, the ACCC found that Coles’ commercial incentives to consolidate its milk supply would exist with or without the transaction due to the significant excess capacity at the Laverton and Erskine Park facilities.

30 November , 2023

Riff Raff Penalised Over Alleged False or Misleading Infant Sleep Aid Toys Ads

Online national retailer Riff Raff Baby Pty Ltd has paid penalties of $132,000 after the ACCC issued it with eight infringement notices for allegedly making false or misleading statements about its comforter toys being safe for sleep from birth.

Riff Raff has also provided the ACCC with a court-enforceable undertaking in which it admits that the advertisements for its sleep aid toys were likely to have breached the Australian Consumer Law.

“Based on these advertisements by Riff Raff, parents and caregivers may have thought that these products are safe for babies to sleep next to in an unsupervised sleep environment, when in fact there are serious safety risks. These types of products can cover a baby’s nose and mouth, which can pose a risk of fatal suffocation,” ACCC Deputy Chair, Catriona Lowe said.

29 November , 2023

Consultation Opens on Use of Genetic Testing in Life Insurance

Currently, the Disability Discrimination Act provides an exemption for life insurers to use genomic or genetic test results when underwriting life insurance contracts. Since 2019, an industry-regulated partial-moratorium has been in place that prohibits the use of these tests below certain financial limits.
The government encourages all interested parties to make a submission in response to the consultation paper, which can be found on the Treasury website.