HOME SAFETY
Fire Protection Month serves as a reminder of the importance of fire safety measures and the ongoing efforts to prevent tragedies from occurring in our communities. The impact of fire on individuals, communities and the environment are devastating. The Western Australian Department of Fire & Emergency Services has information about preventing a fire in the…
Read More Fire Protection Month
hands, baby, adult-1850223.jpg
The ACCC is investigating the safety of aftermarket children’s car seat head straps and baby bottle self-feeding devices, after the Assistant Treasurer issued Safety Warning Notices for each of the products. The safety warning notices warn consumers of the possible risks of injury or death to infants and children associated with the use of these products. “The ACCC…
Read More Safety Warnings Issued for Children’s Seat Head Straps and Self-Feeding Baby Bottles
survey, icon, survey icon-2316468.jpg
The TGA is seeking feedback on proposed changes to the regulation of assistive technologies. The TGA is Australia’s government authority responsible for evaluating, assessing, and monitoring products that are defined as therapeutic goods including medicines, medical devices and biologicals to help Australians stay healthy and safe. The current provisions in the Therapeutic Goods (Excluded Goods) Determination…
Read More TGA Consultation for Future Regulation of Assistive Technologies
HOME SAFETY
The Albanese Government has implemented the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s recommendation to make new mandatory safety and information standards for infant sleep products. The ACCC estimates that parents tragically lose ten babies every year due to unsafe sleeping and inclined non?sleep products in Australia. The Government’s new mandatory standards will aim to reduce the…
Read More Mandatory Safety Standards for Infant Products Introduced
Gerard Brody, Chair, Consumers' Federation of Australia: "There's a real value to consumer organisations. As consumer advocates, we see what's going on and we're able to present to government not only the problems, but also the experience, the insights, the connections and the research to help them with solutions."
False information, widespread political change, budgetary cuts. These are just some of mounting issues facing civil society in 2024 at a time when the role they play is needed more than ever. Next week, Consumers International joins discussions at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) to discuss the role of consumer organisations, the value…
Read More Consumers International Speaks With Intergovernmental Group of Experts for Consumer Protection Law and Policy
pexels-photo-2219024-2219024.jpg
Building Ministers have agreed to add climate resilience as an objective of the Australian Building Codes Board. This responds to a recommendation from the 2020 National Natural Disaster Arrangements Royal Commission and paves the way for the Australian Building Codes Board to consider future standards which ensure buildings can better withstand more extreme weather. This…
Read More Building Ministers Agree to ‘climate resilience objective’
Solar battery storage outside a brick house. The plastic and metal is charred black and melted in some areas.
LG Energy Solution has provided an enforceable undertaking that it will increase its efforts to alert and protect consumers from faulty LG solar storage batteries which can overheat and catch fire without warning. Since 2020, LG has issued voluntary recalls affecting around 18,000 affected batteries. There have been 15 incidents of property damage caused by the solar…
Read More LG Undertakes to Locate and Fix Dangerous Solar Batteries
safety, helmet, free wallpaper-7189099.jpg
The SafeAge Project is a 3-year collaborative academic research project funded by theAustralian Research Council. The project aims to generate contemporary knowledge of the roleof consumer products in injuries and deaths for older Australians. This knowledge benefits: Context:There are significant consequences of unsafe consumer products on population health. Whilstthe government estimates there are around 780…
Read More Consumer Representative Opportunity – SafeAge Project
Post thumbnail
Furniture suppliers will be required to provide safety warnings to consumers about the dangers of toppling furniture hazards, after the Assistant Treasurer, the Hon. Stephen Jones, made a new information standard for toppling furniture. Since 2000, 28 people, including 17 children under five, have died in Australia from toppling furniture, and each year more than 900…
Read More New Toppling Furniture Laws Introduced
copy space, technology, digital-5687270.jpg
23 April 2024 Last month we brought together a powerful cohort of consumer advocate groups, international organisations, business, government and civil society to call for Fair and Responsible AI on World Consumer Rights Day Friday March 15. AI is changing how millions of us experience the online world. Within just five days of the release of ChatGPT last…
Read More Global Experiment Reveals a ‘worrying margin of harm’ in AI Chatbots
automobile, vehicle, car-8634822.jpg
The National Transport Commission (NTC) and the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (DITRDCA) have been working with state and territory on an Automated Vehicle Safety Law (AVSL) and are now looking for feedback on the regulatory framework as a whole, in addition to safety and consumer issues. The consultation paper…
Read More Automated Driving System Consultation Open
Post thumbnail
This year’s Ruby Hutchison Memorial lecture shone a light on just how much the consumer protection movement together with regulators has achieved in the last 50 years, and the complex consumer issues we’re still seeking answers to today. Bringing in a musical theme and recognising the rockstar influence of the speakers, the ACCC Deputy Chair…
Read More The 2024 Ruby Hutchison Memorial Lecture – 50 Years of Consumer Advocacy
