Housing

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The latest round of indexation starting 20 September, 2024 – including Age Pension, Carer Payment and Commonwealth Rental Assistance – is a welcome and necessary ongoing step towards alleviating cost-of-living pressures, but further action is needed to address financial pressures faced by older people, says the Council on the Ageing (COTA) Australia. COTA Australia CEO…

Read More Pension Indexation and Commonwealth Rent Assistance Boost Give Some Relief to Older Australians

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The New South Wales government has introduced groundbreaking legislation that imposes the strictest obligations on strata managers in Australia regarding the disclosure of insurance commissions. This legislative move follows a series of public concerns, including those raised by ABC’s 7:30 Report and ACIL, which earlier this year referred 146 instances of misconduct to regulatory authorities.…

Read More NSW Government Proposes Nation’s Strictest Disclosure Obligations for Strata Managers

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The ACCC is proposing to grant authorisation for ResiLoop to establish and operate a voluntary, industry-led product stewardship scheme (the Scheme) that collects and recycles resilient flooring waste. Resilient flooring is floorcoverings made from natural mineral fillers combined with materials such as vinyl, linoleum or rubber. Approximately 60,000 tonnes of resilient flooring waste is generated each year…

Read More ACCC Seeks Feedback on Proposed Flooring Recycling Scheme

Money Yarns, Stronger Futures The consumer, credit and debt issues of First Nations consumers in Victoria. Integrated Practice Project Report 2021-2023

The Consumer Action Law Centre has today released a groundbreaking report titled Money Yarns, Stronger Futures. The report amplifies the voices of First Nations people, sharing their personal experiences to shed light on the significant challenges they face in achieving financial prosperity. Money Yarns, Stronger Futures not only highlights these challenges but also offers bold recommendations for both…

Read More Money Yarns, Stronger Futures – Highlighting Challenges and Bold Recommendations

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The Australian Consumers Insurance Lobby Inc, Financial Rights Legal Centre (which operates the national Insurance Law Service), Queensland Consumers Federation, Consumers Federation of Australia, Unit Owners Association of Queensland and Owners Corporation Network are united in calling on the Queensland Government to show leadership in addressing the escalating crisis of insurance affordability. In the face…

Read More Joint Call for Action: Addressing Insurance Affordability in Queensland

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The groups emphasise the critical role of the Commissioner’s office in addressing the unique challengesof the strata sector, which currently houses 35% of NSW residents, with projections of 50% by 2040. “Despite the visionary establishment of the Strata and Property Services Commissioner’s Office, and thecommendable efforts of John Minns since his appointment, the office is…

Read More Consumer Groups Call for Increased Resourcing of NSW Strata & Property Services Commissioner as Strata Populations Increase

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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

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Consumer Policy Research Centre CEO Erin Turner will be facilitating the ‘Is it liveable?’ webinar with Tenants Victoria CEO Jennifer Beveridge on Wednesday February 7th at 4:00pm-4:30pm AEDT (GMT+11) to discuss the recent joint research project and report on the safety, cleanliness and liveability of rental properties. The webinar will feature discussion and analysis of…

Read More “Is it liveable?” CPRC and Tenants Victoria Rental Property Webinar

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“The volume of complaints escalated to AFCA has been increasing at an unsustainable rate,” David Locke, the Chief Ombudsman and Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), said.  

“Scam-related complaints to AFCA have nearly doubled between 2022 and 2023. They continue to be of great concern to us. We are also seeing the impact of increased interest rates and cost of living pressures, with complaints involving financial hardship also significantly higher,” Mr Locke said.

Read More Ombudsman Warns of “Unsustainable” Increase as AFCA sees a Record 100,000 Complaints

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The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has released its Insurance Monitoring Report for 2023, the reports second annual release. The reports key focus was on insurance for homes, strata and small business in the Northern Territory and the effect, reception and role of the government’s new cyclone reinsurance pool. Due to the differences in…

Read More Insurance Monitoring Report 2023 Released