consultation and review

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People with a disability and older persons are some of the most vulnerable in Australia.  They need to have their voice heard on issues that are important to them to protect and promote their rights. For this reason, the requirements established by a new Draft Standard on Ageing and Disability is to provide uniform minimum…

Read More Have Your Say: New Advocacy in Ageing and Disability Standard Opens for Public Consultation

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The Consumers’ Federation of Australia (CFA) was recently contacted (below) by and about the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement’s new inquiry into cybercrime. As per our new Strategic Plan, CFA will not be writing up a separate submission but will instead network and assist members and other consumer advocates and organisations with their submissions.…

Read More Inquiry into the capability of law enforcement to respond to cybercrime

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The proposed standard will apply to all carriage service providers who deal with residential, small business and not-for-profit customers. It will enhance protections for telco customers who are (or may be) experiencing financial hardship through the provision of information and appropriate financial support to help them meet their payment obligations and remain connected to essential telco services.

The standard must be made by 15 February 2024 and commence by 29 March 2024.

We invite submissions on the draft Telecommunications (Financial Hardship) Industry Standard 2024 by 5 pm (AEDT) on Friday 24 November 2023.

Read More ACMA consults on new protections for telco consumers in financial hardship

Consumer Protection

Almost a year after state and territory consumer ministers agreed to open consultation on options to address the gap in Australian Consumer Law (ACL) around unfair trading practices, Treasury has released a Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (CRIS) and given stakeholders 91 days to respond starting 31st August and ending 29th November 2023.

Read More Consumer Groups Advocate for Change as Consultations Open on Unfair Trading Practices

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The current product intervention orders came into effect on Friday 15 July 2022. They reinforce consumer protections by prohibiting the provision of short term credit and continuing credit contracts, which involve unreasonably high fees charged to retail clients. These fees exceed the cost caps imposed by the National Credit Code.

If not extended, the short term credit and continuing credit contracts product intervention orders will expire on 15 January 2024.

Read More ASIC Consultation on Extending Product Intervention Orders on Short Term Credit Facilities and Continuing Credit Contracts

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Older Australians will be asked to share their knowledge, insights and perspectives on our aged care system over the coming weeks as part of a consultation process looking at strengthening and improving the laws governing aged care.
The consultations follow the release of the Australian Government’s Consultation Paper on the new Aged Care Act – a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety – as well as the release of principles guiding aged care funding.

Read More Older People Must be Consulted on New Aged Care Act and New Principles for Aged Care Funding