stock exchange, trade, investment-7044787.jpg
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is calling on consumers, businesses and interested stakeholders to provide submissions about data broker services in Australia, as part of its five-year digital platform services inquiry.
Read More ACCC Inquiry Invites Views on Data Broker Industry
A person's hands typing on a mobile phone
The ACMA and consumer advocacy groups have welcomed the move by the Federal Government to empower the regulator to make and enforce financial hardship standards.
Read More Direct Regulation for Financial Hardship – ACMA Puts Telco Industry on Notice
Magnifying glass over the word 'facts', with 'facts' repeated for 12 lines.
The Better Banking for Indigenous Consumers Project reviewed target market determinations (TMDs) for both high-fee and low-fee ‘basic’ accounts offered by some of Australia’s major and regional banks. ASIC issued notices to those banks requiring data on fees charged to consumers in locations with higher-than-average proportions of Indigenous people and for customers in receipt of AbStudy payments.
The review found that many Indigenous consumers identified in the data were in high fee accounts paying high fees, despite being eligible for a low-fee ‘basic’ account.
Read More ASIC Acts to Ensure Better Banking Outcomes for Indigenous Consumers
black, button, communication-21166.jpg
Minimising gambling harm, combating SMS scams, tackling online supply of dodgy devices and enforcing spam unsubscribe rules have been identified as some of the key compliance priorities for the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) in 2023–24.
Read More ACMA Names Consumer Protections a Priority for 2023-24
pole, telephone, line-2251533.jpg
Australia’s peak communications consumer advocacy group, the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), has today announced 7 projects that it will fund through the 2023 Round of its Independent Grants Program.
Read More ACCAN Awards Seven New Communications Consumer Grants
paper, wall, structure-109277.jpg
Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) welcomes the recommendations made by a Government inquiry into online gambling harm, saying the committee has heard the concerns of financial counsellors and the community, and responded.
Read More Financial Counsellors Welcome Proposal to Ban Gambling Ads and Inducements
woman holding phone and baby, child standing to the side
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) has released the report ‘A time for change – Three years of systemic investigations in review’, calling for improved consumer protections through stronger regulation in the telco sector, and the establishment of a registration scheme for telcos.
Read More “Current rules no longer fit for purpose”: TIO Calls for New Rules to Better Protect Consumers
survival, survive, rescue-3580200.jpg
The Federal Parliament has passed the Treasury Laws Amendment (Financial Services Compensation Scheme of Last Resort) Bill 2023 to establish an industry-funded compensation scheme of last resort for victims of financial misconduct. Quotes attributable to Alan Kirkland, Chief Executive Officer of CHOICE: “The introduction of a compensation scheme of last resort is an historic moment…
Read More “Historic moment for consumer financial protection”: CHOICE on the passage of compensation scheme of last resort
piggy, bank, money-2889044.jpg
A report from the Customer Owned Banking Code Compliance Committee (COBCCC) has highlighted the importance of Code subscribers seeking clarity about the new Code’s requirements, mitigating human error through training and continuously evaluating compliance frameworks.
Read More Transition Challenges and Opportunities Revealed in Latest COBCCC Report
light bulb, energy, light-1640438.jpg
The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) has outlined its 2023–2024 Compliance and Enforcement Priorities to protect energy consumers and keep the energy system stable and secure during the transition.
Read More Australian Energy Regulator Outlines its 2023-24 Compliance and Enforcement Priorities
knocker, metallic, door-1863290.jpg
Consumer groups and the financial counselling sector have welcomed the launch of a new customer code for the energy sector.
The Knock to Stay Connected customer code requires network companies to visit people at risk of disconnection and encourages them to outline the support and referral services available if the customer is having payment difficulties, with the aim of keeping them connected.
Read More Knock to Stay Connected: National Customer Code Welcomed by Consumer Groups
International Button Battery Awareness Day
Australia’s first International Button Battery Awareness Day aims to spread further awareness about the dangers of button batteries among schools, parents, caregivers and childhood educators through the delivery of an educational program designed for early childhood and primary school aged children. In Australia, around 20 children a week present to an emergency department with a button…
Read More Button Battery Awareness Day 12th June 2023
