Stick with Reform of Payday Lending say Financial Counsellors
Financial counsellors are alarmed that proposed changes will double the amount that lenders can charge vulnerable
consumers for short?term loans.
News
PC to study regulatory impact processes
Post thumbnailConsumer groups have long been concerned about the flaws and biases of regulatory impact analysis. Australian government’s have asked the Productivity Commission to conduct a review.
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CHOICE Move Your Money campaign launches
Post thumbnailOn the morning of Sunday 19 February, the CHOICE campaigns team took to Sydney’s central business district armed with the Move Your Money wheelbarrow, piles of ‘fake money’ and a ringing bell
Read More CHOICE Move Your Money campaign launches
ACCC enforcement priorities include vulnerable consumers
Rod Sims ACCC Chair
Chairman Rod Sims gave prominence to protecting vulnerable consumers in his outline of the ACCC’s enforcement priorities.
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ASIC publishes approach to enforcement
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has released a statement of its approach to enforcement and other policy documents discussing how it undertakes investigations and enforcement activity.
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ACTA a threat to freedom of the Internet?
Post thumbnailAccess Now’s suggests that the secretly negotiated ACTA Treaty “will destroy the openness of the internet and threatens free speech online by forcing websites and ISPs to watch and track our every move”.
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ACCAN rejects draft Telecommunications Code
ACCAN logo
Peak consumer group ACCAN says it cannot support the revised Telecommunications Consumer Protection (TCP) Code that was submitted to the Australian Communications & Media Authority (ACMA) for registration.
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CHOICE gives food labelling changes mixed review
CFA member CHOICE reviews the work of the Forum on Food Regulation’s response to the independent Review of Food Labelling. Half-baked they say!
Read More CHOICE gives food labelling changes mixed review
Soaring FOS disputes highlights need to tackle financial difficulty
FCA logo
The number of financial difficulty disputes handled by FOS increased by 130% (from 2,648 to 6,108). This continues a similar trend from the previous year. FCA is calling for action.
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Ministers put better food labelling on the menu but proof in the pudding
CHOICE has welcomed the initial response of Health and Food Ministers to the report of the Food Labelling Review. Ministers have promised an alternative to the traffic light labelling system which all the evidence suggests helps consumers the most. It needs to work as well as traffic light labelling to gain consumer support.
Read More Ministers put better food labelling on the menu but proof in the pudding
Committee’s report shows responsible lending laws aren’t enough
The Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the finding from a parliamentary committee of inquiry that Australia’s responsible lending laws don’t sufficiently protect consumers from harmful payday loans. However, the Centre said it was disappointed the inquiry hasn’t supported a cap on the cost of credit, and it has called on the Government to stay…
Read More Committee’s report shows responsible lending laws aren’t enough
Supermarket pricing system needs birthday boost
A new survey suggests key improvements are needed to improve the legibility and prominence of unit pricing in Coles and Woolworths supermarkets to help more consumers better compare the costs of everyday groceries.
Read More Supermarket pricing system needs birthday boost