Standards

National Volunteer Week 20-26 May 2024 Something for Everyone

National Volunteer Week 2024 invites everyone to discover the power of volunteering with the theme ‘Something for Everyone’. This special event provides an opportunity to highlight the important role of volunteers in our community and invites people not currently volunteering to give it a go. Thousands of activities will be held across the country to…

Read More Something for Everyone – National Volunteer Week 20-26 May 2024

Knowledge is Power

The free ‘Introduction to Artificial Intelligence’ course provided by CSIRO National AI Centre (NAIC) will cover what AI is, common terminologies, real-world applications of AI, Australian AI case studies, advice from industry experts to start your career in AI, and more. The two-and-a-half-hour course provides a non-technical introduction to AI fundamentals and is designed for…

Read More Free and accessible Artificial Intelligence course

Logos for Consumers' Federation of Australia, Queensland Consumers Association, Consumers SA, Financial Counselling Australia, Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network, CHOICE, Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association

Last week the Consumers’ Federation of Australia (CFA) along with member organisations CHOICE, Queensland Consumers Association (QCA), Financial Counselling Australia (FCA), Consumers SA (South Australia), the Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association (CPSA) and the Indigenous Consumers Assistance Network submitted our joint group submission to the 2024-25 ACCC Supermarket Inquiry. Generally, the submission calls for the…

Read More Joint Submission to the ACCC Supermarket Inquiry

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The Productivity Commission is undertaking a study to assess the economic effects of national competition reforms. It is now inviting community members to share perspectives, experiences and expertise on national competition matters and modelling competition reforms. The Commission’s review is occurring against a backdrop of declining productivity growth in the past decade. As such, a…

Read More Submission Call for National Competition Policy

Consumers International World Consumer Rights Day 2024 FAIR AND RESPONSIBLE AI FOR CONSUMERS

It’s March 15th and time for World Consumer Rights Day once more, a day to raise global and local awareness of consumer rights, protection and empowerment. The theme selected this year by Consumers International (CI) is ‘Fair and responsible AI for consumers’. For Australian consumers, the Federal Government released an interim response to safe and…

Read More World Consumer Rights Day 2024: Fair and Responsible AI for Consumers

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Original media release from The Hon Stephen Jones MP, Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services (7/03/2024). Consultation available here. The Albanese Government is working to improve insurance affordability as more severe weather events contribute to higher costs. As these events intensify and become more frequent, it’s also important consumers know exactly what they are…

Read More Consultation Opens for Standardizing Definitions and Standard Cover for Insurance

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Australians love caravanning and camping. We see it as a great way to experience Australia’s open spaces and natural beauty. Caravanning and camping has recovered well since the COVID-related lockdowns ended and trips were at 12.7 million by the year ending June 2022, according to Tourism Research Australia caravan and camping data.  Standards Australia has…

Read More Caravanning and Camping

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55% of Australians incorrectly dispose of batteries. Australian B-cycle  “Never bin your batteries” aims to help consumers understand the risks of throwing batteries away in regular bins. It emphasises the need to never put used batteries in general waste or recycling bins, to instead tape the terminals with clear sticky tape and take them to…

Read More Safe Battery Disposal

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The Australian Government is taking action to help ensure that AI is safe and responsible, releasing its interim response to the Safe and Responsible AI in Australia consultation today.

The consultation made clear that while AI has immense potential to improve wellbeing and grow our economy, Australians want stronger protections in place to help manage the risks.

The Government’s response is targeted towards the use of AI in high-risk settings, where harms could be difficult to reverse, while ensuring that the vast majority of low risk AI use continues to flourish largely unimpeded.

Read More Government Considers “mandatory guardrails” for AI Development

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How stable is your furniture? Does your heavy, full wardrobe have appropriate anchors or tip-over failsafes? Currently, Australia only has a voluntary safety standard (AS/NZS 4935:2009) but in light of the recently published mandatory American standard (ASTM F2057–23 Standard Safety Specification for Clothing Storage Units) the Australian Competition and ConsumerCommission has decided to re-investigate the…

Read More Survey on Mandatory Furniture Safety Standards