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Most plastics are made to be used once before being discarded and consumer awareness of the plastics crisis is growing around the world. On average, Australians use 130 kg of plastic per person each year and up to 130,000 tonnes of plastic will find its way into our waterways and into the ocean. The good news is…

Read More World Consumer Rights Day (15 March 2021) ‘Tackling Plastic Pollution’

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In 2020 the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) engaged Deloitte Access Economics to undertake an independent study on competition in managed funds. This study examines the structure, conduct and performance of the managed funds industry. It seeks to understand the effectiveness of competition within the industry and to identify indicators of market power or…

Read More Competition in managed funds Interim Report seeks comment and submissions by industry

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Customers needing life support equipment – such as kidney dialysis machines – will find it easier and cheaper to shop around for better energy deals under a new rule announced by the Australian Energy Market Commission. This is an AEMC media release, originally published on the 25th February, 2021. The change to the National Energy…

Read More New rule helps life support customers switch and save on energy plans

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CFA Standards Representative John Henry has been appointed to be a mentor as part of the ISO-COPOLCO-Capacity building mentorship programme. He will be working with trainees in developing countries to attain concrete standards-related consumer protection objectives and significantly improve consumer involvement with priority issues for the country. Participation of developing countries in international standardization is…

Read More CFA representative appointed to ISO/COPOLCO-Capacity building mentorship programme

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Following an extensive public review process, the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) can now announce the new advertising Code of Ethics which will take effect from 1 February 2021. The AANA Code of Ethics applies to all advertising in Australia and the review sought to ensure that the Code continued to meet its objective…

Read More Australian Association of National Advertisers Launches new Code of Ethics

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Consumer advocacy group Super Consumers Australia welcomes the ‘Your Future, Your Super’ reforms announced in the Federal Budget tonight. “Overall, the government’s ‘Your Future, Your Super’ reforms create a better superannuation system for consumers and lift standards across the sector. These reforms will leave more people with more money in retirement,” says Xavier O’Halloran, Director…

Read More Reforms will leave Australians with more in retirement: Super Consumers Australia

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Congratulations to Elaine Attwood AM as the joint winner of the ISO Simon Holland Award 2020, which is aligned with the ISO Excellence Award. It recognises her outstanding contribution to the work of ISO/TC 229 Nanotechnology in the previous year and acknowledges the input and support Elaine offered to the ISO/TC 229 community and her…

Read More CFA Standards representative Elaine Attwood AM receives international award

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Australian and New Zealand consumers had a significant victory on 17 July 2020 when, by a majority vote, the Australian and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation decided that there should be a mandatory standardised pregnancy warning label on alcoholic beverages. There will be a 3 year implementation period. Currently, provision of a pregnancy…

Read More Pregnancy warning label to be mandatory on alcoholic beverages

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The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has enhanced rules for telcos in order to better protect people against the ‘bill shock’ that can come from high international mobile roaming charges. Under current rules, telcos must send notifications about international mobile roaming charges to devices that can receive SMS messages – mostly mobile phones. This…

Read More New consumer protections to reduce mobile roaming bill shock

A calculator and a piece of paper with financial notes on it A calculator and a piece of paper with financial notes on it

First Nations Foundation (FNF) has launched the world’s first digital financial literacy education program to help First Nations people develop their financial knowledge. While the content of My Money Dream has been developed by Indigenous people for Indigenous people, FNF has added the might and scale of Australia’s largest industries by offering this to the…

Read More First Nations Foundation launches word-first financial literacy program

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The Australian Banker’s Association (ABA) response to the Independent Review of the Code of Banking Practice (Khoury Review) is a positive start, but consumer advocates say there are some missed opportunities for the banking industry. Advocates say improving responsible lending assessments and making it easier to cancel credit cards will help Australians have a better…

Read More Progress on banking code, but missed opportunities too: consumer advocates