Articles

Post thumbnail

CHOICE response to announcement Qantas has agreed to pay $120 million to settle ACCCenforcement action. Quotes attributable to Rosie Thomas, Director of Campaigns and Communications at CHOICE: “Qantas agreeing to pay $120 million dollars and admitting it misled consumers after ACCC court action is a significant result. The proposed settlement sends a very clear message…

Read More Compensation for Cancelled Flights Should be the Norm

Fraud Alert

ASIC is warning consumers about an increase in the sophistication of fake bond and term deposit scams where scammers are impersonating little-known legitimate financial services businesses, often those without a website or digital footprint. Scammers are mirroring real businesses’ disclosure documents, addresses, International Securities Identification Numbers (ISINs), Australian business numbers (ABNs) and Australian financial services…

Read More Scam Alert Issued by ASIC as Scammers Change Methods

feedback, focus group, group-7241297.jpg feedback, focus group, group-7241297.jpg

Researchers from Deakin University and the Victorian University of Wellington are conducting an Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) funded project and are looking for participants. The goal of the project is to understand how ‘communication’ is understood by diverse consumers, with the view to better inform the regulation of digital communications technologies. Participation will…

Read More Consumer Research on Defining Communication

FIRST NATIONS FOUNDATION

The 2024 First Nations Super Summit has set five crucial priorities for the Indigenous Superannuation Working Group to address over the next 12 months, aiming to elevate super standards for First Nations people. These priorities include the standardisation of forms and the empowerment of financial counsellors to act on behalf of their Indigenous clients, as…

Read More Five Priorities Highlighted by First Nations Super Summit Report

copy space, technology, digital-5687270.jpg copy space, technology, digital-5687270.jpg

23 April 2024 Last month we brought together a powerful cohort of consumer advocate groups, international organisations, business, government and civil society to call for Fair and Responsible AI on World Consumer Rights Day Friday March 15. AI is changing how millions of us experience the online world. Within just five days of the release of ChatGPT last…

Read More Global Experiment Reveals a ‘worrying margin of harm’ in AI Chatbots

Ian Jarratt of the Queensland Consumers Association in a supermarket with unit price labels in the background

The Queensland Consumers Association (QCA) is calling for the inquiries into supermarkets now being undertaken by a Senate Select Committee, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and a Queensland Parliament Select Committee to recommend improvements to the clarity of supermarket pricing. In submissions to each inquiry, the QCA says improvements are essential in order…

Read More Advocates Call For Supermarket Inquiries to Recommend Clearer Pricing

survival, survive, rescue-3580200.jpg survival, survive, rescue-3580200.jpg

More Australians will now have access to support from financial counsellors with the launch of the Financial Counselling Industry Fund (FCIF). The FCIF is the result of a collaboration between the financial counselling sector and a number of industries and companies – Australian Banking Association member banks, Australian Energy Council, Energy Networks Australia, Insurance Council…

Read More Financial Counselling Industry Fund Launches

money, the grace of, scales-2033591.jpg money, the grace of, scales-2033591.jpg

As a provider of education, advocacy, and financial counselling services to people across North and Far North Queensland, ICAN recently provided a submission to the Inquiry into Supermarket Pricing in Queensland. Our submission focused on the significant price differences people experience when shopping depending on whether they are based in metropolitan Queensland or remote and…

Read More The Price Is Not Right: ICAN’s Queensland Supermarket Submission

Post thumbnail

The independent panel reviewing the 2020 General Insurance Code of Practice (Code) hasreleased the first of two consultation papers and is calling for written submissions from the public.The independent three-member panel, chaired by former APRA Deputy Chair Helen Rowell, isseeking feedback on the practical operation of the Code and relevant external developmentsincluding: Ms Rowell encouraged…

Read More Independent Code of Practice Review call for Written Submissions