Articles Archives - Page 35 of 179 - Consumers' Federation of Australia

21 August , 2023

Dell Australia Penalised $10 million for Misleading Representations

Original media release from ACCC (14/08/2023), link here. The Federal Court today ordered that Dell Australia Pty Ltd pay $10 million for making false and misleading representations on its website about discount prices for add-on computer monitors. In enforcement proceedings brought by the ACCC, Dell Australia admitted that it had misled customers about the price…

21 August , 2023

Airport Finances Impacted by COVID-19

Due to COVID-19, all Australian airports have recorded noticeable drops in their financial performances since 2018-2019 with Sydney and Melbourne airports by far the most negatively affected with both airports profit margins dropping by 48% in 2021-2022.
Unfortunately, the data airports are required to submit to the ACCC lack the detail necessary to determine if or how much their natural monopoly is being used – something both the ACCC and airlines have raised as concerns.

18 August , 2023

Regulated Water Charges in Murray-Darling Basin Fell in Real Terms 2021-2022

Regulated water charges varied substantially between the different states in the Murray-Darling Basin in 2021-22 as wet conditions across the Basin kept water availability high, the ACCC’s annual Water Monitoring Report 2021-22 shows.

The Murray-Darling Basin focused report monitors regulated water charges, compliance with the water rules by infrastructure operators, and ‘transformation’ arrangements that allow irrigators to convert an irrigation right into a standalone water access entitlement, held by the irrigator or traded to another person.

18 August , 2023

ASIC Consultation on Extending Product Intervention Orders on Short Term Credit Facilities and Continuing Credit Contracts

The current product intervention orders came into effect on Friday 15 July 2022. They reinforce consumer protections by prohibiting the provision of short term credit and continuing credit contracts, which involve unreasonably high fees charged to retail clients. These fees exceed the cost caps imposed by the National Credit Code.

If not extended, the short term credit and continuing credit contracts product intervention orders will expire on 15 January 2024.

18 August , 2023

ASIC sues ‘Debt Vulture’ Solve My Debt Now, and Director

Proceedings have commenced against operator of Solve My Debt Now, Bakken Holdings Pty Ltd (Bakken). The case is brought to the Federal Court by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) over concerns of substantial consumer harm in a move that has been welcomed by consumer advocates.

15 August , 2023

Submission to House of Representatives Inquiry calls for improvements to grocery unit pricing

The Queensland Consumers Association’s submission (#56) to a House of Representatives Inquiry says changes are needed to the grocery unit pricing (pricing per unit of measure) system to make it much easier for consumers to compare grocery prices and values.

The submission also strongly supports the Consumers Federation of Australia’s submission to the inquiry which includes support for demand-side initiatives to promote competition and recommendations on unit pricing.

15 August , 2023

Inquiry into Price Gouging and Unfair Pricing Practices Launched by the ACTU

The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) has recently announced an inquiry into price gouging and unfair pricing practices to be chaired by Professor Allan Fells AO.

The announcement comes just after the OECD released a research report which found that “historically high corporate profits”, rather than wages, was the leading cause for inflation in Australia. With the OECD suggesting corporate profits may account for an average of 51% of inflation in recent years.

10 August , 2023

Governments Called to ‘Step Up’ to Ensure a Consumer-Focused Energy Future

Energy Consumers Australia (ECA) newly released report, Stepping Up: A Smoother Pathway to Decarbonising Homes (available here), has called on local, state/territory, and federal governments to collectively ‘step up’ and ensure everyone in Australia is supported and enabled to go all-electric. The policy report is based on research by CSIRO and Dynamic Analysis which has increased our understanding on the shared and individual costs of electrification for consumers.

10 August , 2023

New Zealand Starts to Implement Mandatory Grocery Unit Pricing

New Zealand has passed Regulations that require many instore and online grocery retailers to provide the unit price (price per standard unit of measure) for most products sold.

However, for instore retailers the Regulations will only come fully into force in August 2024 and for online retailers in August 2025.

9 August , 2023

Data Breaches Seen as Number One Privacy Concern

There has been a sharp increase in the number of Australians who feel data breaches are the biggest privacy risk they face today, according to a major survey released today by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

9 August , 2023

Consumer Representative – Banking Code Compliance Committee

About the opportunity The Banking Code Compliance Committee (BCCC) is an independent body that monitors banks compliance with the Banking Code of Practice, helping banks create a better banking experience for customers. The BCCC’s work is supported by a dedicated team of staff at the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) that provide Code monitoring and…

7 August , 2023

ANZ’s Proposed Suncorp Acquisition Denied by ACCC

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has decided not to grant merger authorisation for ANZ Banking Group (ASX:ANZ) to acquire Suncorp Group’s (ASX:SUN) banking arm.
“We are not satisfied that the acquisition is not likely to substantially lessen competition in the supply of home loans nationally, small to medium enterprise banking in Queensland, and agribusiness banking in Queensland,” ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh said.