Articles

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The Australian Digital Inclusion Index 2020, released by RMIT and Swinburne University of Technology for Telstra, illustrates Australia’s online participation. The following is a summary of the key findings of the study, published by the Analysis and Policy Observatory. The COVID-19 pandemic has underlined the critical importance of digital inclusion in contemporary Australia. With the…

Read More Measuring Australia’s digital divide: the Australian digital inclusion index 2020

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Having difficulty understanding the jargon of your builder or plumber? Different terminology makes it confusing to understand exactly what is needed. The free online National Dictionary of Building and Plumbing Terms aims to assist consumers, industry and government to understand the range of terminology used to describe the same or similar terms and processes across Australia. Standards…

Read More Building or renovating? Free online dictionary for building and plumbing terms

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Consumers and COVID-19: September results snapshot. New consumer data released today by the Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC) investigating the experience of consumers in the month of September reveals a stark contrast in the experiences of renters and mortgage holders trying to maintain their financial, emotional and physical wellbeing during the pandemic. Higher levels of financial stress…

Read More A tale of two homes: Australia’s housing market divides the population

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On World Standard Day, CFA recognises the efforts of the volunteers who represent CFA on Standards Australia Technical Committees. Each year on the 14 October, the members of standards making organisations celebrate World Standards Day – This year’s theme is Protecting the Planet with Standards. Currently CFA has representation on a number of committees that are developing…

Read More World Standards Day 2020 – Protecting the Planet with Standards

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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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CFA has appointed John Furbank as its representative to the Standards Australia Technical Committee CS-108 Cosmetics – Terminology. John is also a member of FT-032 Organic and biodynamic products which developed the standard AS 6000 Organic and biodynamic products that includes requirements for organic cosmetic and skincare products. The Australian marketplace is exposed to a…

Read More CFA representative appointed to a Standards Australia committee on cosmetics

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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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CFA’s submission on a consultation paper on the development of a National Preventive Health Strategy strongly supports the preparation and implementation of the Strategy. CFA agrees with the paper that: Our health system is focussed fundamentally on the treatment of illness and disease. There is a need to enhance the focus on prevention providing more…

Read More CFA makes submission on development of the National Preventive Health Strategy

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Complaints about phone and internet services decreased 4 per cent in the last financial year ending 30 June 2020. In this period, residential consumers and small businesses made 127,151 complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, highlighted in the Annual Report 2019-20 published today. Read the TIO Annual Report 2019-20 here. Over the financial year complaints…

Read More Resilience tested, phone and internet complaints decrease in year of challenges

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Removing credit protections will cause harm to people and the economy  CHOICE, Consumer Action Law Centre, Financial Counselling Australia and Financial Rights Legal Centre have responded to the Government’s announcement that it will remove credit protections for borrowers saying right now what people need is more income, not more debt. Government’s proposed reforms will remove bank responsibility…

Read More Consumer groups slam move to remove responsible lending laws