Articles Archives - Page 76 of 179 - Consumers' Federation of Australia

13 September , 2019

Review finds customer loyalty schemes need transparency and fairness

The ACCC has released its Customer loyalty schemes draft report for public comment. The report outlines the ACCC’s draft findings and recommendations following research and targeted consultation earlier this year. The review focussed on competition and consumer issues arising from customer loyalty schemes. There are two major findings covered in the draft report that are…

12 September , 2019

Upcoming webinar: Costing customer wait times

CFA’s quarterly webinar series will continue on Wednesday 25th September 2-3pm with the topic ‘Costing Customer Wait Times’. The webinar will be hosted by Gareth Downing and Tara Stockwell from Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN). Gareth and Tara will discuss the recent research into how customer wait times can be costed across sectors and why minimising this time will promote the efficient functioning…

12 September , 2019

Parents demand Canberra act on unsafe products

An analysis of CHOICE test data has found key products designed for children still pose a risk as doctors, industry, experts and parents converged on Canberra on Wednesday to demand action. The data shows: Portable cots (60 tested from 2011–2018*): 98% or 59 failed. Strollers (163 tested from 2012–2019): 83% or 136 failed. Cots (173…

4 September , 2019

Standard on drinking water treatment units open for public comment

Tap water is one of our most important and basic necessities. Most Australians don’t have to worry about getting sick from the water they’re supplied with. The downside of ensuring safe drinking water is the lingering taste and smell of disinfectant, causing many people to opt for a water filtering system (read more here). Water treatment…

3 September , 2019

Australians paying millions too much for foreign currency services

Australian consumers are paying too much for foreign currency conversion (FX) services because of confusing pricing and a lack of robust competition, a new ACCC report has found. The final report of the ACCC’s Foreign Currency Conversion Services Inquiry highlights important competition and consumer issues affecting individuals and small businesses who use international money transfers (IMTs), foreign…

23 August , 2019

CHOICE welcomes the proposed ASIC ban on risky investment products

Consumer advocate CHOICE welcomes ASIC’s announcement today that the regulator proposes to use its new Product Intervention Powers to ban harmful investment products. “Binary options and contracts for difference are glorified gambling dressed up by financial licensees as a safe investment. With over four in five investors losing money from binary options investments, it’s clear…

21 August , 2019

Circular economy the key to tackling resource depletion and pollution

It’s a well-known fact that the rise in consumerism and disposable products is choking and exhausting our planet. Before we reach the day where there is more plastic in the sea than fish, something has to be done to ebb the flow. According to the World Economic Forum, moving towards a circular economy is the key, and a ‘trillion-dollar…

19 August , 2019

CHOICE responds to Treasurer’s Royal Commission road map announcement

“Stand strong against industry pressure” is the message from CHOICE CEO Alan Kirkland following Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s announcement this morning about how the government will implement the Banking Royal Commission recommendations. “Today the Treasurer has outlined how the government will make sure that banks, insurers and mortgage brokers act fairly and provide services that…

16 August , 2019

Taskforce to investigate stronger button battery safety

The ACCC has established a Button Battery Taskforce to investigate ways to reduce risk to the Australian community, particularly children, of button batteries. In Australia two children have died in the past six years after swallowing a button battery, and hundreds of children suspected of swallowing button batteries have ended up in hospital emergency rooms.…

13 August , 2019

Record losses expected as scammers target Australians

Australians are set to lose a record amount to scams in 2019, with projections from losses reported to Scamwatch and other government agencies so far expected to exceed $532 million by the end of the year, surpassing half a billion dollars for the first time. This year’s National Scams Awareness Week (12-16 August) theme is “too smart…

8 August , 2019

Humane Farm Animal Care application to register a CTM: invitation to comment

The ACCC is inviting interested parties to comment on the Humane Farm Animal Care’s application to register a certification trademark (CTM) in Australia. The CTM intends to certify that animal derived products bearing the mark have complied with a range of Humane Farm Animal Care’s livestock and poultry welfare standards. The mark bears the words…

5 August , 2019

Investigation finds telemarketers pressuring consumers to sign up to NBN

Threats of being disconnected from phone and internet services, loss of phone numbers, and inaccurate information about NBN plans are issues highlighted in the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman’s latest report: “Misleading telemarketing of NBN services” published Thursday 1 August, 2019. Between January and December 2018, residential consumers and small businesses made 1,729 complaints to the Telecommunications…