Articles Archives - Page 76 of 180 - Consumers' Federation of Australia

9 October , 2019

World Standards Day 14 October 2019: “Video standards create a global stage”

World Standards Day will be on 14 October 2019. World Standards Day promotes the role of standards in meeting the needs of consumers, industry, business and government. Consumers’ Federation Australia takes this opportunity to thank all the CFA Standards representatives participating on Standards Australia Technical Committees who ensure that standards address the concerns of everyday Australians. This…

2 October , 2019

Five trends driving progress towards Sustainable Consumption

When we look at our global consumption in numbers, we are given a stark reminder of the task ahead. Around the world, nearly one million plastic bottles are sold every minute, and five trillion pieces of plastic are floating in our oceans. We buy over 80 billion new clothing items a year, and consume 3.9 billion tonnes…

23 September , 2019

Green Action Week 2019

Green Action Week 2019 is taking place from Monday September 30 to Sunday October 6. Unsustainable consumption is a relatively new phenomenon, and all over the world communities are pushing back against it. When people collaborate and share goods and services, it benefits the community as well as the environment. Green Action Week 2019 will…

19 September , 2019

Sale of consumer credit insurance by customer owned banking Code subscribers

Scrutiny of add-on insurance products by consumers, regulators and government has increased recently, with a particular focus on the sale of consumer credit insurance (CCI). Insurers and third-party sellers have been criticised for offering poor-quality products, pressure selling and selling to consumers who were unaware they were consenting to purchase CCI. In light of these…

16 September , 2019

Consumer Connections Magazine out now

Tasmania’s building and consumer regulator, Consumer, Building and Occupational Services, has released Edition 2 of its Consumer Connections Magazine. As well as providing advice specific to Tasmanians applying for building approvals and lodging complaints against service providers, the magazine includes great tips for all consumers. Safety in the home, how to choose a suitable NBN…

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…