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Australia’s leading consumer groups will join forces in Canberra today to call on the Federal Government to strengthen our laws to stop irresponsible, harmful lending practices in our financial services sector. “Irresponsible lending and crippling debt are having a real, devastating impact on Australians, putting people at risk of bankruptcy, homelessness and life-long debt,” says…
Read More Fair Finance Day of Action
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NBN Co has recently announced changes to wholesale prices charged to retail service providers (RSPs) from October 2018. These changes mean consumers can expect to pay higher prices to access NBN services. At the same time consumers can expect to have an improved experience as congestion in the network is addressed through greater dedication of…
Read More ACCAN’s Analysis of NBN Co’s recently announced Pricing Changes
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As consumers, we want a digital world that we can trust. The recently published ISO 20488 standard on Online consumer reviews – Principles and requirements for their collection, moderation and publication is a great tool to give consumers more elements to enhance our trust. Consumers International was represented by Julie Hunter at the ISO Technical Committee on Online…
Read More Putting the trust back into online reviews
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Telco consumers can expect a better complaints-handling experience under a new industry standard and record-keeping rules announced today by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). This is the first tranche of new rules announced by the ACMA in December 2017 to improve consumers’ experience in migrating to the National Broadband Network (NBN). The ACMA’s actions follow its industry information-gathering exercise and its…
Read More ACMA rules kick in on telco complaints
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ASIC is warning consumers about companies that claim they can fix a poor credit rating. ASIC is running a month-long campaign, with other Commonwealth, state and territory agencies, to help consumers understand that by using credit repair and debt management firms they may end up paying high fees. Consumers should be aware these companies often…
Read More ASIC warns consumers about paying high fees for credit repair and debt advice services
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With China no longer willing to accept material from Australia for potential recycling, there is a national discussion about what can and cannot truthfully be labelled as “recyclable” going forward in Australia. Standards Australia has played a lead role in the development of standards on environmental labelling as the Secretariat of the ISO TC 207 SC 3 Environmental…
Read More What can truthfully be labelled recyclable?
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Dr Martin Gill reviews a solar installers analysis suggesting a strata complex would recover the cost of investing in a solar system in “just over 4 years” – Dr Gill’s review of the installer’s analysis raises multiped issues, read more here. The Clean Energy Council maintains a list of Approved solar installers. These installers voluntarily agree to a…
Read More Validating a solar quote
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The Consumers’ Federation of Australia has recently developed a set of good practice principles to offer guidance to industry bodies and EDR schemes about good practice in ensuring effective consumer input, including good practice in involving the consumer sector. The principles also set out consumer sector expectations for review processes. Read the document in full here.
Read More Guidelines for development and review of industry codes & EDR schemes
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Consumers’ Federation of Australia (CFA) congratulates all the volunteers who give generously of their time and expertise in representing consumers on a range of bodies and organisations including over 30 volunteer representatives participating on Standards Australia Technical Committees as part of the CFA Standards Project. This years’ theme Give a little. Change a lot. represents the millions of volunteers…
Read More National Volunteer Week 2018
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There will be significant savings to households on their electricity bills due to the planned phasing out of inefficient halogen light bulbs. The average Australian household will be around $650 better off over 10 years by changing from inefficient halogen lamps to minimum standard LED lamps. On 20 April 2018, the COAG Energy Council agreed…
Read More Phasing out inefficient halogen light bulbs in Australia
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Many Internet connected children’s products have weak security as well as invasive data collection and privacy features. There is currently no effective regulation of these products, and little consumer understanding of how they function or their faults. Read more on the Consumers International website here and the video Huggybug Your Family Today’: Don’t play around with children’s online…
Read More Don’t play around with children’s online safety
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Consumer group CHOICE welcomes the Federal Budget measures that will make superannuation insurance opt-in, auto-reunite people with lost accounts and ban exit fees. “Making insurance in super opt-in rather than opt-out for people who are at greatest risk of being fleeced will make a huge difference to the retirement savings of millions of Australians,” says CHOICE…
Read More Welcome Budget boost for Super
