Regulator news and government inquiries Archives - Page 20 of 81

1 August , 2023

Meta Companies Penalised $20m for Onavo Protect VPN’s Misleading Claims

Virtual Private Networks or VPNs are a method by which people can more securely use and access public internet connections, reduce some communication costs, and bypass internet censorship. The privacy and protection of personal information is an important selling point of VPNs and one that was used to sell Onavo Protect in the Google and…

31 July , 2023

Scam Alert – Loyalty Points Program Customers Targeted

The National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC) is warning of a new text-based scam targeting loyalty program customers with Qantas Frequent Flyer, Telstra, and Coles. This warning comes after a little over 200 were lodged with Scamwatch in the last four months.

31 July , 2023

Record penalties of $438m ordered against Phoenix Institute and CTI for acting unconscionably and misleading students

The Federal Court has today imposed record penalties of $438m against former vocational college Phoenix Institute of Australia Pty Ltd (Phoenix) and its marketing arm Community Training Initiatives Pty Ltd (CTI) in proceedings brought by the ACCC and the Commonwealth.

28 July , 2023

Record Number of Financial Complaints for Second Year in a Row

“We are deeply concerned by the volume of complaints consumers are having to escalate to AFCA,” chief ombudsman David Locke says. “It’s not fair on consumers and not good for business. We need to see a significant improvement from firms.”

25 July , 2023

9 Out of 10 People Have Encountered a Scam in the Last 12 Months

New research from CHOICE has revealed 9 in 10 people suspect they have encountered at least one scam in the past 12 months, with over half of respondents encountering a suspected scam every week.

“Scams are increasing rapidly throughout Australia, often creating significant distress and financial hardship for victims. New technological advances mean scams are also becoming more difficult to identify. Our research found 88% of people say scams have become more sophisticated or harder to spot recently,” says CHOICE CEO Alan Kirkland.

20 July , 2023

Inquiry into Insurer Responses to 2022 Floods Announced

In 2022 almost all Australian Territories and States experienced substantial flood events with New South Wales and South-East Queensland some of the worst affected areas. Now, after months of coverage over poor and variable insurer responses to flood damage and coverage, the Albanese Government is launching an inquiry into insurer responses.

18 July , 2023

Cigno, BHF Solutions Found to Have Engaged in Unlicensed Conduct

ASIC has been successful in its action against Cigno Pty Ltd (Cigno) and BHF Solutions Pty Ltd (BHF Solutions), with the Federal Court finding that both companies engaged in credit activities without holding an Australian credit licence. ASIC also obtained permanent injunctions against Cigno and BHF Solutions to protect consumers.

The decision follows a series of appeals during the litigation, including an unsuccessful bid by Cigno and BHF Solutions to seek special leave in the High Court in December 2022 (22-360MR).

18 July , 2023

APRA, ASIC: Super trustees need to improve retirement outcomes planning’

A thematic review of how superannuation trustees are supporting their members under the Retirement Income Covenant has found that trustees need to make more progress to enhance retirement outcomes. The review was conducted jointly by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

17 July , 2023

Banking Code Compliance Committee Prioritises Bank@Post’s Compliance with the Code

The Banking Code Compliance Committee (BCCC) is working with the Australian Banking Association (ABA) to coordinate with 12 of its members to ensure banking services offered through Bank@Post comply with the Banking Code of Practice.

Bank@Post arrangements provide a valuable face-to-face service, particularly as banks close branches, especially in regional and remote areas.

The BCCC wants to ensure, as a priority, that important consumer protections have been implemented for the services banks offer through Bank@Post.

14 July , 2023

ACCC Publishes Draft Guidance to Improve Integrity Business’ Environmental Claims

The ACCC today published draft guidance to improve the integrity of environmental and sustainability claims made by businesses and protect consumers from ‘greenwashing’.

The draft guidance aims to address the concerning conduct identified by the ACCC’s recent greenwashing internet sweep, which found 57 per cent of businesses reviewed were making potentially misleading environmental claims.

14 July , 2023

Interim Authorisation for Electricity Industry to Coordinate Maintenance

The ACCC has granted interim authorisation for the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) and electricity industry participants in the National Electricity Market to collaborate to ensure reliability of electricity supply during Australia’s transition towards renewable electricity.

11 July , 2023

Facial Recognition Technology in Use at Major Australian Stadiums

Almost exactly a year after their article on Kmart, Bunnings, and the Good Guys’ use of facial recognition technology (FRT) in stores across Australia, CHOICE has released another article on the use of FRTs in a number of major stadiums across Australia.