Regulator news and government inquiries Archives - Page 24 of 81

Image 6 April , 2023

APRA Launches Public Consultation on Banks’ ‘Points of Presence’ Data

Media release from Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), originally released here on 4/04/2023 The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) is launching a public consultation on its “points of presence” data – the data APRA collects and publishes on physical banking service channels in Australia. APRA publishes a detailed listing of the number of bank branches,…

Image 29 March , 2023

TIO Submission for Digital Platforms Ombudsman

Following the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Digital Platform Services inquiry in 2019, and the Treasury’s recent follow-up consultation the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) placed a submission late February 2023 to expand their remit from telecommunications to digital platform services (e.g. search engines, apps). The TIO has supported the proposal for a Digital Platforms…

Image 29 March , 2023

Save Sorry Business Day of Action

March 28th was a day of action for First Nations advocates a year after the federal government established an interim scheme so that some of the families harmed by Aboriginal Community Benefit Fund/Youpla could conduct the important cultural practice of Sorry Business. The Save Sorry Business coalition used this day of action to call for…

Image 27 March , 2023

Queensland Consumers Association Makes Submission to Senate Cost of Living Inquiry

The Queensland Consumers Association has made a submission to the Senate Select Committee on the Cost of Living which is inquiring into: the cost of living pressures facing Australians; the Government’s fiscal policy response to the cost of living; ways to ease cost of living pressures through the tax and transfer system; measures to ease…

Image 24 March , 2023

1 in 5 Australians Struggling to Pay a Telco Bill

From ACCAN, original media release 21/03/2023 found here. Households are increasingly feeling the impact of higher costs of living. New research by the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), conducted in March, has revealed a fifth of consumers reporting that they missed a payment for a phone or internet service because they could not afford…

21 March , 2023

Calls for Telco Retail Registration Scheme

Supported by the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO), the Australian Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) is calling for the registration of all telecommunication providers in Australia for the benefit of all consumers, regulators, and providers. From ACCAN media release (03/03/2023): The Australian Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) is calling for the development of a retail registration scheme for telco…

17 March , 2023

Domestic airfares fall but prices remain above pre-pandemic levels

This is a media release from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. It was originally published on March 7th 2023 and can be found on the ACCC website here, with graphs. Domestic airfares have declined from historic highs at the end of 2022; however, they remain above 2019 prices, the ACCC’s latest Airline Competition in Australia…

Image 14 March , 2023

ACCC competition and consumer issues in essential services, sustainability among 2023-24 compliance and enforcement priorities

This is a media release from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC). It was originally published on 7th March 2023. Consumer and competition issues in essential services, environmental claims and sustainability, financial services and other critical areas will be among the ACCC’s compliance and enforcement priorities during 2023-24, ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb announced today. Unveiling the ACCC’s annual…

1 March , 2023

AFCA receives over 2000 complaints in year since SEQ/NSW floods

The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) has received more than 2,000 complaints from flood-affected consumers in the year since the devastating South-East Queensland/northern NSW storms, with delays in claim handling the most significant issue. This is a media release from the Essential Services Commission. It was originally published on 27th February, 2023. Disputes with insurers in the…

24 February , 2023

Product Safety Pledge removes thousands of dangerous items from online marketplaces

More than 15,000 potentially unsafe products were delisted by online marketplaces signed up to the ACCC’s Australian Product Safety Pledge last financial year, with 98 per cent of regulator-initiated take down requests actioned within 2 days. Pledge signatories also used artificial intelligence, image recognition and automated scanning to prevent hundreds of thousands of unsafe products…

17 February , 2023

Advocates and industry agree: Time to close lending loopholes on buy now, pay later

Key stakeholders call for buy now, pay later should be regulated as meantime credit In submissions released publicly by the Treasury today, major banks, industry associations, regulators and consumer advocates are unified in calling for an end to lending loopholes allowing buy now, pay later providers to avoid safe lending laws. Groups who made submissions…

17 February , 2023

AGREEMENT REACHED ON REFORM OF CHARITABLE FUNDRAISING LAWS

Charities have long told their governments that they are wasting time complying with inconsistent and outdated fundraising rules across the states and territories. On one estimate, compliance requirements cost Australian charities more than $1 million per month. In their most recent meeting, the Commonwealth, state and territory Treasurers agreed to a set of nationally consistent…