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The Customer Owned Banking Code Compliance Committee (the Committee) released its Annual Compliance Report today. A copy can be downloaded here. The Committee welcomes an increase in self reporting of breaches of the Customer Owned Banking Code of Practice (the Code). However, many of those who subscribe to the Code still have work to do to achieve good…

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The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman has published its 2017-2018 Annual Report today (17 October 2018). Launching the report, Ombudsman Judi Jones said, “The number of complaints about telecommunications services in Australia appear to be turning a corner. “Declining complaints across all landline, mobile and internet services are a positive indicator of recent industry, government and regulator efforts…

Read More Phone and internet complaints turning a corner

CHOICE and ACOSS’ research report Competition Policy and Human Services: Where Theory Meets Practice was released on Thursday 13th September 2018. The report assessed two areas of human service where various combinations of choice, contestability and competition have been significant in recent years – vocational education and training (VET) and employment services. It examined outcomes achieved,…

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Formal education provides a solid foundation for professional practice but alone does not give staff the skills, knowledge and behaviours needed to provide services competently, according to an inquiry undertaken by the Insurance Brokers Code Compliance Committee (the Committee). The inquiry found that staff needed to supplement their educational qualifications with on-the-job support and experience to develop…

Read More Brokers need formal qualifications and on-the-job training, inquiry finds

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Consumer advocates have welcomed the findings of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Retail Electricity Pricing Inquiry Final Report, released yesterday. Energy Consumers Australia Acting CEO Lynne Gallagher said the final report confirms what consumers have been saying: that the electricity market is not working as it should and not delivering good value for…

Read More Consumer advocates welcome ACCC Final Report on electricity market

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Financial Rights has today called on the general insurance industry to introduce a set of best practice standards for insurance investigations in its Code of Practice. This follows the release of the report titled Investigation of Claims and Outsourced Services by the insurance industry’s independent monitor – the General Insurance Code Governance Committee (CGC). The…

Read More Insurance Industry Must Act to Stamp Out Poor Investigation Practices

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The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) and the South Australian Council of Social Service (SACOSS) have collaborated to publish a report on telecommunications affordability. The report, titled Connectivity Costs: Telecommunications Affordability for Low-Income Australia was formed through over 500 surveys with Centrelink recipients and low-income Health Care Card Holders and multiple focus groups. The…

Read More Gap in service: ACCAN and SACOSS release report on a lack of telecommunication services to low-income consumers

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  The Productivity Commission has recently launched a study into the enforcement and administration arrangements underpinning the Australian Consumer Law. The study will focus on the effectiveness of the ‘single-law, multiple regulator’ model – a model where the national consumer law is jointly enforced and administered by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and…

Read More Productivity Commission launches ACL review: issues paper released

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Robin Simpson, Consumers International’s Senior Policy Advisor discusses the recently revised OECD E-commerce guidelines and their implications for consumers. The OECD published its revised E-commerce guidelines at the end of March. They form a useful outline for any regulator that is developing work in this area and a good starting point for consumer groups that want to evaluate…

Read More OECD E-commerce guidelines – a step forward for consumers in the digital age