Standards Project News Archives - Page 15 of 34 - Consumers' Federation of Australia

14 May , 2020

Using standards as a tool for consumer protection

UNCTAD held its first UNCTAD / ISO COPOLCO/ Consumers International joint webinar on Using standards as a tool for consumer protection. This webinar brought together standards experts and consumer agencies’ representatives to inform both communities about the work of COPOLCO and the standards it promotes – read the notes on the webinar here. Consumers’ Federation of Australia (CFA) has two representatives on the Standards…

13 May , 2020

Celebrating volunteers during National Volunteer Week May 18-24

National Volunteer Week is the annual celebration to acknowledge the generous contribution of the nation’s volunteers, especially during this challenging time. Consumers’ Federation of Australia (CFA) takes this opportunity to thank all the volunteers who represent CFA and put forward the consumer perspective on a range of bodies, organisations and committees, including Standards Australia Technical…

5 May , 2020

Free standard on construction in bushfire prone areas

Living in bushfire pone areas has its risks and anyone planning to build or re-build following the recent devastating bushfires should consult the Australian Standard that covers the bushfire safety requirements of building in the area and provides the methodology for calculating your bushfire attack level. The Australian Standard AS 3959:2018 Construction in bushfire prone areas is a…

7 April , 2020

ISO standards relevant to COVID-19 made free to access

International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) has compiled a list of standards to support global efforts in dealing with the COVID 19 crisis. Available standards include protective gloves, lung ventilators and other medical devices, and risk management guidelines. They are freely available in read-only format here.

7 April , 2020

Five factors driving sustainable consumption

The sustainable consumer is a key element of a better world and essential to overcoming adverse events such as pandemics. According to Consumers International, five major factors will drive sustainable consumption in the future: Consumer demand for more sustainability information Sustainable mobility and ridesharing Circular design and sustainable fashion The drive for sustainable packaging Building products to last –…

19 February , 2020

Battery storage an energy option for consumers

The domestic battery storage market looked set to take off when significant price reductions and rapidly rising electricity prices indicated batteries would soon be cost effective. Unfortunately, over the past few years electricity prices have continued to soar but the price of battery storage has remained high. Do Government subsidies help? Read Dr Martin Gill’s…

12 February , 2020

Summer, standards and how they relate to you

The Australian Summer is an iconic part of the Aussie lifestyle but did you know that some of our favourite summer pastimes include a range of standards designed to keep us safe? They affect everything from the fans keeping you cool to your coolest pair of sunnies, read more here. Consumers’ Federation of Australia (CFA) regularly seeks…

5 February , 2020

Tackling ageism through Standards

Age discrimination can creep up on you. Ageism is stereotyping, discrimination or mistreatment based solely upon age. It comes from negative attitudes and beliefs about what it means to be older. Ageism is pervasive and can have profound negative consequences on older adults’ health and wellbeing. We need to act now to improve the lives…

29 January , 2020

Who is protecting your information on the internet?

The recent ABC article titled How safe are GPS trackers for children – and what should I know before buying one? raises concerns about the ethics of technological surveillance and asks, ‘are we being sucked in by their convenience?’ When we digitise information or upload it to the internet, we run the risk of having that information…

22 January , 2020

Proposed battery recycling scheme to combat waste

Battery waste is a growing problem in Australia; in 2014 it was estimated that Australia was generating 17,500 tonnes of waste in batteries, or 700 million batteries based on an equivalent battery unit. 97% of all batteries were being inappropriately disposed of in landfill and impacting on the environment. It is proposed that an industry-led…

23 October , 2019

Identity theft and mailboxes

The surge in credit card fraud, identity fraud and scams is commonly achieved through mailbox theft. Identity crime costs Australia upwards of $1.6 billion each year, with the majority (around $900m) lost by individuals through credit card fraud, identity theft and scams. Mailboxes have become an easy target for thieves who find breaking into them…

16 October , 2019

Standard on safety barriers for swimming pools is open for public comment

Being around water is part of everyday Australian life, however drowning is one of the major causes of unintentional death for Australian children. In 2017/18, 18 Australian children aged 0-4 years drowned. The majority of these incidents occurred in backyard swimming pools. Pool and spa barriers can be effective in reducing the risk of drowning…