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Child safety in the car includes appropriate child car restraints to keep children safe inside cars, find out more on ACCC Product safety which includes recalls of products that do not comply to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) child restraints mandatory standard.
Read More Have Your Say on Child Car Restraints
ACCC product safety: sleep your baby safe. Putting your baby to sleep flat on their back is the safest way for them to sleep
Infant incline products may be marketed for sleep, however they are unsafe for babies to sleep in. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) advises reports indicate 151 babies in Australia have died in inclined products such as rockers, bouncers, and on propped items.
Read More Infant Inclined Product and Sudden Death
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Original article by Chris Siemers, posted on the Australian Financial Complaints Authority website on 05/06/2023. Hundreds of thousands of fixed-rate loans will roll onto much higher rates in coming months, catching up on a year of rate rises from which they have so far been quarantined. Some borrowers face the prospect of being tipped into…
Read More Mortgage Stress – Getting on the Front Roof
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From an FSC media release (02/06/2023): The Financial Services Council (FSC) is proud to announce the upcoming implementation of the New Life Code of Practice (new Life Code) on 1 July 2023, which will introduce over 50 comprehensive consumer protections that will change the way customers interact with their life insurers. FSC, CEO, Blake Briggs said: “This significant milestone…
Read More FSC to Rollout Changes to Life Insurance Code
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Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has made the decision not to register two of eight online safety codes drafted by the online industry as they fail to provide appropriate community safeguards to deal with illegal and harmful content online.
Read More eSafety Commissioner Accepts Some, Rejects Others in World-First Industry Codes
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One year after 120 consumer groups signed an open letter to have BNPL regulated as conventional credit, the Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones MP has announced that BNPL will largely be brought in line with the Credit Act – though not all requirements will be applied.
Read More Regulation of Buy Now, Pay Later Announced – Consumer Groups Respond
With the release of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority’s (APRA) ‘Choice Heatmap‘ which provides greater performance transparency and scrutiny on various multi-sector Choice investment options, Super Consumers Australia (SCA) released a media statement on 26/04/2023 (below) calling for more transparency and testing while emphasising the specific vulnerability of Australian retirees: “It is appalling that after…
Read More “Some super funds shouldn’t be in the market”
The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), along with the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), has found that while direct debit may work for some consumers direct debits automatic system and lack of flexibility created unfair additional costs and financial distress for vulnerable consumers. In a media release (05/04/2023) ACCAN said: A thriving and competitive…
Read More Direct Debit for Telcos and Utilities a Problem for Vulnerable Consumers
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In part two of CHOICE’s investigation, we look at the problems faced when trying to get a repair or refund. It’s July 2022 and Marilyn and Peter are sitting in the Cairns office of the Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network (ICAN). They’ve been waiting for this day for a long time. This is an article from CHOICE.…
Read More Car sales in remote Indigenous communities: A broken system
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CHOICE travels to the remote Indigenous community of Wujal Wujal in Far North Qld to investigate dodgy motor vehicle sales. Cedric Friday says that every time he looks at his broken-down Holden Captiva it makes him angry. The second-hand car that he and his brother-in-law spent $19,000 on sits immovable in his driveway. This is…
Read More Remote Indigenous communities left with broken cars and no redress
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The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) has today published updated and revised remediation guidance for financial firms with the goal of treating wronged customers fairer and ensuring they repay losses companies have caused in a timelier fashion. This is a media release from Consumer Action Law Centre (CALC). It was originally published on 27th September, 2022. Consumer Action…
Read More People should get their money back quicker and more easily following new ASIC guidance, say consumer advocates
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Australians who are blind or vision impaired face significant barriers and issues when accessing banking and financial institutions and products in Australia, primarily resulting in complete inaccessibility to these institutions and products. This post is taken from a report by Blind Citizens Australia. It was originally published on 15th July, 2022. In a new report, Blind Citizens…
Read More New report from Blind Citizens Australia on access to banking
