Vulnerable Consumers

Post thumbnail

The metaverse is a collective virtual shared space, where you can socialise, collaborate, learn, and play with others across different digital worlds. The metaverse may offer new opportunities for creativity, education, entertainment, and commerce, but there are also new challenges where metaverse technologies can have a significant impact on young users’ mental health and well-being. Children…

Read More Children’s safety in the metaverse – Draft standard open for Public Comment

TIME for CHANGE

The two major consumer protections announced today -the ban on unfair trading and consultation on penalties for breaches by traders and service providers of the consumer guarantees under the Australian Consumer Law- will help create a fairer marketplace for all Australians. That’s the verdict of Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Stephanie Tonkin who welcomed the announcement from…

Read More Consumer Advocates Welcome Government Announcement on Unfair Trading and Consultations

Post thumbnail

The Justice and Equity Centre welcomes the passing of the Australian Human Rights Commission Amendment (Costs Protection) Bill 2023, which establishes an ‘equal access’ costs model for federal discrimination law claims. This is a reform we proposed with our partners at Grata Fund, to improve access to justice for people who have endured sexual harassment or discrimination…

Read More Advocates Welcome Establishment of ‘equal access’ Costs Model for Federal Discrimination Law Claims

different language, international, translation different language, international, translation

Important advice about how people in Australia can protect themselves from scams is now available online in an additional 17 languages other than English on the National Anti-Scam Centre’s Scamwatch website. The new in-language videos and updated written advice on how to spot and avoid scams will make Scamwatch an even more useful resource for culturally and linguistically…

Read More National Anti-Scam Centre Launches Online Scamwatch Advice in 17 Languages

survey, icon, survey icon-2316468.jpg survey, icon, survey icon-2316468.jpg

The Australian Government, Attorney-General’s Department (AGD) has commissioned and funded the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) to undertake research on the abuse and mistreatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, and/or asexual (LGBTIQA+) older people. AIFS has partnered with Queerspace, a division of Drummond Street Services, to undertake this project. The research will…

Read More National Elder Abuse Research Program – Online Survey of LGBTQIA+ Community Members

Isolated shining metal shopping trolley without anything located separately on yellow background Isolated shining metal shopping trolley without anything located separately on yellow background

Mandatory code of practice, subsidies for food transportation and increased income support needed A coalition of consumer and indigenous groups is calling on the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) to better protect vulnerable residents in remote areas. The organisations have welcomed the proposed National Strategy for Food Security in Remote First Nations Communities, but they…

Read More Consumer Groups Call on NIAA to Strengthen Remote Food Security Strategy

g7f54af2b4175c230a00319562abf2d8cf90c1f6b5d8f30b25298d9f87158b66a1f1cefcecbbc46c24f6b96076e0ab7187845bc7fc616b1976ee914b47b80769a_1280-7957062.jpg g7f54af2b4175c230a00319562abf2d8cf90c1f6b5d8f30b25298d9f87158b66a1f1cefcecbbc46c24f6b96076e0ab7187845bc7fc616b1976ee914b47b80769a_1280-7957062.jpg

Medical authorities must take urgent action to ensure that up to 200,000 medical implant recipients are aware of the health threat posed by the looming 3G network shutdown. ACCAN CEO Carol Bennett said the recent delay to the shutdown of the 3G network was to be applauded, but there was growing concern that people were…

Read More Medical Authorities Urged to Address ‘ticking time bomb’ of 3G Shutdown on Medical Devices

Post thumbnail

Older people are urging a bipartisan approach from the Federal Government and Opposition to urgently introduce a new rights-based Aged Care Act. Organisations representing older Australians and their carers say the Aged Care Act needs to be introduced into Federal Parliament this sitting fortnight if laws are to be passed this year that address the…

Read More “Stop dithering on older people’s rights” – Self-Advocates Urge MPs to Act Now on Aged Care Reform

accounting, finance, business-6063321.jpg accounting, finance, business-6063321.jpg

From the Chair of the Banking Code Compliance Committee: This year we issued three sanctions to three banks for serious and systemic breaches of the Code [relating to deceased estates]. This action underscores our commitment to hold banks accountable for the promises they make under the Code and to respond firmly where we find serious…

Read More BCCC Releases 2023-2024 Annual Report, Deceased Estates a Focus of Investigation

g84ca6b4110b949972a5d9e0f3a31745340a3930cfb77b3520d8ec4a32275d91bc43a93e23ca1bb02f84482007f4762f27631f4c0f7d1f4db8f7a1c624ec294c4_1280-1281632.jpg g84ca6b4110b949972a5d9e0f3a31745340a3930cfb77b3520d8ec4a32275d91bc43a93e23ca1bb02f84482007f4762f27631f4c0f7d1f4db8f7a1c624ec294c4_1280-1281632.jpg

The growing rate of scams and the devastating impact they are having on Australians has been recognised by the Federal Government through the establishment of the SMS Sender ID Register – but it should be made mandatory. ACCAN has welcomed this important step in the fight against scams but urges the government to  ensure that…

Read More Consumer Advocates Call for Mandatory SMS Anti-Scam Registry

Post thumbnail

The Justice and Equity Centre (‘JEC’) and People with Disability Australia (‘PWDA’) welcome today’s White Paper announcing the Government’s intentions to develop new Disability Standards for air travel. This is a significant first step in addressing longstanding discrimination by airlines which has prevented people with disability from being able to travel by air equally with…

Read More Advocates Welcome New Aviation Transport Standards, Urge Genuine Co-Design with People with Disability