Vulnerable Consumers

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The number of consumer complaints in Western Australia relating to studio photography businesses has risen sharply in 2024, prompting Consumer Protection to issue a warning. Last year, eight complaints were received, with similar numbers seen in 2022. Eight complaints have already been received this year with issues raised including potential misleading and deceptive conduct, harassment…

Read More Consumer Protection Warns Against ‘predatory’ Studio Photographers

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Charities work across multiple sectors, but the Australian Charities Report is of strategic importance as it aggregates charity data (from 51,536 charities) to provide a holistic picture or ‘sector-wide’ view. Cost of living increases impact charities Our [the Australian and Not-for-Profits Commission or ACNC] data shows that cost of living issues had an impact on…

Read More ACNC Releases the 10th Edition of the Australian Charities Report

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The Albanese Government is establishing the Insurance Affordability and Natural Hazards Risk Reduction Taskforce as part of the federal budget to develop an integrated, cross?government approach to minimising the impacts of disaster on the community and help address insurance costs driven by more frequent and intense weather events. The government is committed to working with insurers and…

Read More Insurance Affordability and Natural Hazards Risk Reduction Taskforce

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Australians are being urged to directly seek financial hardship assistance from their bank or lender, as new nationwide research released by ASIC’s Moneysmart sheds light on the state of financial hardship in Australia. The research found that 47% of Australian adults with debt, the equivalent of 5.8 million people, have struggled to make repayments in…

Read More Research Finds Millions Experience Hardship, Yet Many Don’t Ask for Help

Fraud Alert

Consumers are being warned to beware of anyone instructing them to download software or an app over the phone, following a recent rise in reported losses to remote access scams. Australians reported losing $15.5 million to remote access scams in 2023. Reported losses to remote access scams in the first quarter of 2024 increased by…

Read More Scammers Claiming to Fix Technical Issues in ‘Remote Access Scams’

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The Honourable Amanda Rishworth beamed into the recent annual Financial Counselling Australia conference in Perth a day after the budget announcement with some welcome news for the financial counselling sector. The Government will invest around $23 million over four years and ongoing, to provide more pre-crisis and early intervention supports, taking the total recent additional…

Read More Increased Funding for Financial Crisis and Early Intervention Support

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The industry codes will start with banks, telcos, social media, digital messaging and search advertising services, and will require these groups to have measures in place to prevent, detect, disrupt, respond and report scams.

This will be complemented by strong regulator enforcement action, penalties for non?compliance, and victim compensation where wrongdoing occurs.

Read More Albanese Government to Introduce Mandatory Anti-Scam Industry Codes

Have your say on Centrepay

The Albanese Government has renewed its commitment to Centrepay reform, today announcing a range of short- and long-term priorities to improve the program. Australians who rely on Services Australia’s direct bill paying service Centrepay are encouraged to join advocates, business and other stakeholders to share their views and experiences as part of a nation-wide call…

Read More Community Consultation on Centrepay Reform

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The SafeAge Project is a 3-year collaborative academic research project funded by theAustralian Research Council. The project aims to generate contemporary knowledge of the roleof consumer products in injuries and deaths for older Australians. This knowledge benefits: Context:There are significant consequences of unsafe consumer products on population health. Whilstthe government estimates there are around 780…

Read More Consumer Representative Opportunity – SafeAge Project

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Consumers generate data in almost all aspects of their lives as many activities that were once anonymous are now subject to detailed data collection, such as restaurants that require customers to order via a QR code and input personal details. The latest Digital Platform Services Inquiry report published today, highlights that consumers are generally unaware how much…

Read More Latest ACCC report finds consumers lack visibility and choice over data collection practices