2021

CHOICE broadly supports the creation of a mandatory code that empowers consumers to better control and protect their data.

CHOICE welcomes the inquiry by the Senate Economics References Committee into the collapse of the Sterling Group.

How much do funerals cost? CHOICE investigates whether you need a funeral director, prepaid funerals, natural burials and DIY coffins, and how funeral giant InvoCare has taken advantage of grieving families.

CHOICE supports the passage of the Financial Accountability Regime legislation, but recommends a number of amendments to strengthen enforcement and increase the range of sanctions available for regulators.

CHOICE welcomes the proposal by the Treasury to fine businesses using unfair contract terms and strengthen consumer protections.

Consumer groups welcome the Australian government’s commitment to establish a compensation scheme of last resort (CSLR) and recommend ways to strengthen its design and operation.

Consumers should have access to quality information about the products they buy and there should be strong penalties for companies that mislead people about their consumer rights.

CHOICE recommends the introduction of a mandatory safety standard for items at high risk of toppling and an information standard for items at moderate risk of toppling.

CHOICE welcomes the ACCC’s review of infant inclined products and the proposed options to mitigate the risk of infant death or injury that these products present.

CHOICE argues for amendments to the Financial Accountability Regime Bill 2021 to better hold finance executives to account for breaking the law and harming customers.

CHOICE and WEstJustice have called for regulatory intervention to stop insurance companies unfairly pursuing people who rent for claims made on landlord insurance.

CHOICE surveyed over 4400 Australians who had travel plans disrupted by COVID-19 and is now calling on Australian governments to implement 7 urgent reforms.

CHOICE’s super-complaint to ASIC looks at unfair or oppressive timeshare practices that are either in breach of the law or fall well below community standards.

CHOICE wants to see a right to repair that encompasses improvements to the consumer experience of the repair market, for product design to be improved and for consumers and businesses to have clarity that they can refurbish single-use items. Most importantly, Australians need clear labelling about product durability and repairability.

CHOICE’s submission to the independent review of the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) scheme focuses on the need for water efficiency labels to better reflect how people actually use their appliances. We also argue for the need to discourage products that use excessively high amounts of water from being sold in the Australian market.

The government’s plans to axe safe lending laws will dismantle consumer protections that have been developed through decades of considered consultation and policy development.

CHOICE recommends that the 2021-2022 Federal Budget needs to serve consumers in three key ways. One, adequate funding to ensure the continuation of an economically efficient, nationally coordinated approach to consumer regulations; two, a continuation of the Federal Treasury review of the product safety system; and three, funding certainty for a Superannuation Consumer Advocate.

CHOICE argues that there is a need for changes to be made to regulatory approaches and architecture to address ongoing problems with the payments system in Australia.