Thousands of illegal jelly cups seized during sting Although mini jelly cups containing Konjac were banned in Australia due to a choking hazard, 11,300 of them were found across three businesses in Sydney. AAP · Aug 24, 2024
ACCC keeping ‘vigilant’ watch on Qantas and Virgin airfares after Rex retreat Watchdog provides bleak assessment of airline competition, saying ticket prices could climb with return of duopoly The Guardian - AU · Aug 22, 2024
Airfare spike fears after Rex's flight from capitals With no Australian airline route featuring more than two companies, the competition watchdog says prices could spike with the exit of cash-strapped Rex. AAP · Aug 22, 2024
The competition watchdog wants to help businesses work together on sustainability – but it’s forgotten a key part When businesses work together – for whatever reason – they run the risk of breaching the competition laws enforced by our national watchdog, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The Conversation · Aug 21, 2024
Half of crypto ads on Facebook are scams or violate Meta’s policies, consumer regulator alleges ACCC court case against Meta revealed tech giant made money off scam ads using unauthorised star power of public figures including David Koch and Celeste Barber The Guardian - AU · Aug 14, 2024
NSW closes loophole to stamp out fires caused by substandard lithium-ion batteries in ebikes and scooters New rules declaring the popular devices a form of transport mean the batteries must meet strict international product standards The Guardian - AU · Aug 8, 2024
Secure fined $10m for selling filled car park spaces A $10.9 million ticket has been printed for Secure Parking after it sold "guaranteed" car spaces that might have already been taken. AAP · Aug 8, 2024
If Australia had an aviation ombudsman, passengers could get compensation for cancelled flights The financial difficulties of Rex Airlines, coming so soon after the bankruptcy of Bonza, have brought into sharp focus one of the federal government’s key priorities for aviation: enhancing passenger rights. The Conversation · Aug 4, 2024
I bought secondhand designer shoes online, but within a few months they fell apart. What are my rights? The shoes might not be an authentic designer pair and have failed reasonable consumer expectation, writes policy expert Kat George. Although Vestiaire is an overseas company, Australian consumer law still applies The Guardian - AU · Aug 4, 2024
In just three months Bonza has collapsed and Rex is on the brink. What’s gone wrong? Australian aviation appeared vibrant in 2023. But headwinds, not seen by the public, soon hit the two airlines that were pushing down ticket prices The Guardian - AU · Aug 2, 2024
What is ‘slot hoarding’ – and is it locking out regional airlines like Rex? It’s been a depressing year for regional aviation. Rex Airlines has just become the second Australian airline to go into voluntary administration this year, after Bonza’s collapse in April. The Conversation · Aug 2, 2024
Consumer watchdog urges crackdown on businesses using Centrepay to cause financial harm It is alleged energy companies deducted money from welfare payments of people, including Indigenous Australians, who were no longer customers The Guardian - AU · Aug 1, 2024
Rex’s demise highlights industry’s favouritism of Qantas and Virgin, former watchdog chair says Rod Sims says criticism of Rex’s decision to compete with major operators on capital city routes ignores failures of public policy The Guardian - AU · Aug 1, 2024
‘Amazonification’ of Australian live music industry hurting artists and crew, inquiry told Union tells inquiry consumer watchdog should investigate and accuses Live Nation and competitor TEG of anti-competitive behaviour The Guardian - AU · Jul 26, 2024
AAP · Jul 19, 2024 Corporate watchdog clears indigenous art centre The ACCC has found no breaches of consumer law at the APY Art Centre Collective, but another regulator has told it to clean up its books.
AAP · Jul 18, 2024 Car auction site that misled buyers fined $10 million An Australian online auction business has been hit with a multimillion dollar fine by the consumer watchdog after advertising false and misleading car listings.
The Guardian - AU · Jul 6, 2024 Real criminals, fake victims: how chatbots are being deployed in the global fight against phone scammers New scambaiting AI technology Apate aims to keep scammers on the line while collecting data that could help disrupt their business model
AAP · Jul 4, 2024 'Wake-up call': watchdog reignites gas supply warning Australia's domestic gas market may run into shortfalls as soon as 2027, a year earlier than the competition regulator's last estimate.
The Guardian - AU · Jul 4, 2024 Gas shortfalls for eastern states worse than predicted just months ago, ACCC warns Projections of shortfalls – and calls for more production – come even as the bulk of gas produced in Australia is exported
AAP · Jul 2, 2024 Watchdog warning ends Google deal with Telstra, Optus Telstra and Optus have agreed to stop accepting payments from Google under deals to pre-install the tech giant's search software as default on their phones.
The Guardian - AU · Jun 28, 2024 Afternoon Update: Democrats worried after poor Biden performance; Nine to cut 200 jobs; and sharp increase in Victorian motorcyclist fatalities Donald Trump and Joe Biden sparred over abortion and tax policy in the first presidential debate
The Conversation · Jun 28, 2024 ANZ’s $4.9 billion Suncorp takeover will now go ahead. Is the government sending mixed messages on business competition? Two years after the deal was first announced, Treasurer Jim Chalmers has today given the green light for ANZ to acquire the banking arm of Queensland-based insurer Suncorp.
AAP · Jun 27, 2024 Virtual reality tech, batteries named in safety probe Battery-powered products and new kinds of consumer gadgets will be closely examined by Australia's consumer watchdog as a top priority.
The Guardian - AU · Jun 23, 2024 Australia’s ‘broken’ childcare system blamed for cost-of-working crisis. What needs to change? With Labor’s more generous subsidies largely eroded by rising fees, many are now pushing for major reform
AAP · Jun 14, 2024 Win for dudded savers as banks forced to alert changes A suite of changes to banking regulations should make it easier for customers to move to more competitive home loan and saving account offers.