Consumer policy news and updates from CFA members, regulators, policy makers, researchers and others.

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CHOICE welcomes NABâ€™s decision to settle late payment fee class action

CHOICE has applauded the decision by NAB to settle a class action over unfair late payment fees and believes it sends a clear signal that other major banks should follow suit.
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Seeking consumer rep for Standards Australia committee on DIY vehicle maintenance products

Expressions of interest close today for a vacancy on a Standards Australia Technical Committee to update requirements for warning labels on car jacks, trolley jacks, vehicle stands and vehicle ramps. Read more

ASIC continues crackdown on payday lending avoidance models

Following ASIC intervention, Cash Loan Money Centres and Sunshine Loans have agreed to stop offering â€˜leasebackâ€™ arrangements to consumers who want a payday loan â€“ business models which deliberately attempt to avoid consumer protections. Read more

Victorian consumer groups celebrate win for simpler energy contracts

Consumer Action Law Centre and the Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre welcomed the Victorian governmentâ€™s announcement that it will ban energy retailers using the term â€œfixedâ€ when referring to contracts with variable pricing.
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ACCC takes action against Europcar over alleged unfair contract terms

The ACCC has instituted proceedings in the Federal Court against Europcar, alleging that a number of terms in Europcarâ€™s vehicle rental contracts are unfair, and that Europcar has engaged in misleading conduct regarding the liability cover provided to car hire customers. Read more

ACCAN calls real time data usage alerts a win for consumers

The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network has welcomed Telstraâ€™s announcement of real time mobile data usage alerts as a win for consumers. ACCAN has been calling on the telcos to implement real time alerts for mobile data usage for a number of years. Read more

Pensioners welcome action against funeral giant for misleading conduct

Pensioners have welcomed the Australian Competition and Consumer Commissionâ€™s action against the countryâ€™s largest funeral company, InvoCare, which was found to have allegedly misled its customers.

In January 2011, InvoCare changed its standard contract to require consumers to also purchase memorials from InvoCare for use at burial sites. Read more

Photo credits:

1 Leonard John Matthews (cc); lawmoment (cc); taberandrew (cc); jACK TWO (cc); Brian Costelloe (cc); Roozbeh Rokni (cc); ~Prescott (cc)

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