Posted
The competition watchdog says it will not stand in the way of ports and transport operator Asciano being bought out by a global consortium, nor will it block Metcash's possible Home Hardware takeover.
Topics: takeovers, consumer-protection, retail, rail-transport, sea-transport, australia
Posted
The Launceston Chamber of Commerce is worried about the impact of higher petrol prices, after the ACCC found the city's motorists were paying on average four cents a litre more than they should be.
Topics: consumer-protection, business-economics-and-finance, launceston-7250
Posted
| UpdatedThe consumer watchdog finds greater competition in Launceston could bring down petrol prices by up to 4 cents a litre.
Topics: consumer-protection, launceston-7250, tas
Posted
Tasmania's main motoring body calls for legislation to ensure greater petrol price transparency as it moves to end its own Fuel Watch service.
Topics: consumer-protection, tas, hobart-7000, launceston-7250
Posted
The former Commonwealth auditor-general defends his new role overseeing reforms in the banking industry to address a series of financial scandals.
Topics: banking, consumer-protection, consumer-finance, australia
Posted
Discount supermarket chain Aldi issues a recall for hotdog rolls in New South Wales and Canberra, instructing customers not to eat them, after metal shavings were found inside some products.
Topics: food-safety, food-and-beverage, consumer-protection, nsw, act
Posted
Dick Smith's creditors are likely to be left at least $260 million out of pocket, although the collapsed retailer's staff have received, or will soon receive, their full entitlements.
Topics: electronics, retail, consumer-protection, australia
Posted
| UpdatedAustralia's consumer watchdog is investigating the safety of a popular Ikea drawer range after recalls in China and the United States.
Topics: consumer-protection, business-economics-and-finance, retail, accidents---other, australia, united-states, china
Posted
Optus agrees to refund a total of more than $2 million to thousands of mobile phone customers after overcharging them for insurance.
Topics: telecommunications, fraud-and-corporate-crime, consumer-protection, australia
Posted
Two junk food giants are rapped over the knuckles and fined $10,800 by the consumer watchdog for claiming their products are suitable for school kids.
Topics: business-economics-and-finance, company-news, consumer-protection, food-and-beverage, australia
Posted
Competition watchdog ACCC launches online resource for small business, farmers, looking to collectively bargain.
Topics: mining-rural, consumer-protection, fruit, small-business, dairy-production, trade, perth-6000
Posted
| UpdatedConsumer advocacy group Choice is demanding customers be allowed to break their fixed contracts if they have been affected by Telstra's multiple phone and internet network outages.
Topics: telecommunications, consumer-protection, australia
Posted
| UpdatedHyundai says it has voluntarily recalled 17,000 of its Tucson SUVs in Australia after an incident in New Zealand saw a bonnet lifting suddenly and blocking the front vision of a driver.
Topics: company-news, business-economics-and-finance, consumer-protection, automotive, australia
Posted
| UpdatedThere have been thousands of reports this week about scammers posing as tax office collectors who are threatening people with arrest if they do not pay up.
Topics: consumer-protection, fraud-and-corporate-crime, law-crime-and-justice, human-interest, brisbane-4000
Posted
Consumers will find it easier to know where their food has come from, with new country of origin food labelling reforms starting today.
Topics: packaging, consumer-protection, food-and-beverage, food-processing, australia
Posted
| UpdatedFurniture giant Ikea says it is recalling its hugely popular Malm model of chest of drawers after six children were crushed to death when the chests tipped over.
Topics: consumer-protection, retail, accidents---other, united-states, canada, sweden
Posted
| UpdatedVolkswagen settles with nearly 500,000 US diesel owners over polluting vehicles, with a deal valued at more than $US15 billion, two sources say.
Topics: business-economics-and-finance, company-news, consumer-protection, environment, united-states
Posted
| UpdatedSporting goods retailer Fabletics will change its website to better disclose its subscription-based model after the competition watchdog raised concerns over its "VIP" membership program.
Topics: business-economics-and-finance, company-news, consumer-protection, retail, internet-technology, women, community-and-society, australia
Posted
Consumer group Choice says a record fine handed down by the Federal Court to a Gold Coast company that breached the 'Do Not Call' register should act as a warning to other businesses.
Topics: consumer-protection, courts-and-trials, southport-4215
Posted
| UpdatedThe competition watchdog says it has started proceedings in the Federal Court against Medibank for "misleading and unconscionable conduct".
Topics: business-economics-and-finance, company-news, consumer-protection, australia
Posted
| UpdatedInsurance company Allianz is being forced to repay hundreds of thousands of dollars, after it is found to have misled some pet insurance customers.
Topics: consumer-protection, insurance, australia
Posted
NAB is now the third major bank to find itself in the Federal Court over alleged interest rate rigging, after the Australian Securities and Investments Commission launches action against it.
Topics: banking, business-economics-and-finance, company-news, consumer-protection, australia
Posted
| UpdatedThe Federal Court orders Woolworths to pay penalties totalling $9 million for its involvement in a laundry detergent cartel.
Topics: retail, consumer-protection, regulation, fraud-and-corporate-crime, australia
Posted
| UpdatedComplaints made to consumer protection over ad scam
Topics: consumer-protection, bunbury-6230
Posted
| UpdatedA businessman who lost more than $15 million in an off-the-plan penthouse purchase is warning ordinary apartment buyers to be aware they can lose much more than their deposit if they break the contract.
Topics: housing-industry, building-and-construction, consumer-protection, australia