LATEST NEWS
Shipping Container Scams Trending Up
A new scamming trend has hit Australia. Shipping container scams join the top five list of scams across the nation, fleecing consumers of millions of dollars. They are popular on marketplaces and classified sites, but scammers also created fake websites and falsified ABNs. Scamwatch has taken action to get some fake websites removed.
Venue operators face increased litigation due to furniture related injuries.
Venue operators face increased litigation due to furniture related injuries. The AFA continues to assist a number of furniture industry businesses to manage litigious situations. The increase in insurance claims is due to the lack of understanding by venue operators...
Franchise Laws Set to Shakeup Retail Sector
Reforms to the Franchise sector laws are set to reduce the prevalence of unfair terms in standard form contracts and to improve consumer and small business confidence.
Changes to the Franchising Code now give franchisees a right to request early termination from a franchisor
Bunks and Bean Bags top the list of failures
A further nine furniture product safety recalls were reported to the ACCC this month, with Bunk Beds and Bean Bags heading the list and eBay being amongst the sellers under scrutiny. Retailers have been warned to meet their obligations. Concerns are increasing over...
Focus on furnishing industry standards now at critical point
Standards are applied to protect buyers, consumers and users. They are used to demonstrate a commitment to the community’s expectation of a safe and sustainable Australia and are recognised as a value-add to Australia’s economic efficiency, trade and international...
Consumers to benefit from increased penalties under Australian Consumer Law
Federal Parliament has increased maximum financial penalties under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). In its final report on the ACL Review, Consumer Affairs Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ) recommended penalties for a breach of the ACL be raised from $1.1 million...
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is an independent Commonwealth statutory authority whose role is to enforce the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 and a range of additional legislation, promoting competition, fair trading and regulating national infrastructure for the benefit of all Australians. The ACCC’s purpose is to make markets work for consumers, now and in the future. The role of the ACCC is to protect, strengthen and supplement the way competition works in Australian markets and industries to improve the efficiency of the economy and to increase the welfare of Australians.
The ACCC will take action where this improves consumer welfare, protects competition or stops conduct that is anti-competitive or harmful to consumers, and promotes the proper functioning of Australian markets.
The ACCC priorities are reflected in four key goals:
- maintain and promote competition and remedy market failure
- protect the interests and safety of consumers and support fair trading in markets
- promote the economically efficient operation of, use of and investment in monopoly infrastructure
- increase our engagement with the broad range of groups affected by what we do.
Visit the ACCC site HERE.