No matter how high your electricity bill, there are few things more annoying than the doorbell ringing during dinner and some idiot trying to convince you to change electricity providers. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)s takes a dim view of the tactics used by some electricity sellers, and is taking five providers and marketing companies to court over their behaviour.
Apple being taken to court for deceptive marketing by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) should come as no surprise. The company’s recent history in Australia is littered with examples of its disregard for Australian consumer law and, by extension, Australian consumers.
You can buy the new iPad in Australia in two configurations; the straight Wi-Fi version, or the Wi-Fi+4G version — although as we’ve pointed out endlessly by now, it won’t connect to any Australian 4G networks currently operating or planned for operation this year. The ACCC isn’t impressed with Apple’s efforts to make consumers aware of this, and has announced it’s taking legal action against Apple.
The unpleasant reality: many people are dishonest and will try and scam you or your loved ones. Awareness is your biggest defence. Here are the most prevalent scams in Australia, and how you can avoid them.
Eucalyptus oil is a dinky-di product, but that doesn’t automatically mean it’s made down under. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) has fined Double D $6,600 for falsely claiming that oil from China and Southern Africa was actually made in Australia.
The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) is taking Flight Centre to court, alleging it tried to get airlines to ensure that prices quoted on their sites didn’t beat what it was offering. Whatever the outcome, it’s a reminder that booking directly via airlines is almost always the best way to score cheap fares.
Since last July, the ACCC has being weighing up whether Foxtel acquiring Austar would be anti-competitive, a question in which the likely future of the NBN plays a crucial role. An issues paper issued today suggests the ACCC might approve the merger, but only if Foxtel ensures that some of the content it acquires is also made available to rival IPTV providers such as FetchTV.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) enforces consumer law in Australia. What are its key targets for 2012? Protecting vulnerable consumers (including the elderly and remote indigenous Australians), ensuring phone sale contracts don’t get more complicated, keeping a close eye on the NBN and stopping companies using the carbon tax as an excuse to raise prices.
Unless you’ve had need to trawl through the ACCC’s website to figure out the best way to acquire a refund or replacement, it’s unlikely you know the specific ins and outs of our legal system when it comes to dealing with these situations. According to the ACCC, 90 per cent of us fall into this group and, as such, the organisation has launched a new campaign to raise awareness.
One of the basic rules of advertising prices in Australia is that you have to prominently display the entire cost. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is taking Air Asia to court, alleging that it has advertised flights without showing the total costs including taxes and other fees.
