This Month
Music fans caught in industry’s surge-pricing war
Surge pricing – where ticket prices peak with demand – has been the scourge of the Oasis reunion tour. Can anything be done to stop the rot?
- James Hall
July
ASIC queried Qantas’ knowledge of ACCC investigation as shares fell
The regulator wrote to the competition watchdog requesting a “a better understanding” of the probe into ticket sales on cancelled flights, emails reveal.
- Vesna Poljak and Kylar Loussikian
April
Companies at risk of ‘state-sponsored greenwashing’, Senate told
The ACCC has not yet signed off on the government’s Climate Active carbon neutrality certification even though more than 500 companies already use it.
- Hannah Wootton
March
- Exclusive
- Construction
Home builders keep buyers in the dark about financials
Without clarity about builders’ financial positions, consumers could again unwittingly pay deposits to builders about to go under.
- Michael Bleby
December 2023
Mattress maker accuses rivals of dodgy marketing with fake reviews
One of the Young Rich Lister founders of Sleeping Duck says the websites are owned by rival companies and are masquerading as review sites.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones
November 2023
ACCC poised for $50m blitz on unfair contracts
The watchdog’s ‘ghost flights’ case against Qantas is a warning to other firms that they are on notice for “take or leave” terms in standard consumer contracts.
- Michael Pelly
These are the most complained about super funds
Grievances about AustralianSuper more than doubled to 750 last financial year – more than two times the average of big providers on a per-member basis.
- Hannah Wootton
October 2023
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Qantas has made its ‘ghost flights’ defence. Now it should settle
The company that calls itself the Spirit of Australia would be best to show it believes in the spirit of consumer law, not the letter of it.
- James Thomson
Builder blames hidden commissions for his company’s collapse
Home owners were often unaware they were also paying agents’ commissions worth tens of thousands of dollars, the former Chatham Homes owner said.
- Michael Bleby
March 2023
MYOB allegedly manipulating users into joining its sub-par super fund
The government is already reviewing how companies could be circumventing laws on stapling workers to single super funds.
- Hannah Wootton
January 2023
Life insurer apologises for ‘unfortunate mistake’
A system error at fast-growing Resolution Life ensured that hundreds of customers received time sensitive information seven weeks late.
- Peter Ker
December 2022
ACCC moves against Dominique Grubisa and DG Institute
The competition watchdog has accused the debt and property spruiker of selling and marketing misleading products.
- Max Mason
October 2022
Consumer groups slam calls to share data beyond Privacy Act
Consumer groups say Treasury is more interested in creating a fintech market than protecting data.
- Ayesha de Kretser
September 2022
- Opinion
- Retail
Retailers’ blind spot over facial recognition technology
Scanning the faces of customers was an overreach by retailers and is likely to be prohibited under proposed new laws.
- Sue Mitchell
NRMA slams ‘unacceptable’ petrol prices ahead of excise return
Petrol prices in Australia’s four major cities are at “unacceptably” high levels with more pain to come, according to NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury.
- Gus McCubbing
Stop scams by making banks reimburse fraud
Banks would invest in systems to stop scams if they were liable for losses incurred by customers, the Consumer Action Law Centre says.
- Ayesha de Kretser
July 2022
ACCC lashes caravan industry over poor consumer treatment
The ACCC has taken aim at the $23 billion caravan industry for delayed delivery of new builds, widespread consumer guarantee failures and warranty concerns.
- Gus McCubbing
June 2022
Calls for inquiry into model for BNPL rules
After the government flagged BNPL will be treated as credit products, Financial Counselling Australia called for an external inquiry to examine consumer harms.
- James Eyers
April 2022
Buy now, pay later’s disappearing act
Buy now, pay later accounts handily surmise a transfer of wealth from moronic shareholders to penniless consumers.
- Michael Roddan
March 2022
Battle over BNPL regulation goes global
In the world of diplomacy, some things are better left unsaid.
- Michael Roddan