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Consumer rights

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Water woes for Greater Western Water customers.

‘Complete shambles’: Data breaches and incorrect bills in Greater Western Water bungle

The company’s long-running billing bungles have led to potential data breaches and delayed property settlements.

  • Madeleine Heffernan

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U-GO self-service petrol station in Mentone, in bayside Melbourne.

Service with a smile or smile for the camera: Fuelling change at the local servo

The last vestiges of old-fashioned service and friendly faces on the road are giving way to a new crop of DIY petrol stations without any faces at all.

  • Madeleine Heffernan
Mother and daughter Bronwyn and Stephanie Foot paid $340 each for return flights to Brisbane months ago.

Melbourne-Sydney flights jump in price after competition collapse

Flying domestically has become cheaper, but not between Melbourne and Sydney.

  • Madeleine Heffernan

This sneaky tactic almost cost me $400. It’s time we do something about it

The digital age offers us many conveniences, but it’s also opened the door to new types of exploitation.

  • Noel Whittaker
They’ve got your number … unless you refuse to give it to them.

No, retailers, you can’t have my number. We’re not in a relationship

I used to give out my phone number to any old shopkeeper. From now on, I’m playing hard to get.

  • Cherie Gilmour
The VHH is a way for Victoria to future-proof its citizens against heart disease for the next five decades.

Started a new year health kick? Beware the ‘subscription trap’

Gyms, streaming services and meal-kit providers are being targeted by proposed new laws that will crack down on unfair business practices.

  • Millie Muroi
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The Commonwealth Bank of Australia will pay a $7.5 million fine for the breach.

Commonwealth Bank cops another fine for breaching spam laws

An ACMA investigation has slugged the bank $7.5 million for sending over 170 million marketing emails to customers with no way for them to unsubscribe.

  • Hannah Hammoud
Mantra Southbank.

Warning over dodgy hotel booking sites charging hundreds in fees

Some third-party websites are advertising low rates only to hit guests with hundreds of dollars in additional fees.

  • Penry Buckley
Harvey Norman chairman, Gerry Harvey.

Bad timing: Big business’ image tarnished by Harvey Norman class action

All it took was a class action lawsuit to put a kink in a nation-unifying call from the Business Council to cease and desist with business bashing.

  • Elizabeth Knight
You’re not quite hearing me.

Now AI will soften our fury at call centre staff. Let’s rage against this machine

Don’t gag us just because we complain. We’re justifiably angry.

  • Cherie Gilmour

Original URL: https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/topic/consumer-rights-hpf