Watchdog
Exclusive
Childcare
WA childcare service accused of taking tens of thousands from parents
Consumer Protection is warning WA families to steer clear after at least 37 disgruntled customers claim to have lost more than $37,000 between them.
- by Michael Genovese
Latest
Real estate agency charged after auction sale smashes price guide
The townhouse in Melbourne’s north-east was initially listed for $900,000 to $950,000, then raised to $1 to $1.1million. It sold for more than $1.5 million.
- by Alex Crowe
Analysis
Consumer rights
Calls to make ‘no refund’ claims illegal as retailers snub consumer law
Consumer advocates say some businesses will continue to evade their responsibilities to repair, replace or refund faulty goods without reform of consumer law.
- by John Collett
New federal corruption watchdog focuses on complaints to chase in 2024
Almost 90 per cent of reports to the National Anti-Corruption Commission are dismissed as irrelevant – but have recent whistleblower prosecutions deterred those who know about serious wrongdoing?
- by Olivia Ireland
Exclusive
Cryptocurrencies
Bitcoin to bust: World’s biggest Ponzi scheme could cause more heartache for Australians
Thousands of Australians will be under scrutiny as liquidators look to claw back money “won” in the Ponzi scheme that burned more than $2 billion in investment.
- by Sarah Danckert
Ministerial diaries to be made public in integrity overhaul
Following calls from the corruption watchdog, Victorian ministers and parliamentary secretaries must now declare conflicts and disclose gifts and benefits.
- by Rachel Eddie
Assaulted at uni? You could soon have your own ombudsman
The new plan comes after a damning senate inquiry report found the existing regulator was failing to hold universities to account.
- by Sherryn Groch
How Victoria’s women finally got more public toilets
A public servant in the 1980s proposed an inquiry into whether women needed more public toilets. The Victorian ombudsman wasn’t having it.
- by Tony Wright
How many lithium-ion batteries are in your home?
Fire and Rescue NSW responded to 50 more lithium-ion battery fires in the first eight months of this year than in all of 2022, with household items behind the incidents.
- by Amber Schultz
It took two years for Scott’s landlord to fix the mould. Now, he’s being evicted
Scott Hudson was only offered the home because someone else turned it down. At the time he felt lucky – now he’s not so sure.
- by Jim Malo
Watchdog sues AustralianSuper over 90,000 duplicate accounts
ASIC has taken the country’s biggest super fund to court for failing to merge duplicate accounts, which cost members about $69 million.
- by Millie Muroi
Original URL: https://www.smh.com.au/topic/watchdog-jdu