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Post by dieseltojo on Nov 1, 2019 12:05:47 GMT 10
www.accc.gov.au/media-release/furniture-chains-pay-penalties-for-making-alleged-misleading-%E2%80%9Cwas-now%E2%80%9D-price-claims1 November 2019 Four furniture retailers have each paid a penalty of $12,600 after the ACCC issued them with an infringement notice following an ACCC investigation into the industry’s use of ‘was/now’ price comparisons in advertising. For example, one of the retailers advertised a ‘Roller Ottoman’ at a price of $539 with the words ‘save $360’, even though it was available for $449 directly before the sale, while another advertised an occasional chair with the words ‘$799, save $200’, when its usual price for the previous six-months was $699, $100 cheaper than the sale price.
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Post by dieseltojo on Nov 7, 2019 11:55:29 GMT 10
www.accc.gov.au/media-release/differences-in-rsp-download-speeds-are-growingDifferences in RSP download speeds are growing 7 November 2019 Optus has delivered the highest percentage of maximum download speeds during the busy evening period, ahead of TPG, which was the fastest retail service provider (RSP) for download speeds in five previous ACCC reports. All RSPs delivered average NBN download speeds of between 76 per cent and 87 per cent of maximum plan speeds during the high-demand evening hours in August 2019, the latest ACCC Measuring Broadband Australia report, released today, shows. Exetel, Optus and Telstra improved their speed test performance during the busy hours of 7pm to 11pm, while the other RSPs saw speeds decrease slightly compared to the previous quarter. NBN services continue to outperform ADSL services. Consumers on NBN plans with a maximum speed of 12 and 50 Mbps experienced small speed lifts during the quarter. Consumers on NBN 12 Mbps plans received an average download speed of 10.8 Mbps during the busy hours, slightly higher than the 8.0 Mbps download speed observed when averaging busy hour results for each volunteer on ADSL connections. “We are seeing significant differences in download speeds during busy hours between RSPs offering NBN broadband plans,” ACCC Chair Rod Sims said. “This shows how RSP performances can vary, and why it pays for consumers to do their research. We encourage consumers to compare the busy hour speed claims made by RSPs with their real-world performance, as set out in the Measuring Broadband Australia results, especially if they are paying more in the expectation of faster broadband speeds.”
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Post by dieseltojo on Nov 7, 2019 17:36:13 GMT 10
www.accc.gov.au/media-release/urgent-new-recall-for-bmw-vehicles-containing-faulty-takata-airbags7 November 2019 Transport safety authorities in Australia, US and Japan have identified a different type of Takata airbag that poses a critical risk of death or serious injury to vehicle occupants, prompting an urgent recall of around 12 000 BMW vehicles which may still be in use on Australian roads. BMW in Australia has today begun a voluntary recall of BMW E46 3 Series cars, produced between November 1997 and June 2000, following safety authorities’ recent identification of a pattern of abnormal airbag deployments involving BMW cars in Australia, Japan and the US. If a vehicle with an affected airbag is involved in a collision, the airbag inflator could rupture, causing sharp metal fragments to enter the vehicle cabin at high speed and potentially killing or injuring vehicle occupants. The ACCC and the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development are working with police and other authorities to understand the facts regarding two recent suspected misdeployments of these inflators in Australia, including a death and a serious injury. Owners of affected vehicles should stop driving their vehicle immediately and urgently contact their local BMW dealership or call BMW Australia’s Takata Hotline directly on 1800 243 675 to organise their free vehicle inspection. Vehicles will be either towed to the place of inspection or a mobile technician will come to inspect the vehicle at the consumer’s home or the vehicle’s location. If the vehicle does contain an affected airbag, BMW will offer to arrange a loan or hire car or reimbursement for alternative transportation costs until parts are available for airbag replacement, or until other arrangements can be made. Alternatively, the consumer may discuss the vehicle being purchased by BMW.
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Post by dieseltojo on Nov 21, 2019 16:33:54 GMT 10
tps://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/telstra-to-contact-customers-with-slow-nbn-speeds Telstra to contact customers with slow NBN speeds 21 November 2019 Telstra and Belong customers that upgraded to higher-speed NBN plans will be proactively contacted if they are not getting the maximum speed available under the plan. Under a November 2017 court-enforceable undertaking, Telstra was required to check customers’ broadband speeds if they were connected to the NBN via FTTN or FTTB technology. If a customer’s connection wasn’t able to get the maximum speeds promised under their plan, Telstra was required to inform the customer of the maximum speeds attainable, and offer a remedy if the customer wanted to change or exit their contract. But in August 2019 Telstra advised the ACCC that it had failed to check the maximum broadband speeds of 180,000 Telstra or Belong services which moved to a higher-speed tier plan. About 168,000 plans had been upgraded by Telstra or Belong at no extra cost for an unrelated reason. Telstra’s failure to carry out the speed checks meant that customers were not informed on whether they were getting the maximum speeds promised under the upgraded NBN plans. It also meant they were not offered options to address slow speeds, such as exiting their contract or receiving a refund. Telstra has since committed to contacting all affected customers and refunding those who have been paying for the higher speeds but not receiving them. It will also pro-actively move consumers to a lower speed NBN plan if they are not receiving any benefit from being on a higher speed tier NBN plan. “Everyone who receives an email or letter from Telstra about their NBN service should take note of the maximum speed they are getting and check that they are not paying for something they are not receiving,” ACCC Chair Rod Sims said.
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Post by dieseltojo on Dec 18, 2019 19:06:46 GMT 10
This is issued only on the 17 Dec 2019......A different problem now on recall.
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Post by dieseltojo on Dec 20, 2019 12:48:04 GMT 10
VW Pay out www.accc.gov.au/media-release/court-orders-volkswagen-to-pay-record-125-million-in-penalties20 December 2019 The Federal Court has ordered Volkswagen AG to pay $125 million in penalties, after it declared by consent that Volkswagen breached the Australian Consumer Law by making false representations about compliance with Australian diesel emissions standards. The $125 million that Volkswagen has been ordered to pay is the highest total penalty order ever made by the Court for contraventions of the Australian Consumer Law. Volkswagen admitted that, when it sought approval to supply and import more than 57,000 vehicles into Australia between 2011 and 2015, it did not disclose to the Australian Government the existence of ‘Two Mode’ software. Volkswagen admitted that when switched to ‘Mode 1’ for the purposes of emissions testing, the software caused its vehicles to produce lower nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, but that when driven in on road conditions, the vehicles switched to ‘Mode 2’ and produced higher NOx emissions. “Volkswagen’s conduct was blatant and deliberate,” ACCC Chair Rod Sims said. “This penalty reflects a trend of ever higher penalties for breaches of Australian consumer law,” Mr Sims said. “The previous highest penalties of $10 million for Coles, Ford and Telstra were recently overtaken by penalties of $12 million against We Buy Houses and then penalties of $26 million ordered against vocational training provider Empower Institute.”
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Post by dieseltojo on Dec 22, 2019 7:51:48 GMT 10
www.accc.gov.au/media-release/household-electricity-bills-fall-but-affordability-still-a-concern22 December 2019 The average annual bill for households in the National Electricity Market fell in 2018–19 compared with the previous year, by $65 or 4 per cent, the latest ACCC electricity markets report has found. But while average household bills fell to $1509 in 2018–19, households were still paying about 20 per cent ($254) more than in 2007–08, and the average price for a unit of electricity drawn from the grid was about 45 per cent higher in real terms. For example, the average household pays about $550 a year (or 9.4 cents per kWh) more than a household with solar panels, a situation the ACCC believes raises significant questions about fairness. “The cost of installing solar panels has reduced significantly in recent years, so environmental schemes like the premium FiT rebates are no longer needed to make solar an attractive option for those households that can afford it,” Mr Sims said. “Indeed, all customers who can, should consider how much they could save by installing solar panels.” “We are primarily concerned about the additional costs such schemes have imposed on households that cannot access or afford to install solar panels,” Mr Sims said. “Funding environmental schemes through government budgets rather than through increased electricity charges should also be considered as a more equitable option.” Recent retail pricing reforms mean lower prices and improved competition
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Post by dieseltojo on Dec 23, 2019 21:49:32 GMT 10
www.accc.gov.au/media-release/ford-joins-airbag-recall-due-to-safety-concernsFord joins airbag recall due to safety concerns 23 December 2019 The ACCC is urging Australians driving a Ford Courier vehicle manufactured between 1998 and 2000 to check if the car is included in a new airbag safety recall. Ford Australia today announced a voluntary recall of 216 Ford Courier vehicles which pose a serious safety risk that could lead to deaths or serious injuries. The affected airbags are fitted with a NADI 5-AT propellant and are the same as airbags recently recalled by Audi and BMW. These airbags differ from airbags already recalled under the existing compulsory recall of Takata airbags, which is ongoing. “These airbags may misdeploy in an accident, causing metal fragments to propel from the airbag and potentially injure or kill people in the car. Another risk is that these airbags may fail to fully inflate in case of an accident,” ACCC Chair Rod Sims said. “We urge drivers to check if their vehicle is affected by checking the VIN number, the list of affected makes and models, or by ringing the manufacturer’s hotline.” “We welcome Ford joining the recall before Christmas, and hope other manufacturers will urgently finalise recalls of their affected vehicles,” Mr Sims said. Audi and BMW have already started voluntary recalls of affected vehicles and further recalls are expected in the new year.
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Post by dieseltojo on Jan 10, 2020 12:37:53 GMT 10
www.accc.gov.au/media-release/toyota-mazda-and-suzuki-join-new-airbag-safety-recall-due-to-serious-safety-risk10 January 2020 Toyota, Mazda and Suzuki have today issued voluntary recalls of more than 18,000 vehicles manufactured between 1996 and 1999, including the popular Toyota Starlets, offering to buy back affected vehicles. These vehicles are fitted with potentially deadly Takata NADI 5-AT airbags. “These airbags could injure or kill people in the car by misdeploying in an accident and propelling parts or metal fragments into the cabin of the vehicle at high speed,” ACCC Acting Chair Stephen Ridgeway said. “The airbags have also, in some instances, not fully inflated in a crash, thereby failing to protect drivers as expected.” Owners of affected Toyota, Mazda and Suzuki vehicles are advised to stop driving their vehicles immediately and contact their manufacturer to arrange an urgent, free inspection. Safety authorities in Australia have now received reports of four incidents involving suspected misdeployments of these airbags in Australia. These incidents resulted in a death and a serious injury in BMW vehicles, and a death and a serious injury in Toyota vehicles. “Drivers must take these warnings seriously. These airbags pose a serious safety risk that could lead to deaths or serious injuries. Please do not put lives at risk, and consider other transport options if your vehicle is affected,” Mr Ridgeway said. Consumers should check if their car is included in this recall by checking their vehicle’s VIN number in the table below or visiting the Product Safety Australia website. People who need help to check if their vehicle is affected, should ring the manufacturer’s hotline for help.
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Post by nsgnomad on Jan 10, 2020 17:49:08 GMT 10
DT, that link does not work.
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Post by dieseltojo on Jan 11, 2020 10:18:53 GMT 10
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Post by dieseltojo on Jan 14, 2020 9:43:42 GMT 10
www.accc.gov.au/media-release/4wd-supacentre-pays-63000-for-alleged-misleading-was-now-pricing14 January 2020 Outdoor Supacentre Pty Ltd, trading as 4WD Supacentre, has paid $63,000 in penalties after the ACCC issued it with five infringement notices for allegedly misleading consumers about ‘was/now’ price comparisons advertised on its website. The ACCC has also accepted a court-enforceable undertaking in which 4WD Supacentre has committed to not engage in similar conduct. Between December 2018 and January 2019, 4WD Supacentre advertised some of its highest selling products with a high ‘was’ price and a low ‘now’ price. This was despite the products not being advertised or sold by 4WD Supacentre at the ‘was’ price at any time during the previous three months. For example, 4WD Supacentre advertised a camp oven with a ‘was’ price of $279 and a ‘now’ price of $84, representing an apparent saving of $195. In fact, the camp oven had not been advertised at a price higher than $104 for the three month period beforehand. 4WD Supacentre’s undertaking can be found on the ACCC’s website: Outdoor Supacentre Pty Ltd. Background: 4WD Supacentre is a retailer of four-wheel drive vehicle and camping accessories. It sells products online, in company stores, and to dealers. Notes to editor: Further information on two-price comparison advertising is available at Advertising and selling guide: two-price comparison advertising
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Post by dieseltojo on Jan 20, 2020 18:46:30 GMT 10
www.accc.gov.au/media-release/honda-and-mitsubishi-recall-42000-cars-due-to-serious-airbag-safety-risk20 January 2020 Honda and Mitsubishi have commenced voluntary recalls for vehicles manufactured between 1996 and 2000 due to a serious safety concern relating to faulty airbags. These vehicles may have been fitted with potentially deadly Takata NADI 5-AT airbags. There is a risk these airbags may misdeploy in an accident and cause metal fragments to propel out of the airbag at high speed, resulting in serious injuries or death to vehicle occupants. There is also a risk that these airbags may under-inflate. Owners of affected Honda and Mitsubishi vehicles are advised to stop driving their cars immediately and contact their manufacturer. With the recalls by Honda and Mitsubishi following earlier recalls from BMW, Audi, Ford, Mazda, Suzuki and Toyota, there are now eight manufacturers which have issued recalls in relation to vehicles fitted with the Takata NADI 5-AT airbags, amounting to about 78,000 vehicles being recalled. “These Takata NADI 5-AT airbags may kill or injure vehicle occupants if they misdeploy in an accident,” said ACCC Chair Rod Sims. “Two drivers have already died in Australia after their Takata NADI 5-AT airbags ruptured and propelled metal parts into the car interior.” “We urge owners to check if their vehicle is affected by visiting the Product Safety Australia website or contacting their manufacturer,” Mr Sims said. These new recalls of about 78,000 cars fitted with Takata NADI 5-AT airbags are different to the compulsory recall involving a different type of Takata airbag issued nearly two years ago.
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Post by dieseltojo on Jan 21, 2020 16:07:58 GMT 10
www.accc.gov.au/media-release/trivago-misled-consumers-about-hotel-room-rates21 January 2020 The Federal Court has found Trivago breached the Australian Consumer Law when it made misleading representations about hotel room rates both on its website and television advertising. The Court ruled that from at least December 2016, Trivago misled consumers by representing its website would quickly and easily help users identify the cheapest rates available for a given hotel. In fact, Trivago used an algorithm which placed significant weight on which online hotel booking site paid Trivago the highest cost-per-click fee in determining its website rankings and often did not highlight the cheapest rates for consumers. “Trivago’s hotel room rate rankings were based primarily on which online hotel booking sites were willing to pay Trivago the most,” ACCC Chair Rod Sims said. “By prominently displaying a hotel offer in ‘top position’ on its website, Trivago represented that the offer was either the cheapest available offer or had some other extra feature that made it the best offer when this was often not the case,” Mr Sims said. The Court also found Trivago’s hotel room rate comparisons that used strike-through prices or text in different colours gave consumers a false impression of savings because they often compared an offer for a standard room with an offer for a luxury room at the same hotel. “We brought this case because we consider that Trivago’s conduct was particularly egregious. Many consumers may have been tricked by these price displays into thinking they were getting great discounts. In fact, Trivago wasn’t comparing apples with apples when it came to room type for these room rate comparisons,” Mr Sims said.
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Post by dieseltojo on Jan 21, 2020 16:08:37 GMT 10
Downloads soar as Australians binge on streaming 21 January 2020
Australians are spending less time talking on their mobile phones and downloading substantially more data than they were even a year ago, the ACCC’s Communications Market Report for 2018-19 has found. The rapid take-up of streaming services such as Netflix, Stan, Optus Sport and Kayo Sports contributed to a 47 per cent jump in data downloads over the year, with fixed broadband services accounting for 88 per cent of all data downloaded.
The report shows how Australians’ communication methods are changing, as minutes spent using traditional voice services on mobile phones dropped the first time over the year, reflecting the increasing use of social media and over-the-top services like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Viber. At the same time, the proportion of Australians who solely rely on mobile services for broadband is declining, dropping from 23 per cent in 2014 to 16 per cent in 2019, according to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
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