Inhoudsopgave van November 2023 - CHOICE

Consumer Protection Western Australia says it will stand behind any tenant calling out racism in the state’s real estate industry. “There is no place for racism in society – we will support any tenant who can provide evidence to help us shine a spotlight on hidden and often hard-to-prove racist behaviour in the industry,” Commissioner Trish Blake says. The calls come after the body successfully took action against a real estate agent for sending an email to tenants that was littered with offensive and racist language. The real estate agent was suspended for eight months by the State Administrative Tribunal. “It is easy for people renting to stay quiet for fear of being kicked out or missing out on a rental. I urge anyone in the market to report any…

The ACCC has knocked back toll operator Transurban’s efforts to expand its already considerable reach by acquiring the EastLink toll road in Melbourne. It was a move by the competition regulator aimed at retaining a semblance of competition among Australia’s toll road operators. Transurban is by far and away the biggest, and already operates Melbourne’s CityLink toll road. It’s also in the process of building the West Gate Tunnel toll road in Melbourne, which it will also operate. EastLink is operated by Horizon Roads, the only other toll road operator in Australia. “The proposed acquisition would result in Transurban entrenching its position in Victoria, and prevent the entry of a rival operator which could compete closely for future toll road concessions in Victoria. Transurban would operate every single private-sector controlled…

If you’ve had a bad experience, been ripped off or scammed, tell us and help other CHOICE members avoid the same traps. If you’ve had a great response to a complaint you’ve taken to a manufacturer or retailer, our members want to know about that too! Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Dirty fuel duel After buying a tank of premium petrol at a ‘cheap’ petrol station, my car started behaving poorly to the point where I had it towed to my nearest dealership. It was still under warranty. Hyundai diagnosed (badly) contaminated fuel. All fuel lines and filters had to be cleaned and replaced, with a bill of $705. I rang the vendors and asked for an email address of the manager and then sent copies of…

Cold calling or ‘hawking’ is when a company calls you to offer their products or services, when you haven’t asked them to contact you. It’s now illegal to call someone to offer a financial product, but it’s still legal to offer financial services, such as a “review” of your superannuation or an offer to consolidate your super into one fund. But much of the advice and services being offered are actually available for free. Much of the advice and services being offered are actually available for free Why hawking financial products was banned It was once common for banks or super funds to call people unsolicited to offer them financial products. But in 2017, the banking royal commission heard a string of horror stories about how this practice had hurt…

As you drive over the long sprawling bridge that spans the swelling Murray River, and cross from New South Wales into the Victorian town of Mildura, a sign on the side of the highway greets you. “Mildura, the most livable, people-friendly community in Australia,” it says. The sign is particularly jarring when you’ve just come back from interviewing an Aboriginal man living at his mother’s house 20 kilometres out of town, who says nobody in Mildura will rent to Aboriginal people. “I think they see other people do bad stuff and they think that everyone is like that” “They’re not giving it to Blackfellas,” says Charles Johnson, as he sits sipping a cup of instant coffee at a wobbly dining table outside his mum’s house, on what used to be…

1 START WITH A LIST The retail experts we spoke to all said successful multi-store shopping begins with creating a list of what you need before heading in-store. “The more you can do that, the less the chance of getting tempted by [supermarket] tactics,” says consumer behaviour researcher Professor Nitika Garg. 2 RESEARCH PRICES Once you have your list, it’s important to get to know what’s on special at each nearby store and see which items on your list can be found for less at each location. You can keep track of regular specials by: • downloading supermarket shopping apps on your phone • visiting supermarket websites • browsing catalogues • signing up to emails to be notified about discounts on your favourite products. Third-party apps like…

Air fryers could very well be the most popular new appliance to hit the shelves in the past decade. Essentially mini fan-forced ovens that fit on your benchtop, air fryers continue to evolve to offer more convenience and versatility. The simplest type has a pull-out drawer with a single or twin basket, while others look more like a small oven with a drop-down door and a rotating basket. Even some multi-cooker models are now including air frying functionality. Our kitchen experts have tested all types of air fryers in our labs to help you choose the best model, but it’s also worth considering whether or not you actually need one in the first place. We explore the pros and cons of these trendy appliances. Pros THEY’RE CONVENIENT If your family…

Most smartphones with premium hardware come at a premium price. This can make them prohibitively expensive to repair or replace when something goes wrong. So, when Nokia announced that its new G22 smartphone could be repaired by the user with a ‘repair kit’, we were very interested to find out how it worked and whether it was worth the trouble and cost. Nokia has partnered with how-to site iFixit, which supplies the instructions and repair kits to carry out a number of simple repairs (screen replacements, fresh batteries and so on). Prices for the repair kits range from $35 up to $105, depending on the component, plus delivery costs. Our CHOICE tester carried out a screen repair on a new G22 to see how easy it was to replace. The…

When we published our electric cars comparison in the July issue this year, we got feedback about just how expensive some of the cars were in our table. In this issue, we provide data on electric vehicles that range in cost from $43,000 to around $95,000. Those with eagle eyes will notice that scoring is marginally lower for these cars compared with the higher end models featured earlier. But you’ll certainly still get bang for your buck, depending on what you need from your choice of car. The range or power from a battery is just one consideration when choosing an electric car. For example, here at CHOICE we replaced our older petrol-based vehicle with the Volvo XC40 Recharge. It may not be at the top of everyone’s wish list,…

When a bank pays a big fine for ‘unconscionable conduct’, it generally means the bank knew its actions were wrong but kept them up anyway. That’s the story with NAB, which was recently ordered to pay a $2.1 million penalty by the Federal Court for charging unauthorised transaction fees. “NAB continued to charge fees when it knew it lacked any entitlement to do so and omitted to tell its customers of that wrongful charging,” says ASIC deputy chair Sarah Court. “It took NAB over two years to stop charging these incorrect fees, which was clearly unacceptable.” The cause of the problem was NAB’s “inability to manage its own computer systems”. The Justice in the case had even stronger words, saying the bank “unjustifiably advanced its self-interest whilst knowing that its…

The Consumer Action Law Centre has slammed Telstra’s announced $5 a week internet price increase, saying the company is making huge profits on the back of the pain of families. Consumer Action CEO Stephanie Tonkin says the price rise for internet bills follows recent price rises on mobile phone plans. “It’s another example in the trend of massive businesses posting billions in profits while at the same time increasing prices, citing increasing costs as a driver,” says Tonkin. “As Australia’s leading provider of essential telecommunications and internet services, it is incumbent on Telstra to offer internet plans that people in hardship can actually afford.” The company did announce price savings for certain people on low incomes, but Consumer Action says this doesn’t cover everyone in financial hardship.…

The federal government is giving the online dating industry until the middle of next year to come up with ways to better protect Australians, or face direct regulation. Dating app companies have been asked to collaborate on making a voluntary industry code of practice that will improve safety policies, support for users, and transparency about harms. “Dating apps are now the most common way to meet a partner in Australia, yet the level of violence experienced by users of these platforms is deeply concerning,” says Communications Minister Michelle Rowland. “Online dating platforms must do their part to end violence against Australians.” The ultimatum comes after the Minister convened a National Roundtable on Online Dating Safety earlier this year to examine ways to address sexual violence facilitated by online dating platforms,…

Mental health conditions are disproportionately impacting young people (15–24 years old), according to a recent report from the private health insurance industry’s peak representative body. The Private Healthcare Australia report shows that in 2022, one in three people under the age of 30 who had a private health insurance claim over $10,000 were hospitalised for mental health. There were over 7000 mental health claims of more than $10,000 by people under 30. Their average stay in hospital was almost a month (26 days), and more than 70% of them were female. The main conditions treated were depression, anxiety, eating disorders and substance abuse. Statistics from the Australian Institute for Health and Welfare also show that suicide is the biggest killer of young Australians. The situation is worse for First Nations…

It seems unwanted calls are unavoidable nowadays. But it pays to understand how these callers operate and what you can do when you receive unsolicited contacts. Telemarketer or scammer? Although scammers often use cold calling to target victims, not every telemarketing or cold call is a scam. A legitimate telemarketer won’t be trying to steal your money or personal information – which is the objective of most scammers, who often try to do this by impersonating major brands, government agencies or law enforcement. Legitimate businesses shouldn’t mind if you want to verify their identity by calling them back to continue the conversation on a number you’ve found yourself. But a scammer will try to steer you away from doing this and push you to act quickly on their suggestions or…

You might assume there’s a law somewhere that requires businesses to treat customers fairly. That’s the case in many countries, including in the UK, the US and the EU. But in Australia there is no such law. CHOICE is campaigning to stamp out unfair trading practices, which come in many forms. For instance, have you ever had trouble trying to cancel an online subscription? There is no specific law saying online businesses have to make this easy. And of course the business reaps the benefits if you just give up and keep on paying. We say it’s unfair for a business to throw up obstacles or make the process difficult, but that’s just one of the ways in which businesses are able to act unfairly in Australia. “Nobody likes to…

A high-performing dishwasher should pretty much always do a good job cleaning your dishes, but the detergent you put in it matters too. Detergent also makes up a significant portion of your dishwasher’s running costs, so it’s doubly important to make sure you choose the right product. We test how well dishwasher detergents work to remove different types of food stains to see which ones are the most likely to give you good results. Dishwasher detergents range massively in price, from a mere 7 cents a wash, all the way up to $1.87 per wash. While many of our recommended products are among the most expensive, you can pick up our top performing product, Aldi Logix Platinum 18 In 1 Dishwashing Tablets Lemon Fragrance, for only 19 cents per wash.…

No matter how hot under the collar you get, buying an air conditioner should never be an impulse purchase. It’s an expensive, long-term commitment that has big implications for your power bill and comfort levels alike – so it’s important to do your homework before installing one. Plus, if you’re going to use it in winter as well (reverse-cycle air conditioning is actually the most efficient way to heat your home), getting it right is extra important as you'll be relying on it for all your heating and cooling needs. In a hot country like Australia, it might be tempting to just opt for the biggest air conditioner you can get, but bigger isn’t always better. So how can you find out the capacity you need? We’ll walk you through…

On paper, personal alarms are a pretty good idea. The most common type works like a simplified smartphone, usually with one big button instead of a touchscreen, making them easy to activate in an emergency. Others are similar to smartwatches with a basic interface. But our years of testing have found that many of these products are tricky to set up and often fail during use. Privacy policies are worryingly brief, and many fail to provide even basic information about where your personal data is stored. So widespread are the issues, we’ve given the entire product category a 2023 Shonky Award (p22). What are the issues? PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS Our testers and members have found that emergency calls and GPS functionality on these devices sometimes fail due to poor reception. This…

In September, four years after the banking royal commission exposed scandal after scandal plaguing Australian financial institutions, the final remaining major recommendation from the commission was legislated by the federal Parliament. The Financial Accountability Regime (FAR) will introduce new accountability obligations on banks, insurers, and superannuation funds, with penalties for individuals who do the wrong thing. The regime means senior leaders of financial institutions can now be personally held to account for misconduct that occurs under their watch. Over the past four years, thousands of CHOICE members and supporters have used their voice to help get crucial banking reforms like this over the line – from signing the petition to fix the banks, to emailing their senators and sharing their stories. Together, we’ll keep fighting for fairer finance.…

CHOICE and the Consumers’ Federation Australia (CFA) gave evidence at the Senate Select Committee on Commonwealth Bilateral Air Service Agreements in mid-September. The Committee was established to investigate the decision to block extra Qatar airways flights in Australia. It also opened up a broader discussion on consumer protections in the airline sector. CHOICE and CFA have been calling for increased consumer protections for a number of years to address the growing problems in the aviation industry. These problems include inconsistent and often unsatisfactory rights for consumers and considerable difficulties when consumers try to understand or exercise their rights to receive a remedy. CHOICE director of campaigns and communications Rosie Thomas outlined some key recommendations to the committee. “CHOICE and the CFA recommend the federal government introduce minimum consumer protections for…

A financial technology company has paid more than $50,000 in penalties after it allegedly claimed that a crypto investment product was a stable option with guaranteed returns and as safe as a bank account. Bobbob Pty Ltd made the payment as part of a court-enforceable undertaking to the corporate regulator ASIC, which had misgivings about the business’ cryptocurrency-asset linked product. “ASIC was concerned that Bobbob’s representations potentially misled customers about the product’s risks, characteristics and benefits,” says ASIC deputy chair Sarah Court. “As a result, customers may not have fully understood the product they were investing in.” Around 700 investors deposited approximately $1.6 million into Bobbob’s Savings Product, which ASIC believes was represented to customers as being approved by the regulator, guaranteeing all customers an interest rate of 7.6% per…

Q I have a 2015 Mazda 2 that is comprehensively insured with NRMA. I am in the process of sourcing quotes for a new policy, and GIO and Suncorp have both told me they won’t insure me because the car has a few minor scratches longer than 10cm on the bumper. I don’t recall this restriction last year – are insurers allowed to refuse to insure me for this? To add insult to injury, I have now requested that GIO remove my personal details from the customer profile they created for me over the phone before they told me they wouldn’t insure me. GIO says they can delete my email and phone number but will still retain my name, address and date of birth. How can I get my full customer…

1 Qantas shows some spirit Last year, Qantas’s Shonky-worthy performance on flight punctuality, call wait times and baggage handling led us to re-brand the so-called “Spirit of Australia” the “Spirit of Disappointment”. The carrier was also holding on to over $1 billion in flight credits from the pandemic, and consumers were complaining that flights cost more when paid for with a voucher than with other methods. Amid continuing criticism, then CEO Alan Joyce apologised to customers and retired early, and the company recently scrapped the expiry dates on COVID travel credits. Foreshadowing more action to come, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) launched legal proceedings against Qantas in August. The regulator is chasing record penalties in the hundreds of millions from the airline for allegedly selling tickets to flights…

Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to stop all cold calls, but there are steps you can take to reduce the number you receive. Keep in mind that these steps are unlikely to stop scam calls, as scammers aren’t afraid to break the rules. 1. JOIN THE DO NOT CALL REGISTER You can add a phone number to the Do Not Call Register (DNCR) for free at donotcall.gov.au, as long as it’s predominantly used for personal and not business calls. The register currently holds over 12 million numbers that telemarketers must make sure they’re not calling, unless the person has consented to being contacted. Organisations such as polling research companies, charities and political groups can call numbers on the register as long as it’s not for a commercial purpose. But they have…

Vacuum sealers are the hottest new food storage trend, with fans praising their ability to keep their kitchen organised and help food stay fresher for longer. The idea is simple – you place your food in dedicated bags or canisters, and the vacuum sealer removes the majority of the air and seals the bag shut. Sounds great, but do they actually deliver good results? We find out. Why you might want one • Freezer storage: Vacuum-sealing food minimises freezer burn. • Bulk buying: If you bulk buy your meat or like to take advantage of fresh food specials, a vacuum sealer can be a useful way to split produce into convenient, meal-sized portions for storage in the freezer. They’re a great way to minimise freezer burn on food stored long-term…

The release of the iPhone 15 in September was big news, as it signalled the imminent demise of Apple’s proprietary Lightning connector (although a couple of products such as Magic Mouse and Keyboard products still use it). Apple was forced to make the change following the European Union mandate that all consumer electronics adopt the USB Type-C (also known as USB-C) charging standard by 2024. The iPhone 15 range includes many different models, with variations in display (6.1 or 6.7 inch), processor (A17 Pro or the current A16 processor) and storage (128GB up to 1TB). Prices start at $1499 for the basic iPhone 15 with 6.1-inch display and 128GB storage, and go all the way up to $2899 for the iPhone 15 Pro Max with 6.7-inch display and 1TB storage.…

Steam mops are hailed as premium floor cleaners – powered by electricity to pump steam onto your floors and loosen grime that is then wiped away by a cloth cleaning head. No extra chemicals required. Sounds like a miracle worker, right? But is this another modern contraption that you don’t really need? And would a traditional mop and bucket do the job just as well? CHOICE experts put a regular mop and a steam mop head-to-head to assess the pros and cons of each and help you decide if a steam mop is worth the investment. Performance WHICH LEAVES BEHIND THE LEAST WATER? Waiting for the floors to dry after mopping is always a pain – so which mop type leaves behind the least amount of water? CHOICE experts say…