Governments and regulators assume compliance with building regulations will restore public confidence. But complying with the National Construction Code won’t fix many common defects.
Who is responsible for protecting consumer data? Data breaches are now a regular occurrence, and governments are stepping in.
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An entire industry exists to trade on your personal data - everything from your shopping habits to your political views and medical conditions. The results can genuinely harm consumers.
Companies and governments have massive amounts of data about many people.
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Consumers want better protection for their data, and businesses want clear national laws. Yet there is virtually no consensus about what a broad privacy law should entail.
The burden of regulatory failure hasn’t just hit residents of evacuated apartments like the Neo200 building in Melbourne – it affects everyone living in a building with serious defects.
Ellen Smith/AAP
Years of regulatory failure are having direct impacts on the hip pockets of the many Australians who bought defective houses or apartments. It’s turning into a multibillion-dollar disaster.
John F. Kennedy’s 1962 speech inspired the modern consumer rights movement.
AP Photo/Bill Allen
JFK pushed consumer rights to the top of the national agenda in 1962, leading to a raft of new laws offering new protections. But without enforcement, such rights are meaningless.
Smart meters promise lower bills, but could also reduce your privacy.
AAP Image/David Crosling
Smart meters are being rolled out across Australia, offering the opportunity to share data with third parties who promise to help you find a cheaper deal. But this requires strong consumer protection.
It may come as a shock to discover that businesses are allowed to pay local authorities for advice on environmental health standards and food labelling.
Ovarian massage where the practitioner claims to ‘read’ a woman’s ovaries clearly lacks evidence.
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The decision by the bureau’s founding director to step down this month offers Republicans and the Trump administration a chance to finally gut the bureau they’ve long despised.
We use reviews and online testimonials when downloading an app or shopping on eBay. So, why not when choosing a new dentist?
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When the United States was settled, nearly everyone was a farmer. Today only 2 percent of Americans live on farms, and many of us are illiterate about where food comes from or what kinds are healthy.
How can we ensure technology brings prosperity to us all?
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‘Internet of Things’ devices come with many risks, but current laws may not protect us. Until they do, it may be best to steer clear.
Japanese car part manufacturing company Yazaki was fined A$9.5 million for cartel conduct. But now the ACCC wants to increase this.
Yuriko Nakao/Reuters
New standards and regulations are beginning to govern how companies protect customers’ data. Companies ignore this vital issue at their peril, both financially and legally.
Would putting the regulatory onus on financial companies have prevented what happened with Comminsure?
AAP/Tracey Nearmy