Policy
Engaged in multiple sectors, our team conducts rigorous consumer and policy research to uncover market failures and consumer harm. We actively collaborate with partners, leveraging national and international perspectives to identify and understand issues within markets. By openly sharing insights, we contribute to the creation of impactful policy solutions, fostering momentum for positive change and advocating for consumer welfare.
March 8, 2023
The Federal Government must fast-track reforms for consumers in the digital economy to ensure Australians are protected from current and future harms. Australians are currently navigating a digital economy which has not been designed with their best interests in mind. Australians have lost money, lost control over their personal information, or have had their wellbeing impacted by being manipulated into choices that aren’t in their interests.
February 23, 2023
Consumers are frequently being shown green claims online and off. Yet, the quality of these claims varies from vague imagery and language through to hyper-specific phrases and terms. It can be very difficult for consumers to trust the green claims they see or understand how one product is better or worse than another based on the claims made. Our submission provides evidence of how consumers experience green claims and the impacts of greenwashing to support our recommendations on how the Environmental Claims Code (the Code) can be improved to benefit consumers.
February 21, 2023
Encouraging greater uptake of recycling and the creation of a circular economy are important steps to reduce waste and resource use in Australia. We know consumers want to make sustainable purchases but often struggle to find accurate information to make those decisions. Consumers are concerned about greenwashing and that green or sustainable claims are marketing tactics rather than genuine improvements in business practices or impact on the environment.
February 21, 2023
Consistent disclosure of climate related risks is an important step towards all actors in our economy removing and managing these risks. While the consultation paper primarily focuses on improving disclosure for investment purposes, consistent information about climate risks and opportunities also matters to consumers. While not many consumers will engage directly with company disclosures to regulators, the statements made in these documents can be used as the basis for marketing claims that target consumers. If the quality of reporting improves, standardised information can also be used to compare products or brands in rankings for consumers. These benefits should be considered when assessing the reform.
February 21, 2023
Consumer protections for the provision of distributed or consumer energy resources should be consistent with broader protections for energy consumers under the National Energy Consumer Framework (NECF). Consumer protections should be required regardless of what type of energy service is being provided. Energy supply is essential and anything that has the potential to interfere in or affect that supply of energy to a home needs to be regulated under the NECF. CPRCs submission focuses on issues related to consumer protections related to this issue as asked by the AEMC in the consultation paper.
February 15, 2023
In this joint submission with Combined Pensioners & Superannuants Association (CPSA), Consumer Action Law Centre (CALC), Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC), Financial Counselling Australia (FCA), Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), South Australian Council of Social Service (SACOSS) and Tenants’ Union of NSW (TU). Consumer advocates highlighted that this is a timely opportunity to rethink and redesign our energy frameworks and protections to better promote the interests and meet the needs of all consumers. As the energy system rapidly transitions to become more complex, sustainable and smarter the frameworks and protections must be reformed to ensure people have access to energy, energy products and energy services.
February 3, 2023
Improving the energy efficiency of Australia’s residential buildings will deliver three clear benefits. It will contribute to meeting Australia’s commitments to Paris Agreement, improve the comfort and health of residents and reduce households’ energy bills. In this submission CPRC provided data on the barriers and enablers to adoption of energy efficiency upgrades in residential properties. We surveyed 2000 Australians in September-October 2022 in a nationally representative survey. This submission provides a summary of the outcomes of previous research on consumers and energy across Australia.
December 16, 2022
More Australians are renting and for longer. Rental reform is required to ensure that people who rent have adequate protections, access to redress, and safe, energy efficient and healthy homes. The Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC) has previously conducted research on renters’ experiences as well as extensive research on privacy and data protection that is relevant to renting.
November 25, 2022
The current consumer protection framework is not fit for purpose to support consumers with distributed energy resources (DER). The regulatory framework should center consumer outcomes to ensure that as novel products and services are introduced consumers have strong protections in place.
November 9, 2022
Given the growing importance of the gaming sector and evidence showing the harm of ‘gambling style’ tactics used in some games, this inquiry should consider the definition of ‘gambling service’ to capture online gambling-like activities such as simulated gambling in games like loot boxes.
November 7, 2022
CPRC generally supports the proposed amendments in Privacy Legislation Amendment (Enforcement and Other Measures) Bill 2022. Setting penalties at the right level will ensure that more businesses will seriously consider effective strategies to reduce the risk of data breaches. However, the proposed amendments to the legislation are still limited in scope and remain far from the privacy protections that Australians deserve and that consumers in other comparative jurisdictions have enjoyed for several years. In particular, CPRC asks the Federal Government to: amend the legislation so the regulator can consider penalties for all data breaches, not just when incidents are serious or repeated commission an independent review of the regulator to ensure it is adequately resourced to enforce these penalties, including undertaking proactive surveillance ensure the ongoing review of the Privacy Act includes safeguards on how data is collected, shared, and used by businesses.
October 19, 2022
The Aboriginal Private Rental Access Project (APRAP) seeks to address systemic problems and other access barriers Aboriginal people encounter in accessing private rental.
