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.
June 7, 2024
Australia has a major gap in its consumer law compared to the EU – in Australia there is no ban on unfair business practices.1 The EU has had a ban on unfair practices since 2005, allowing it to stop instances where companies treat customers unfairly, beyond misleading or lying to them.
April 17, 2024
Search is a service that connects consumers with information and, frequently, is a starting point for engaging with businesses or services. Accuracy matters yet increasingly people are presented with the most profitable answer for search services rather than the information they need.
November 28, 2023
An economy-wide prohibition on unfair trade practices is a vital addition to Australia’s consumer laws. There are a range of practices that cause consumer harm, and are detrimental to the competitive process, that are not currently unlawful. These practices have become more prevalent with the widespread uptake of online commerce, while also existing in the offline world.
December 20, 2023
Briefing note: Creating a fair, safe and sustainable tomorrow. This briefing note reflects on some of the major issues that were discussed at the Congress relating to, consumers and the digital economy, consumers and sustainability, cost of living and its impact on food and product safety
July 30, 2021
CPRC’s submission on the Productivity Commissions draft Right to Repair report supports the proposed recommendations. However, we consider the recommendations in current form are piecemeal and lack a relevant underpinning economic framework necessary to develop a holistic regime to tackle the range of overlapping issues.
September 9, 2021
CPRC’s research continually confirms that consumers are overwhelmed with the explosion of data driven products and services. Information asymmetries, lack of accessible remedies and inadequate consumer protection frameworks, mean that while the choice of digital products and services has increased, frameworks to protect consumers in this booming digital environment have not adequately kept pace.
September 20, 2021
The Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC) welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the consultation on ‘Strengthening protections against unfair contract terms’.
February 15, 2022
Consumer Policy Research Centre submission to the Treasury Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (CRIS): Improving the Effectiveness of the Consumer Guarantee and Supplier Indemnification Provision Under the Australian Consumer Law.
August 25, 2022
The level of penalties in the competition and consumer law matter. Setting them at the right level will ensure that fewer companies mislead customers, engage in unconscionable conduct or limit competition in ways that ultimately lead to higher prices for consumers. CPRC worked with the Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) and CHOICE to strongly support increasing the maximum penalties in the Competition and Consumer Act 2010.
September 15, 2022
CPRC supports ACCC’s consideration of the impacts of social media services on Australian consumers as part of its digital platform services inquiry. Entities that profit from social media need to have adequate obligations and expectations placed on them, given the significant use of social media by Australian consumers.
