Insurers ‘price gouging’ with secret premium hikes
Millions of Australians are being overcharged by health insurers using a loophole to dodge the rules against raising premiums.
Millions of Australians are being overcharged by health insurers using a loophole to dodge the rules against raising premiums.
An Indigenous-owned wine company is celebrating its success, as it expands internationally and gives back to community.
New vehicle sales continue to slow down in Australia, in what industry experts say is a 'disturbing trend' and a sign the cost of living is biting.
Woolworths says strike action has cost the company $50 million as it lodges an urgent application to ban workers from blocking access to its warehouses.
Supermarket giant Coles rejects punishing fresh produce suppliers who disagree on pricing, as the company is grilled at an inquiry into the sector.
Grocery giant Coles has held one site for 16 years without building a supermarket, but the firm has rejected allegations of anti-competitive land-banking.
Appliances should receive a repair rating to help consumers navigate vague claims and invest in genuinely sustainable products, a consumer group says.
Supermarket heavyweight Coles has developed a wide range of subtly-branded products it owns, denying there is any transparency issue for customers.
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumer goods
energy
energy (general)
energy and resource
energy resources
energy saving
environmental issue
environmental politics
regulatory policy and organisation
renewable energy
road transport
transport
Motorists could decide the future of Australia's energy networks by when they choose to buy an electric car and how they recharge it.
Representatives from supermarket powerhouse Woolworths deny its huge market share is costing suppliers an opportunity to negotiate when selling products.
consumer goods
consumer issue - macro economics
energy
energy (general)
energy and resource
energy resources
energy saving
environmental issue
pollution
renewable energy
technology (general)
More Aussie households are expected to investigate solar batteries as a way to save on the cost of power rather than the cost to the environment, a bank says.
consumer goods
consumers
economy, business and finance
food - consumer goods
inquiry
regulatory policy and organisation
report
retail
Woolworths has cast itself as being in competition with cake shops and newsagents, while also showing the might of its construction arm.
Australia's two major supermarket chains say they will defend against class action lawsuits brought over allegations of misleading promotional price practices.
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumer goods
consumers
energy
energy (general)
energy saving
environmental issue
renewable energy
road transport
sales
transport
Electric vehicle sales have dipped according to Australian Automobile Association figures, and experts say misconceptions and rebate removals are to blame.
consumer goods
consumers
economy, business and finance
food - consumer goods
indigenous people
retail
The nearest supermarket rival to Coles and Woolworths says it's focused on trying to woo new customers rather than expanding its chain of Australian stores.
Produce growers face limited export opportunities, low bargaining power and high costs to supply Australian supermarket giants, an inquiry has heard.
Consumers doubt rising costs are totally to blame for higher grocery prices, as profits fall for manufacturers struggling to pass on surging costs.
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumer goods
consumers
diesel fuel
economy (general)
energy (general)
environmental issue
road transport
transport
New vehicle sales have fallen in Australia for the third month in a row, with sales figures revealing private buyers were most likely to drive on by.
Some Indigenous communities are paying twice as much for groceries as people in capital cities, a consumer advocacy organisation investigation has found.
Packing material and static electricity could take the edge off future electricity bills, according to Australian researchers.
Sales of plug-in hybrid vehicles are accelerating in Australia as a tax deadline approaches, but some automotive groups say an extension is needed.
Australia is not ready to make a full switch to electric vehicles, an inquiry has heard, as the technology cannot accommodate farmers and tradespeople.
Digital payment services are under increasing pressure as Aussies ditch cash and they are mostly rising to the task, a Reserve Bank report has found.
Would you trust a ring to track your sleep? It is a question more Australians may ask this Christmas as smart jewellery vies for attention.
The Red Cross wants Australians to donate quality to its clothing drive this year, with Uber also on hand to pick up people's offerings from their doorstep.
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumer goods
diesel fuel
energy
energy (general)
environmental issue
environmental pollution
renewable energy
road transport
transport
Australia should adopt a tracking scheme and battery passports like Europe to deal with the growing pile of electric car waste, an inquiry has heard.
Owners of 10 Kia model vehicles are being urged to park them away from flammable structures after the discovery of a serious fire risk with an electrical part.
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumer goods
economy (general)
energy (general)
environmental issue
road transport
sales
transport
Australians are buying fewer new cars as the economy bites but hybrid vehicles are bucking the trend, sales figures have revealed.
It is "a breach of trust" for supermarkets to behave like this, Anthony Albanese says after Coles and Woolworths were criticised over "misleading" specials.
Aldi shoppers are paying significantly less than Coles or Woolworths customers but the biggest savers could be those shopping across all three.
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumer goods
environmental issue
environmental politics
environmental pollution
renewable energy
road transport
transport
The price of electric cars has fallen in Australia again, with one popular model available for less than $31,000, but experts warn high-end EV sales may stall.