Dumpster fire: Aussie households fail the battery test
Millions of households are risking fires by getting rid of batteries in dangerous ways and the popularity of lithium batteries is raising the stakes.
consumers
Coles points finger at suppliers for price changes
Australia's consumer watchdog has accused Coles of artificially increasing prices to create discounts, while the supermarket giant blames supplier cost hikes.
Shoppers care about ‘fair dinkum’ discounts, says Coles
A supermarket giant accused of manipulating prices has told a court the regulator is wrongly attributing "sophisticated thought processes" to grocery shoppers.
Triple-zero outages and changes trigger more complaints
Complaints about telecommunications services are rising in Australia and faulty and disconnected mobile phone connections are making the biggest impact.
Dodgy online items in consumer watchdog’s crosshairs
Forcing giant online marketplaces like Temu and Shein to protect consumers from unsafe products is one of this year's key focuses for the consumer watchdog.
Popular car brand earns $24m debt under pollution rules
Some of the most popular car companies in Australia and a selection of luxury brands have failed to meet emissions targets in their first year of operation.
Supermarket giant ‘genuinely cares’ about customers
A grocery giant accused of false price discounts has told a court that it genuinely cares about customers while boosting its profits.
Up up prices gave shoppers bang for buck, court told
A supermarket giant is defending claims it misled customers with its "down down" campaign, saying it offered value for money.
Artificial announcers to be outed in radio rule refresh
Radio stations must reveal if they are using AI voices to host radio shows under a revised code of practice although rules will not apply to all segments.
Aussies ditch copper for fibre to boost download speeds
More Australians are upgrading their broadband connections, choosing faster plans and setting download records, NBN Co has revealed.
Petrol, diesel cars slow while hybrids, EVs speed up
Australians are buying fewer cars that use fossil fuels alone as they shift allegiance to low-emission hybrid and electric models.
What’s for dinner? Aussies cook up fresh uses for AI
Australians are turning to artificial intelligence tools in the kitchen as well as the office, as use of the technology weighs in on more activities.
Hybrid and electric vehicles rev up second-hand market
Australians are buying more used hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric cars, although sales across all states and territories are slowing down.
Want a safe car? Crash tests say you should go electric
The safest new vehicles in Australia are almost all electric, with the top performers delivering consistently across the various areas of testing.
Robots, smart Lego and AI everything: CES 2026 delivers
The annual Consumer Electronics Show indicates we could be headed into a future with cleaning robots, noisy Lego and bathroom mirrors that assess health.
Do not fully charge: Volvo electric vehicle warning
A serious fault has been identified in more than 2800 electric vehicles and, with no immediate fix, drivers are being warned not to fully charge the cars.
Australia Post rival shuts operations without warning
A Sydney-based delivery firm that promised to undercut Australia Post has abruptly stopped taking bookings, causing alarm for businesses.
Clicking and streaming: Australian online habits evolve
Australians are hooking up to faster broadband connections by the thousands and the technology is changing the way they consume entertainment.
Meal kit services sued over alleged subscription traps
The competition watchdog has taken meal delivery services HelloFresh and Youfoodz to court for misleading consumers with subscriptions.
In-app-propriate: renters quizzed on personal details
Almost half of Victorian renters are being forced to use digital platforms to apply for and maintain their accommodation despite privacy concerns.
Energy costs force most renters to swelter over summer
Most Australians who rent their home say they avoid using cooling and heating appliances due to high costs.
AI will make a list but shoppers should check it twice
More than half of young Australians are willing to hand over their Christmas shopping to an artificial intelligence tool, but others have concerns.
Search hit: court orders massive fine against Google
The world's biggest search provider will face a substantial penalty for breaking Australia's competition laws, a court has ruled, after doing deals with telcos.
Motorists pooh pooh petrol for low-emission options
Hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles are closing the gap on their petrol rivals with sales figures showing a change in consumer sentiment.
Road tests show electric vehicles keep pulling up short
Battery-powered cars have been found using more energy than promised in independent tests, just like their petrol and diesel peers.
Overpowered: battery rebate could be drained in a year
Australian households are installing more than 1000 solar batteries every day, but their popularity could accelerate the end of the government's rebate scheme.
Fibre to the rescue: Aussies urged to take net upgrades
More than one million households have been disconnected by weather events this year and the NBN warns more will disproportionately affect copper connections.
Second-hand car buyers are looking to save petrol too
Hybrid vehicles are not just popular with new car buyers, as figures reveal the low-emission models are making up more second-hand sales.
New entry about to make electric cars a lot cheaper
Australian motorists can expect to see more price competition in electric vehicles after one auto maker announced the cheapest model to date.
New petrol cars could be outnumbered in two years
Australian drivers are buying more electric and hybrid vehicles than ever and experts say they are forcing down petrol and diesel car sales.
Petrol low as car buyers flock to hybrid and electric
More buyers of new vehicles are opting to save money on petrol with electric cars and hybrid models proving popular in the latest auto industry snapshot.