CHOICE is calling on members to share your examples of IT price gouging.
We have found Australians who purchase music downloads, PC and console games, as well as computer software and hardware, are paying about 50% more than shoppers in the US.
Our submission to the current parliamentary inquiry into IT pricing identifies international price discrimination as the most likely cause of these price differences.
This is the practice of international brand owners, suppliers and manufacturers setting the wholesale price of their products higher for particular markets, such as Australia.
We also reject various claims by industry that price differences can be explained by the costs of doing business in Australia, such as wages, rent, taxes and consumer protections.
CHOICE has made several recommendations to the federal government to help close the digital price divide.
We're also encouraging Australian consumers to refuse to be ripped off on IT goods.
If you've found examples of IT hardware or software products where you think the Australian price is a rip-off, visit our site and make a comment or email us at campaigns@choice.com.au.
CHOICE is disappointed by the failure of ministers to protect consumers from dodgy health claims
Three weeks ago, ministers walked away from a long-standing proposal that would have required general-level health claims on food products to be verified by the independent regulator before being marketed.
Instead, ministers supported "self-substantiation", meaning food manufacturers will only have to validate the claims after their products are already on the shelves, and only if challenged.
General-level health claims link a property of a food with a health outcome, such as "calcium for strong bones and teeth".
In Europe, just 10% of claims proposed by food manufacturers were approved by the independent regulator.
CHOICE has long argued that health claims shouldn't appear on food products. If governments insist on allowing them, they should at least give consumers the assurance that these claims have been independently verified and are not simply marketing spin.
Look out for carbon cons
With the carbon price coming into effect last month, CHOICE is warning Australians to be wary of possibly misleading carbon price claims.
The ACCC has already taken action against certain businesses for making false claims.
If you see a carbon price claim you think is misleading, contact the ACCC and email us at campaigns@choice.com.au
Comments
Technologies that used to be free
Before the internet their was another international computer network that relied on POTS plain old telephone service & the Zmodem protocol on BBS, Bulletin Board Systems, the network was maintained by volounteers & served the planet well, its obvious that the IT industry is ripping people off because you now how to pay for online services, another example is the UHF radio frequency which was alikened to Citizen band radio, now its called a cellular network or mobile phones, another IT ripoff because this technology was once provided for free also.