Tabla de contenidos para June 2023 en CHOICE

A CHOICE staffer returning A home to Victoria was stranded by Virgin Australia on a stormy Sydney night. Five hours prior to his 8pm flight departure, Virgin ‘re-booked’ him onto a flight at 7am the next morning. CHOICE lodged a claim with Virgin for the reasonable costs of a hotel room and dinner. We were surprised to find Virgin’s compensation limits had fallen since before the travel lockdowns, from $220 to $200 for accommodation and $50 to $30 for meals. We weren’t so surprised when Virgin declined the claim. In Australia, if your flight is cancelled due to issues ‘within the airline’s control’, you can generally claim compensation for accommodation and meals. But if it’s ‘outside the airline’s control’ – for example due to bad weather, which was the reason…

Rooftop and other forms of solar power generation set a new record in Australia’s largest power market in the first quarter of this year, driving down wholesale electricity prices. A new report from the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) found large-scale and rooftop solar output reached new highs in the National Electricity Market, which includes NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT. AER chair Claire Savage says this record generation combined with last year’s price interventions to deliver lower wholesale costs than during the same period last year. “It appears that the coal price cap interventions continue to place downward pressure on electricity prices, together with strong renewable output,” she says. Savage adds that the wholesale electricity prices her organisation is monitoring will influence the default market offer (DMO)…

Due to COVID-19 and the fact that many people haven’t been able to make full use of their health insurance policies, most private health funds are delaying their price increases until later in the year. Of the big insurers, two have already increased their premiums – HBF by an average of 4.49% on 1 April and Medibank/AHM by an average of 2.96% on 1 June, but the other three are delaying their increase until later this year: ● NIB will delay its 2.72% premium increase until 1 September 2023 (this includes Qantas Health).● HCF will delay its 3.33% premium increase until 1 September 2023 (this includes RT Health).● Bupa will delay its 3.39% premium increase until 1 October 2023. Health funds only publish their average increase. Some policies will have…

If cash is tight, sales time might be a good opportunity to buy a better quality item than would usually be in reach financially. Buying a high-quality product that lasts longer will not only save you money in the long term, it will likely be better for the environment too. However, high prices aren’t always an indicator of quality. CHOICE testing repeatedly shows that cheaper products can outperform more expensive ones. There are a number of ways to identify better quality and more durable products: ● Consider whether what you’re buying is likely to be repairable, either by you or through a repair service. Some brands, such as Breville, Dyson and Kelvinator, have replacement parts and accessories readily available online, whereas others don’t.● Shopping for shoes, clothes and accessories instore…

Greg didn’t know what to make of it when he received notification from Latitude Finance that his name, address, date of birth, phone number and driver’s licence number had been accessed by cybercriminals. It wasn’t that the March data breach was so surprising – it was that he hadn’t been a customer of Latitude or its predecessor company GE Money for a long time. Why had Latitude held on to his personal information? “Initially, I thought it was a mistake, but eventually realised the credit must be associated with interest-free terms on a lounge we purchased about 20 years ago from Harvey Norman,” says Greg. Breach worse than reported Like other corporate data breaches, the Latitude breach turned out to be significantly worse than first reported. GE Money customer data…

Stick vacuums continue to be in hot demand, and getting a good deal can be challenging if your heart is set on the latest and greatest model on the market. You may get lucky if you’re browsing the latest EOFY deals at the right time, but why not save hundreds by opting for a tried and tested model that may be on clearance at this time of year? Quite a few older models we’ve tested are just shy of being recommended, but still perform their core functions very well – even if they don’t have sophisticated technology that can empty your dust bin for you or tell you how much debris you’re picking up. For example, Dyson still sells models that were flagship products a few years ago, but are…

Australians are blessed with an abundance of sunlight, but it’s not always available when you need it. If you’re trying to finish the laundry late at night or during a downpour, or you just don’t have all day to wait, then a clothes dryer will be a sanity saver – as it has been since the earliest days of electric dryers. Over the years, clothes dryers have become more sophisticated, with more programs and settings, condenser technology that captures moisture in a tank rather than venting it into your laundry, and even connected ‘smart’ features so you can monitor your dryer’s progress remotely. Dryers of the future Unfortunately, our crystal ball is in the wash, but you don’t need powers of divination to see into the future for clothes dryers…

With the end of the financial year approaching, it could be a good time to upgrade your smartphone, especially if you use it for work and can claim at least a portion of it as a tax deduction (see page 26 for more details on claiming tech at tax time). And if you’re replacing an older model smartphone, you may be happy with a recent release rather than the very latest. Here are the models from the big brands that you’re likely to find discounted in the EOFY sales. Bagging an EOFY bargain Samsung is by far the biggest seller of Android mobiles, with models available from around $150, up to more than $2000 for its premium Galaxy range. The company usually announces its Galaxy range in February, with the…

Over 2000 complaints have been received by the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) from flood-affected consumers in the year since the South East Queensland/Northern NSW storms. Delays in claims handling were the most significant issue for consumers making complaints. AFCA’s chief ombudsman and CEO, David Locke, says AFCA “understands that the scale of this event has put pressure on insurers, but these sorts of complaints can often be avoided through good, regular communication with customers”. AFCA has seen a 65% rise in general insurance complaints in the 2022–23 financial year so far. 10,417 complaints had been received by February 2022 compared with 17,163 by February 2023. “We would also prefer to see insurers resolving many more complaints within their own dispute resolution process, rather than consumers having to take the…

Thinking about heading to the mall this sale season? Whether you’re someone who loves to shop or begrudges the experience, it’s worth knowing what retailers are up to in the quest to capture our hearts, minds and wallets. More and more, ‘retail tech’ is being used to help businesses understand what makes us tick. And while most of us are aware that our online movements are tracked, the way technology is used to monitor us when we shop at bricks and mortar stores is something many are not aware of. Beacons, wayfinding, electronic pricing and streamlined checkout are a few of the retail tech trends that have already reached our shores or are coming soon. To better understand these technologies and how they might influence our behaviour, we spoke to…

With the discounts coming thick and fast in the lead up to 30 June, it’s a great time to pick up tech items for your home office that you can claim as a deduction on your tax return. What you can claim Unfortunately, tax deductions aren’t exactly free money and they don’t equate to a dollar-for-dollar reimbursement in your tax refund. Instead, they help reduce your taxable income, which is the figure the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) uses to determine how much tax you owe for the year. For a cost to be deductible, it must meet the ATO’s three ‘golden rules’, meaning you: 1. must have spent your own money on something that directly relates to you earning an income2. can’t have been reimbursed by someone else3. must have…

With many Australians feeling the pinch as the cost of living increases, more and more young adults are still living with their parents. And now they can stay on the family health insurance policy for longer too. In 2021, the government increased the age cap for adult children on their parents’ policy from 24 to 31. At the same time, the age limit was removed for dependants living with a disability (NDIS participants). But if the young adult isn’t a full-time student, parents will usually cop a significant increase in their premium. So as tempting as it might be, adding an adult child to the family policy isn’t always the most cost-effective option. There is usually an additional cost to keep non-students covered Will it save you money? THE ADDED…

Bagged a bargain box of bulk bovine at the butcher, or bingeing through the Ben & Jerry’s back catalogue? Then you might be in need of a standalone freezer. Dedicated freezers use way more energy than a fridge because they’re much colder, but the money you save buying in bulk can make up for the extra costs in the long run. And a freezer should last a long time, so it’s a worthwhile investment. Chest vs upright freezers Chest freezers are great, until you need something from the very bottom. And uprights are great unless you’re looking for the most affordable option. Here are some factors to consider when deciding between the two. Upright freezers A vertical freezer that opens like a fridge, uprights take up less floor space and…

As temperatures begin to drop, many people will wheel out a portable electric heater or fire up a gas heater, often overlooking the far more efficient and effective heater they may already have: their reverse-cycle air conditioner. Air conditioners have a reputation for being expensive beasts, both to buy and to run, and it’s true that the upfront installation cost of a split-system air conditioner is a lot steeper than a portable electric heater. A split-system will cost anywhere between $600 and $5500, plus installation costs of $600 or more, while a portable electric heater will usually cost just $100 to $300. The air conditioner wins on running costs and its ability to warm a bigger space However, the air conditioner wins on running costs and its ability to warm…

For the first time in decades, the core design of turntables and record players has undergone a relatively significant change. Many of the units for regular listeners and serious enthusiasts alike now come with Bluetooth connectivity for external speakers or headphones. Though this feature has been around for some time, it’s only been available in a handful of models. Now, all but one of the turntables in our latest test include this feature, which is why you may notice we’ve added a wireless listening assessment to our test. So, before you spend your scratch on a new turntable, it’s worth understanding how Bluetooth transmits audio, to see if it suits your needs and sound quality preferences. To help you decide, we also ran wired and wireless comparison tests. Bluetooth goes…

The federal government will put $10 million towards setting up an SMS sender ID Registry to disrupt the growth in text-message scams. The money, set aside in the Federal Budget, will be given to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) over four years, so the watchdog can launch and operate the registry. Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones says the facility will make it harder for fraudsters to hijack the SMS accounts of reputable companies and slip their messages into legitimate communication threads. “We know text messages have topped phone calls as a scammer’s tool of choice. [This] will not only make it tougher for scammers to imitate trusted brands through SMS, it will be crucial in disrupting a key channel scammers use to target victims.” Almost half of Australians reported…

The federal government recently released its National Electric Vehicle Strategy, a roadmap for accelerating the uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) in Australia. For a long time, Australia has been stuck in the slow lane when it comes to electric vehicles, partly due to our lack of fuel efficiency standards. Getting the strategy right is crucial, as electric vehicles have the potential to lower transport costs for households and assist with growing cost of living pressures, as well as benefit the environment. That’s why CHOICE made a submission to the National Electric Vehicle Strategy last year, calling on the government to introduce fuel-efficiency standards and implement measures that would make the electric vehicle market accessible for all consumers. It’s encouraging to see many of the CHOICE recommendations reflected in the newly…

The Foxtel-owned sports streaming company Kayo has been found to have breached anti-gambling advertising laws during a May 2022 AFL match, according to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The rules prohibit gambling ads from being streamed during live sport events between 5am and 8.30pm, including the five minutes before and after the event. ACMA chair Nerida O’Loughlin says streaming services have to play by the rules. “Streaming services need to comply with the rules in the same way traditional television broadcasters do,” she says. “Gambling advertising during live sport is a major concern for Australians. Families want to watch live sport without needing to worry that children may come to think of gambling as a part of the game.” Kayo has been issued with a formal warning and…

Australians have more than 7 million accounts in ‘choice’ superannuation products. ‘Choice’ products are those you must elect to join – you can’t be defaulted into them by your employer, as you can be with MySuper products. But can you be confident your fund is performing? Every year, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) releases ‘heatmaps’ to compare super products on key features like fees and investment returns. The latest heatmap shows that one in five choice super options with at least an eight-year history have significantly underperformed the regulator’s benchmarks. Super Consumers Australia policy manager Rebekah Sarkoezy says the underperformance of these choice options has been a major concern given the impact of poor performance on members’ retirement savings. The regulator already runs performance tests on MySuper products, but…

Temporary toaster Just over two years ago I bought myself a Breville smart toaster. It was quite expensive – three or four times the price of a basic toaster, but I liked the extra features it had. Until recently I have been very happy with it, but a few weeks ago (just a few months outside the two-year warranty) it started misbehaving intermittently. I called Breville customer support but they said because spare parts were not available for that model, they couldn’t look at it, and as it was out of warranty they couldn’t help me. I had thought that by buying a more expensive toaster I would get a quality product that would last many years, but it seems that is not the case. The Breville website says “Breville…

They may live in the shadow of their Boxing Day cousins, but the end of financial year (EOFY) sales are a big deal in Australia. The discounts that start popping up in the last two weeks of June regularly get shopaholics salivating, with retailers banking on the sales bringing in billions. The lead-up to EOFY sale season is a busy time for CHOICE, too, with our experts sharing armloads of advice on how you can have a satisfactory and sustainable shop. So, whether you’re looking for the deal of a lifetime or a just-in-time-for-tax purchase this June, read on for our best tips for making your EOFY splurge better for you – and the planet too. 1 Be prepared You don’t have to wait until the end of June to…

Assuming the proposed changes become law, on 1 July 2025, the concessional tax rate on earnings for super balances above $3 million will rise to 30%. Here’s what you need to know about the changes. How super investment earnings are taxed Super earnings are taxed differently depending on whether you’re in the accumulation phase (working and continuing to get super contributions from your employer) or retired. WHILE YOU’RE WORKING During the accumulation phase, the earnings on super are taxed at 15%. However, the Retirement Income Review pointed out that franking credits and capital gains discounts means the effective tax rate Australians pay is only 7%. This is a big discount compared to the 45% tax that high-in-come earners pay on income over $180,000 if the money isn’t invested in super.…

Travel insurance is essential in the case of illness or injury while travelling. Overseas medical costs can be extortionate. And if you have an existing medical condition, it increases the chance you may need medical attention on your trip – that’s why insurers charge you extra. So if you can get cover for your pre-existing medical condition, it’ll take a bit of worry out of your trip. But even if you’re willing to pay extra, getting cover for an existing condition isn’t always easy. What is a pre-existing medical condition? A pre-existing medical condition is a medical condition that you had before you bought your travel insurance. The insurance contract regulations set the time period as six months by default Different travel insurers will have their own specific definitions, but…

Often the centrepiece of a kitchen, an oven is a costly appliance and one that gets a real workout, so it’s important to do your research before buying. Freestanding ovens usually have an integrated cooktop, making them two appliances in one, which gives you even more to consider when choosing. Our tests measure performance of the oven and the cooktop separately. It’s important to check the separate performance scores in our table as well as the CHOICE Expert Rating (overall score). Oven functions explained Ovens come with an array of features and settings that are often marked with symbols that can be confusing at first glance. Some of these functions are essential, while others are just nice to have. Settings such as fan-forced mode are common across almost all models…

The end of financial year (EOFY) sales can provide a more affordable opportunity to update that 10-year-old plasma TV that is eating up half of your electricity bill, or your old LCD TV that isn’t quite as smart as you'd like. You may think that EOFY sale products are mostly old stock that has been around for a year or more. But each TV company has a different release schedule and this may impact the EOFY sale price and whether or not you are getting a true bargain. To get the best deal, check out our guide to bagging a TV bargain (choice.com.au/TVbargains) and read on to find out which models from the big brands you’re likely to find for cheaper this sales period. Each TV company has a different…