Grab your daily dose of headlines as we unpack the news that small business owners need to know on October 22, 2019.
WA families choosing between eating and electricity
Rising electricity prices are causing more Australians to choose between putting food on the table or their electricity. WA electricity retailers Synergy and Horizon have reported they disconnected more than 22000 Western Australian homes from the electricity supply in the twelve months to June – with around one in 60 customers being disconnected for unpaid bills.
WA Council of Social Services told the ABC more people are turning to social services as they seek help for spiralling costs of living. The surge in disconnections has raised concerns from WACOSS that many low-income earners are slipping through the cracks as power prices continue to hike.
“People are having to make a choice between heating and eating,” WACOSS acting CEO Jennie Gray said.
ASX rises as China-US trade war looks set to war ease
Australian share prices have risen today following weekend comments by China’s Vice-Premier Liu He who has suggested trade talks between the US and China are making “substantial progress”. Liu Hu’s comments were backed up by President Trump who told journalists Monday, “The deal with China’s coming along very well. They want to make a deal”.
This hint of progress was enough to see Wall Street shares rally and increase optimism in the Australian market.
Meanwhile, the Australian dollar is buying 68.66 US cents
Flight Centre cops massive fine for misleading advertising
Leading Australia travel agency, Flight Centre has been hit with a $252,000 fine for allegedly misleading customers after failing to disclose the fineprint of a holiday promotion.
Consumre watchdog the ACCC has issued Flight Centre with two infringement notices for its advertisements promoting holiday vouchers throughout the Christmas and Easter period The vouchers supposedly offered a $250 discount to customers who spent $1500 on a holiday booked through the agency – however, the fine print revealed holidaymakers had to book aan additional holiday valued at more than $5,000, to redeem the offer.
“We are concerned that consumers were enticed to purchase their holiday through Flight Centre to obtain a voucher they were not able to use without spending another $5,000, when this was not adequately disclosed,” ACCC commissioner Sarah Court told ABC.
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