TSA Limited executive director Kellie Northwood is in Canberra with the support of the PIAA to launch a new campaign protecting consumers from being slugged additional paper charges from companies which are shifting to digital. Two Sides says the Keep Me Posted campaign promotes the consumer’s right to choose, without penalty, how they are communicated to via banks, utility companies and other service providers. The campaign, which has already been successfully rolled out in Europe and the UK, will provide educational and awareness programs for consumers. Keep Me Posted was officially launched in Canberra and has received praise from Independents Nick Xenophon MP and Andrew Wilkie MP.
Northwood (l) and the PIAA are fighting against paper charges
Northwood says the goal of the Keep Me Posted is to pressure companies to reconsider their ‘pay-to-pay’ policies. “The rush to embrace digital is not the most sensible move for companies,” she says. “Currently, one in five Australians are not accessing the internet at home, and consumers report a strong preference for paper – with 80 per cent reporting they prefer reading from paper than reading from screen.” The campaign comes after the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) recently revealed plans to start slugging its customers a charge for additional printed copies of their statement. CBA wrote in a statement, “All our customers currently receive at least two paper statements per year free of charge. The proposed change is to charge $2.50 per paper statement but only if a customer requests to receive more frequent statements.” “We have explicitly made clear that pensioner accounts are exempt from changes and we have also exempted youth accounts and customers with special needs. Any customers with special circumstances and needs can also speak to our staff who can waive the charge.” Printers have also accused Australia Post of driving customers away from print and mail by introducing a price hike on stamps earlier this year, as it too appears to be embracing a digital strategy.
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