Choice (Chippendale, Australia) articles from January 2004

Choice (Chippendale, Australia) archives from January 2004

Spreading the word.(CHOICE column to appear in local papers)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... If you start seeing CHOICE's name in your local paper, don't be surprised: to help build awareness of CHOICE and the importance of consumer rights, CHOICE columns are now being published in rural, regional and community newspapers around the...

Birthing centres give good results.(choice cuts)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Typical obstetric wards, with their clinical, antiseptic atmosphere, aren't the most comfortable places for expectant mums and their partners. Home-like birthing centres are an attempt to overcome this. Ideally they're more comfortable and...

Cool wine.(Sunbeam Wine Chiller)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2004... Need a cold bottle of white quickly? Your options include the fridge, the freezer, a bucket of ice and cold water, one of those silver frozen sleeve thingies, or the new SUNBEAM Wine Chiller ($70). It's basically an insulated ice bucket...

Behind the label.(choice cuts)
January 1, 2004... If you've shopped at a major clothing retailer in NSW in recent months you may have seen 'Behind the Label' signs or posters displayed. These (see an example, right) identify the retailer as a signatory to the Retailers' Ethical Clothing Code...

Cat and dog fur: labelling isn't enough.(choice cuts)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... In October last year we reported on the sale of imported clothing and toys made from real cat and dog fur. As if the brutal slaughter wasn't bad enough (see October 2003, page 6), the Humane Society International (HSI) now reports that products...

A Chrisco Christmas?(comparing Chrisco hampers with cost of purchasing goods)
January 1, 2004... If you've ever watched daytime TV, especially in the New Year, you may have wondered whether ordering a CHRISCO Christmas hamper was a good-value way of budgeting for Christmas. (For those who don't know what CHRISCO is, you order your hamper...

Bought an Abtronic?(choice cuts)
January 1, 2004... The Federal Court in Brisbane recently ruled that advertising claims made by the promoters of the Abtronic were misleading and deceptive to consumers. In another win for consumers as a result of action initiated by the Australian Competition...

Danger in vintage gas masks.(choice cuts)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has warned consumers against using vintage gas masks because they may well contain asbestos. Despite a permanent ban on the sale of these masks since 1991, the ACCC recently found...

Self-insurance for health.(choice cuts)
January 1, 2004... On average, even with the government's 30% rebate, most people's hospital claims won't exceed their premiums until they're in their 60s. As more and more younger people become disillusioned with the declining value of their private health...

Lost digital images.(your letters)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... We used our digital camera with a brand-new 256 Mb compact flash card on a recent holiday to the UK and ireland. About halfway through the trip, we turned the camera on to view our photos and the readout showed we had "no image": about 40...

Letter of the month.(your letters)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... We want to hear from you--your experiences help our research and often let other readers know abouts scams and rip-offs. Positive outcomes you've had to a complaint you took to a manufacturer, retailer, importer or tradesperson interest us too....

When a part on her 30-year-old Lady Shaver Broke, Kris de Vries was told by various retailers it was most likely too old to be replaced.(Thumbs Up!)
January 1, 2004... * When a part on her 30-year-old LADY SHAVER broke, Kris de Vries was told by various retailers it was most likely too old to be replaced. But she wrote to REMINGTON anyway, and it mailed the part to her free of charge.

Athlete's foot.(Thumbs Up!)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... * ATHLETE'S FOOT at Brookvale, NSW, cheerfully replaced Heidi Muller's expensive brand-name sports socks, which wore through the heel after only four months' use.

Warranty cards.(your letters)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... I recently bought a new mattress with a five-year warranty, dependent on my filling in and returning a form. Aside from being overly personal and objectionable, it's a blatant marketing survey. To me, a guarantee should be just that: five years...

Fancy a jog around the block? Enjoy a weekend jog, or maybe you're a serious runner? We put 22 pairs of shoes to the test to find the best for your feet.(Test: running shoes)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2004... IN A NUTSHELL * If you run a lot, safe and comfortable shoes are vital to reduce running injuries. * Several tested shoes have a durability and comfort edge. However, a shoe needs to fit your feet well, so still try on the top...

Super fund regulator criticised.(Australian Prudential Regulation Authority)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... The government authority charged with regulating the majority of Australia's superannuation funds was criticised in a recent performance audit undertaken by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO). The Australian Prudential Regulation...

Car insurance premiums.(why new cars and old car premiums don't differ much)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Anne Tonkin from SA was pleasantly surprised about the car insurance premium for her new car. "I had a Ford Capri for 12 years," she says. "Over the years, as it steadily depreciated, the comprehensive insurance premium kept on going up...

Mortgage broker disputes.(hip pocket)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... The Mortgage Industry Ombudsman Service can help consumers to resolve disputes with mortgage brokers if they're members of the scheme. Compensation is limited to $100,000. Contact: Mortgage Industry Ombudsman Service, Level 6, 50 Park...

Fishy business: with more than 50 varieties of canned tuna to choose from, we've found the ones that taste the best.(Test: canned tuna)
January 1, 2004... IN A NUTSHELL * All the tested tuna are OK for cooking, but some taste too fishy for sandwiches or salads (see Testing the taste, below left). * There's not enough independent checking of 'dolphin safe' claims for them to be credible....

Credit bungles: serious problems in the credit reporting system could lead to consumers being unable to get a loan.(Report: credit files)
January 1, 2004... IN A NUTSHELL * Credit reporting databases are used by financial institutions to help decide whether you're a good credit risk--they list information including defaults on payments, bankruptcies and the number of times you've applied for...

Cheap shots: a disposable camera can give you good photos--if you get the right one.(Test: disposable cameras)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2004... IN A NUTSHELL * The best of the disposable cameras are almost as good as a typical fixed-focus compact camera, and would be ideal to use when your 'real' camera isn't suitable or available. * The worst produce pretty awful pictures and...

Water with attitude ... but do you need it, or are the marketers simply hard at work again?(Report: 'sports' water)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2004... IN A NUTSHELL * Bottled water with added vitamins and minerals won't do much for your diet: what you get in it is no substitute for fruit and vegetables. * Forget drinking eight glasses of water a day: recent research shows there's no...

Jogger strollers: jogger strollers are better suited to exercising than shopping--but it helps if the wheels don't fall off!(Test: jogger strollers)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2004... IN A NUTSHELL * None of the tested strollers is completely problem-free, but four pose such an unlikely risk they're worth considering--see the What to buy list, below. * Two didn't survive our durability test--twice. See The four...

Reusing water bottles.(food bites)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... A scare email that's been circulating for some months now has been warning people against reusing PET plastic water bottles, saying there's a risk of consuming a potential carcinogen, DEHA, which can leach into the drink from the plastic...

Checked your fibre intake lately?
January 1, 2004... We all know eating enough of both soluble and insoluble fibre is important to our health, and adults should be aiming for about 30 g a day. But how do you know if you're getting this much? Log on to www.choiceextra.com.au and try out our fibre...

Salt under attack.(Food Standards Agency targets manufacturers to reduce salt)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... The Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the UK, the body that advises both government and consumers on food safety, nutrition and diet, has come up with a refreshing proposal to reduce the amount of salt in people's diets. A high level of salt in...

Freed from the kitchen sink: the first report from a new series of tests--25 new models compared.(Test: dishwashers)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2004... IN A NUTSHELL * Water and energy efficiency and ease of use showed the biggest differences between models, though one--the very expensive KLEENMAID--got a notably poorer wash score. Plenty of people nowadays think of a dishwasher as a...

Powder or tablets? Is it worth spending five to seven times as much for the new tablets instead of powder?(User trial: dishwasher detergent)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2004... IN A NUT SHELL * On trial: 10 dishwasher detergent powders and four tablets, including two with built-in rinse aid. * The four tablet detergents left most of the conventional powders behind for performance and popularity. But...

Going bush: eight daypacks put through their paces outdoors and in the lab to find the best.(Test: daypacks)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2004... IN A NUTSHELL * Some of the packs our bushwalkers liked ended up sad and soggy in our water-resistance test. A well designed rain cover with a drain hole at the bottom is good when the weather gets wet. * Some packs were much more...

Recalls & bans.
January 1, 2004... Nowadays there are so many product recalls we may not be able to print all of them in CHOICE. For comprehensive recall information go to the Federal Treasury website: www.recalls.gov.au. If you don't have web access, call the Consumer Safety...

Socks for the single-footed competition.(hard word)
January 1, 2004... Thanks to everyone for your imaginative entries in our 'use for a single sock' competition (see November Hard Word). It seems quite a few CHOICE readers have sock-eating washing machines--we certainly hope they're not ones we've...

Sydney on Moreton Bay.(hard work)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... We agree with reader Ian McDermott, who says, "I hope the ferry master has a better map!"

Fish: vegetable or mineral?(hard word)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Because apparently they're not animals: these fish oil tablets--containing "natural salmon oil"--are claimed to be completely "free of all animal derivatives". The gelatin-free capsule casing might well be "suitable for vegans", but someone...

Enormous savings ...(hard word)
January 1, 2004... Yeah, a big fat zero. We've been inundated with such bloopers nicked from supermarket shelves. Perhaps their appearance in our office helps explain why we (and fellow shoppers) can't always see how much things cost...

Lotto numbers?(hard word)
January 1, 2004... Reader Betsey Pike is stumped by this use-by date--and we have to admit we are too.