Lisa Darmanin (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) | Hansard source

Many of you here, and those up in the gallery, may well have experienced this. Signing up for something is easy; cancelling it, though, is another matter entirely. Do you remember the date when a free trial for an app or subscription is due to end? Do you read every privacy policy before you click 'accept'? Do you always read the terms and conditions? Have you ever gone to cancel a subscription only to find the process is far more complicated than necessary? Have you had to wade through multiple screens, move from an app to a desktop mode, find a hidden menu, call a phone number—maybe multiple times—or even attend somewhere in person before eventually giving up? I can tell you that I've had this personal experience myself, and I suspect most Australians have experienced at least one of these behaviours.

I think of myself as a careful consumer, and I like to think that I'm reasonably savvy. I compare products, shop around and don't generally enter contracts without reading them. But I know there have been times when I've clicked 'accept' without reading every single word, and I suspect most people have. I reckon that these experiences are becoming increasingly common. In fact, I'm dealing with one similar situation right now.

I won't name the organisation, but I am still paying $30 a month for a subscription I cannot log into. I've emailed multiple times. I've called several different numbers. I've been told multiple times I don't have an account with them. Yet, on the 18th day of every single month, there is a charge that is deducted from my bank account. I am seemingly making a monthly donation at this point in time. The bank won't do anything.