Report: Problems with Payment
As winter energy bills begin landing in letterboxes, a new report from the Consumer Action has identified fundamental flaws in the way energy retailers identify and assist struggling customers. Proble...
July 2014
All power to the energy companies when it comes to adjusting prices The Age, 31 July 2014, Brian Robins Vulnerable in a cry for help Herald Sun, 30 July 2014, Editorial Cold-hearted power comp...
Media release: As fixed term interest rates fall to record lows, borrowers advised to look beyond the short term
As Australian banks cut fixed term interest rates on home loans to record lows, financial counsellors at Consumer Action Law Centre have advised prospective borrowers to consider the longer term and w...
Media Release: Murray Inquiry – focus on fairness welcome for consumers
Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the interim report from the Murray Inquiry into Australia’s financial system, and its acknowledgment that fairness, along with stability and efficiency, are imp...
Media Release: Revised debt collection guideline should improve industry conduct
Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the revised Debt Collection Guideline published by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commi...
Private car parking fines
Key points: Private car parks cannot ‘fine’ consumers Carefully consider your options if you get a demand for payment from a private car park As of 26 August 2015, there are restrictions on...
Are Private Car Parks “Fines” Legitimate?
One of the most common questions asked of our legal practice is about the legitimacy of private car park payment notices and how to challenge them. A number of car parks are operated by private compa...
Media Release: Making home insurance fair and simple – Consumer Action welcomes new report findings
A new report by the Office of the Fire Services Levy Monitor has lifted the veil on Australia’s home insurance industry, exposing high profits, poor product and price disclosure, and a severe lack of...
Report: Barriers to Accessing Utility Relief Grants
Increasing electricity prices have had a significant impact on the consumers that contact Consumer Action for assistance—consumers experiencing debt issues and those with some of the lowest incomes in...
Media Release: Inquiry recommends changes to ASIC
Consumer Action welcomes much of the findings of the Senate Standing Committees on Economics Inquiry into the Performance of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), and commends A...
Submission: Insurance Duty of Disclosure
Consumer Action has provided comments on the Commonwealth Treasury's proposed notices which explain the duty of disclosure consumers have when buying insurance. We broadly support these regulations, b...
Consumer Advocates and Financial Counsellors applaud Federal Parliament’s move to scrap $120 bankruptcy fee
Consumer advocates and financial counsellors have applauded Federal Parliament’s move to stop the Australian Financial Security Authority charging individuals a $120 to declare bankruptcy. The fee, i...
Submission: Consultation on Victorian Solicitors’ Conduct Rules
Consumer Action has made a submission to the Consultation on Victorian Solicitors’ Conduct Rules. We regularly assist debtors who are being pursued by lawyers or law firms acting on behalf of debt col...
Submission: Competition Policy Review Issues Paper
Consumer Action has made a submission on the Competition Policy Review Issues Paper. The key points and recommendations are outlined below: While effective competition generally ensures market outc...
Joint Submission: Economic regulation, governance and efficiency in the Victorian water sector
Consumer Action, the Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre and the Victorian Council of Social Service welcome the opportunity to comment on the May 2014 Preliminary Advice from the Independent Reviewer....
Submission: AEMC Rule Change on Customer Access to Information about their Energy Consumption
Consumer Action recognises the great potential for advanced metering to enhance consumers' understanding of their own energy consumption, and acknowledges that it can be an important link for consumer...
National Consumer Fraud Week 16 – 22 June
Have you ever wondered if someone is the real deal? These days, scammers are highly skilled at building deceptive relationships, using all sorts of tricks to convince you to trust them and part with y...
Consumers beware: Avoid solar panel pitfalls – use a retailer that has signed the code of conduct
The boom in the residential solar panel industry has created an array of problems for Victorian households due to a lack of appropriate consumer protections. Consumer Action’s lawyers get complaints a...
Media release: Single mother of four appeals VCAT second-hand car decision to Supreme Court
A Victorian mother of four has requested leave to appeal a Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) decision in the Supreme Court. She took M&G Motors to VCAT in January 2014, seeking a...
June 2014
Protection fund needed to win consumers’ trust Australian Financial Review, 5 June 2014, Gerard Brody...
Submission: AEMC Rule Change on Expanding Competition in Metering and Related Services
Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the AEMC's rule change proposal to expand competition in metering and related services. Consumer Action recognises the great potential f...
Joint submission: Productivity Commission’s Access to Justice draft report
Consumer Action and Consumer Credit Legal Centre NSW have made an extensive submission to the Productivity Commission's Access to Justice draft report. A summary of our submission is below or you can...
Submission: Review of the 2020 Renewable Energy Target
The Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the Federal Government’s review of Australia’s Renewable Energy Target (RET). Consumer Action is an independent, not-for-...
May 2014
Regulators overlooking the power of simplicity Australian Financial Review, 30 May 2014, Gerard Brody Consumers told to check tap-and-go transactions as deception cases increase The Age, 28 May 2...
Media release: Commission of Audit recommendation to cut funding for financial counselling fails struggling families
Thousands of Victorian working families, pensioners and those in financial hardship will be the biggest losers if the Federal Government adopts yesterday’s Commission of Audit recommendation to cut fu...
Think twice before using a credit repair company
Our legal and financial counselling services have heard from a number of Victorians concerned about the behaviour of several credit repair companies. These companies may claim to be able to improve yo...
Summary of Consumer Leases and Consumer Protection: Regulatory Arbitrage and Consumer Harm
Key points the regulatory distinction between 'consumer leases' and 'credit contracts' used in the National Credit Code is flawed and has created opportunities for regulatory arbitrage (defined b...
Media release: Dozo car sales ordered to pay $2,150 after breaching consumer guarantees
Dozo Car Sales has been ordered to pay $2,150 to a vulnerable consumer after it refused, within a reasonable time, to provide a refund on a defective car and, instead, bought it back at a reduced pric...
Media release: New fund to protect consumers from dodgy or fly by night builders
Victorians building or extending their homes can do so with greater confidence following the Victorian Government’s announcement of a Building Consumer Protection Fund to protect consumers from dodgy...
April 2014
Over the odds when power is bestowed on select few The Age, 12 April 2014, Brian Robins Energy Australia fined $1m in Federal Court over door-to-door sales practices ABC News, 9 April 2014, Amy Bainb...
Media release: Charging $120 to bankrupt? Sadly it’s no April fool’s joke
Charging struggling Australians a filing fee for bankruptcy is like trying to get blood from a stone. Consumer advocates and financial counselling agencies say the $120 fee, to be charged from 1 April...
Submission: Financial Systems Inquiry Terms of Reference
Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the Financial Systems Inquiry. The submission below responds to the Inquiry's terms of reference released on 20 December 2013. The submission...
Credit reporting late payment listing change to benefit consumers
Consumer Action welcomes the proposal to amend the new credit reporting laws so that the five day grace period for late payments recorded on a consumer’s credit report is extended to 14 days. Under...
Lawyer fined $25,000 and ordered to pay $75,000 to Legal services Commissioner
The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal has fined lawyer Victoria Nomikos of A’Beckett lawyers $25,000 and ordered her to pay $75,000 to the Legal Services Commissioner after the Commissioner...
Joint submission: DSDBI Consultation Paper – Reforms to Retail Regulation 2014 and Planned Outages
Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Draft Consultation Paper – Reforms to Retail Regulation 2014 and Planned Outages. We strongly support the Minister’s proposal to increase th...
March 2014
Optus warned over $8.8 million billing error Sydney Morning Herald, 27 March 2014, Paddy Wood Consumer groups lobby politicians over proposed changes to Future of Financial Advice reforms ABC New...
Credit reporting – correcting mistakes
Key message You have a right to have inaccurate information on your credit report corrected free of charge Significant changes to the information that can be contained on your credit report oc...
Credit reporting – getting a free copy of your credit report
[box type="note" icon="none"] Key message You are entitled to a free copy of your credit report. [/box] Where is my credit report? Credit reports are created and held by private companies...
Media release: More than 1 in 2 consumers are throwing their mobile allowance in the trash
Three leading consumer organisations have joined forces, calling on Australians to stop throwing away their monthly mobile phone allowance and help drive greater competition from providers. New resea...
Media release: New laws give credit providers access to more of your information
Wednesday 12 March marks the introduction of a new credit reporting system which will collect far more information about Australians’ credit history. The extra information is supposed to help credit p...
Submission: Consumer Credit Regulations
Consumer Action and the Consumer Credit Legal Centre NSW have made a joint submission to Treasury on exposure draft consumer credit regulations affecting payday lenders. In summary, we are supportive...
Submission: Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria independent review issues paper
This submission is the result of a collaboration between the Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre, the Victorian Council of Social Services, Consumer Action Law Centre and the Financial and Consumer Rig...
Submission: AEMC’s 2014 Retail Competition Review
Consumer Action has provided comment on the Australian Energy Market Commission’s (the AEMC) 2014 Retail Competition Review Approach Paper. We welcome ongoing reviews of competition within retail mar...
Submission: Filing fees for debtors’ petitions, overseas travel requests and an increase to the realisations charge
A scan of Consumer Action's casework records (including both our legal advice and financial counselling services) reveals that we have on record at least 1900 calls from low income and vulnerable clie...
Submission: Final Report on the Review of Enforcement Regimes under the National Energy Laws
Consumer Action has made a submission to the Standing Council on Energy (SCER) on the Final Report: Review of the Enforcement Regimes under the National Energy Laws Consumer Action supports many of t...
Media release: Consumer advocate welcomes Government focus on lease providers
Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the Federal Government’s proposal to extend consumer protections to short term and indefinite leases, which aren’t covered by national credit laws. These leases...
Submission: ACCC consideration of AGL Energy’s proposed acquisition of Macquarie Generation
Consumer Action has made a submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) in response to its Statement of Issues on AGL Energy Limited (AGL) proposed acquisition of the busine...
Submission: AEMC’s review of electricity customer switching options paper
Consumer Action supports the Commission undertaking this review and we agree that timely and accurate transfer processes can "support customer choice" and "confidence" in the competitive retail market...
Federal Court finds ANZ late fees were penalty charges
The Federal Court has ruled that ANZ’s credit card late fees were penalty charges rather than a cost recovery measure. This is significant because, while businesses can recover the costs of late paym...
Submission: Energy White Paper 2014
Consumer Action was pleased to have the opportunity to comment on the Energy White Paper 2014. Our submission is available here....