2017 - Consumer Action Law Centre

Community Legal Centres face funding cut from July 1

UPDATE: The Federal Government has announced a reversal of the planned cuts. However, Community Legal Centres are still facing a surge in community need that the Productivity Commission estimates requ...

Progress on banking code, but missed opportunities too: consumer advocates

The Australian Banker's Association (ABA) response to the Independent Review of the Code of Banking Practice (Khoury Review) is a positive start, but consumer advocates say there are some missed oppor...

Supplementary submission: Design & Distribution Obligations and Product Intervention Power – Proposals Paper

The undersigned provided a comprehensive submission to the Design and Distribution Obligations and Product Intervention Power – Proposals Paper (the Proposals Paper) on 15 March 2017. We make this sup...

120 day delay inflicting greater payday pain

Consumer groups call for the Federal Government to take immediate action to protect payday loan and lease borrowers. The Consumers Federation of Australia, CHOICE, Consumer Action Law Centre, Financi...

Consumer Action calls for Fair Finance – Reform of payday loans and rent-to-buy

Consumer Action Law Centre has hit Federal Parliament to speak with Senators and MPs about making finance fair by reforming payday loans and rent-to-buy products. Read more about the day: Tweets about...

Radio Rentals sued over irresponsible ‘Rent Try Buy’ contracts

A Victorian single mother of four children has sued Radio Rentals in the Federal Circuit Court alleging that six 'Rent Try Buy' contracts were irresponsible and unjust. The woman, a victim of famil...

Review of the Warehousemen’s Liens Act 1958 – Position Paper

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Storage Industry Position Paper. In our view, the proposed changes to the Warehousemen’s Liens Act 1958 (...

Independent Review into the Future Security of the National Electricity Market (Finkel review)

A reliable, secure and affordable energy supply is essential to health, wellbeing, economic participation and social inclusion, so there is a high risk to consumers when things go wrong and supply of...

Design and Distribution Obligations and Product Intervention Power – Proposals Paper

Nine consumer advocacy organisations have made a joint submission on the Design and Distribution Obligations and Product Intervention Power. This joint submission was coordinated by Consumer Action La...

Retirement villages in Australia – Life Matters

When people get older and start thinking about downsizing, retirement villages are an option many consider. However, it may be worth doing some research and assessing all of the associated costs befor...

Mortgage broker mayhem

CHOICE and the Consumer Action and Financial Rights Legal Centre are calling on the federal government to act on conflicted remuneration in the mortgage market following an ASIC report that found wide...

How to avoid a credit card debt disaster

Did you know that Australians owe over $50 billion (and rising) on their credit cards? Here are some tips from Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Gerard Brody on how we can stop Australians’ love of credi...

Consumer protection in the banking, insurance and financial sector

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to provide a submission to the Senate Inquiry into consumer protection in the banking, insurance and financial sector. Read the full subm...

Submission to the review of electricity and gas retail markets in Victoria

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the review of electricity and gas retail markets in Victoria discussion paper following the consultation forum t...

Residents respond – Retirement Living Inquiry

Victorian retirees have responded to a Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry report....

$250K: the shocking cost of retirement housing disputes

...

Victorian mum sues Cash Converters alleging unjust pawn agreements and payday loans

A Victorian mother of seven has taken Cash Converters to court alleging that 76 pawn agreements and 23 payday loans were unjust and unconscionable. She alleges that repaying the payday loans and pa...

“Car yards should be ashamed”: tips on avoiding car yard shonks

Consumer Action Law Centre is warning Australians about the behaviour of car yard shonks following an ASIC action refunding $400,000 to a group of NSW car buyers who were forced to purchase warran...

Consumer groups urge banks to implement recommendations of banking code report

Consumer Groups today welcomed the release of the Independent Khoury Review of the Australian Banking Association’s Code of Banking Practice as an important step in the right direction of improving th...

ACCC rejects weak effort by insurers to fix junk insurance

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has today rejected a cynical move by the insurance industry to keep selling junk insurance products. The industry has placed blame on the size...

Senate Standing Committee on Economics inquiry into Australia’s general insurance industry

This submission examines home and car insurance from the consumer’s perspective. It focuses on transparency in Australia’s home and car insurance industries, the benefits of establishing an independen...

Electricity Network Transformation Roadmap: Key Concepts Report

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Electricity network transformation roadmap: key concepts report. We support the focus of the roadmap of incentiv...

Public statement – Veda and Consumer Action Law Centre

Veda and the Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) have agreed upon a conciliated resolution to the representative complaint lodged by Consumer Action with the Office of the Australian Informat...

Retail Remuneration Review – Issues Paper

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action), is pleased to provide a submission in response to the Retail Remuneration Review Issues Paper (Issues Paper). As stated in our joint response to th...

Competition is failing in energy retail and it’s hurting households: Gerard Brody

In his address to the National Press Club last week, prime minister Malcolm Turnbull called out that families across the nation need not just reliable but affordable power. For lower income earners wh...

EDR Review – Interim Report

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Review of the Financial System Dispute Resolution Framework – Interim Report (Interim Report). This joint submission was coordinated by Consumer Action...

BMW Finance – you could get compensation

The Australian Securities Investment Commission (ASIC) recently took action against BMW Australia Finance (BMW Finance) for signing up customers to car loans they could not afford between 1 January 20...

Australians need a one-stop-shop ombudsman to deal with banking & finance complaints

Getting problems with your bank, insurance or finance company solved fairly and quickly is too hard and Australia needs a one-stop-shop ombudsman for financial service problems, say leading consumer a...

Submission in response to Consultation Paper 272 – Remaking ASIC class orders on time-sharing schemes

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) and Financial Rights Legal Centre (Financial Rights) are pleased to make this submission to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s (ASIC) p...

Productivity Commission Draft Report – Consumer Law Enforcement and Administration

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to provide comment in response to the Productivity Commission Draft Report – Consumer Law Enforcement and Administration (Draft Report)....

Submission to The Treasury on priorities for 2017-18 Federal Budget

Consumer Action has provided input into The Treasury’s budget development for financial year 2017-18. We have identified four budget measures that would, if implemented, enhance justice for all Aus...

1 2 3

SERVICES

ASSISTANCE FROM US

COURSES

RESOURCES

ENGAGE WITH US

SUPPORT IS HERE:

POLICY

CAMPAIGNS

CHANGE IS HERE:

ABOUT US

WORK WITH US

WHO WE HELP

WE ARE HERE: