Submission on the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) Rules Changes

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the proposed changes to expand AFCA’s jurisdiction to deal with eligible complaints about conduct dating back to 1 J...

April 12, 2019

Energy pricing under the Victorian Default Officer must ensure fairness for consumers

As part of its response to pressure to curb energy prices and address inequality within Victoria’s energy market, the Victorian Government recently introduced the Victorian Default Offer (VDO).  The V...

April 5, 2019

Sunny Side Up: Strengthening the consumer protection regime for solar panels in Victoria

Reliable, affordable, renewable energy has helped many Australians take back control of their power prices. Yet as the solar industry booms, consumer protection has not kept up. More needs to be done...

April 3, 2019

ASIC handed new powers to tackle harmful financial products

Newly enacted laws about the fairness of financial products and services can work to prevent harm in banking and finance if the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) takes immediate...

April 3, 2019

Key Findings: Sunny Side Up: Strengthening the Consumer Protection Regime for Solar Panels in Victoria

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) has released the key findings of its latest report, Sunny Side Up which focuses on the urgent need to strengthen the consumer protection regime for solar p...

March 26, 2019

Ban on vendor term and rent-to-buy transactions to make buying a home fairer for all Victorians

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) supports a ban on vendor term and rent-to-buy agreements in the housing market proposed by the Sale of Land Amendment Bill 2019, which is to be introduced...

March 20, 2019

National Consumer Congress Keynote Address: How to deliver better outcomes for vulnerable consumers in regulated markets

The following keynote speech was delivered by Consumer Action CEO, Gerard Brody at the National Consumer Congress 2019 on Thursday, 14 March 2019 in Melbourne.   Today I want to ask whether w...

March 18, 2019

Clarification of consumer guarantees is essential, but making information accessible must be a focus

Clarification of consumer guarantees is essential according to Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action), but making information accessible must be a focus in newly proposed guidance about ‘unsafe’...

March 8, 2019

It’s time to clean up energy market pricing for all Victorians

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) commends the Essential Services Commission’s (ESC) draft advice to the Victorian Government about the default regulated price for electricity, but urges re...

March 8, 2019

The justice system could better respond to the needs of people affected by misconduct in the finance sector

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) has recommended that financial service providers be required to improve their approach to dispute resolution in its comments to the Senate Legal and Consti...

March 6, 2019

Community legal centres and financial counsellors get the vote for more funding

The Australian Labor Party (ALP) has promised a significant funding boost for financial counsellors and community legal centres across the country if it wins the next election. The ALP has committed t...

February 26, 2019

Senate Inquiry report recommends vital safeguards for Australian families struggling with debt

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) says that, if implemented, the recommendations in the final report from the Senate Inquiry into credit and financial services targeted at Australians at ri...

February 22, 2019

Prohibition will strengthen the consumer law and allow regulators to deal with practices that cause consumer detriment

Consumer Action has made a submission to the ACCC Digital Platforms Inquiry Preliminary Report. The submission focuses primarily on the proposal to develop a general prohibition against unfair practic...

February 19, 2019

Mortgage Broking: Consumer groups quit disingenuous consultation

Consumer groups have quit en masse from a mortgage broking industry forum, saying that the industry isn’t interested in doing the right thing by the community and has been disingenuous. CHOICE, Con...

February 15, 2019

ESC Compliance and enforcement policy draft decision

We support the ESC changing its compliance and enforcement policy to reflect a risk-based, intelligence-led, outcome focused approach. The ESC must be able to transparently demonstrate that it is effe...

February 8, 2019

Consumer issues must fall within mental health inquiry’s scope

Consumer Action has provided a submission to the Royal Commission into Mental Health Terms of Reference Consultation. We strongly support the Victorian Government’s announcement of this Royal Commi...

February 7, 2019

Increased consumer protections and removal of legal loopholes key Royal Commission recommendations

Increased consumer protections and removal of loopholes and exemptions are the key recommendations from the Hayne Royal Commission that will benefit everyday Australians says Consumer Action Law Centr...

February 4, 2019

Helping customers engage confidently in the retail energy market draft decision

We support changes to regulation that will facilitate simple ways of resolving issues with estimated billing. While we support making consistent factsheets for energy offers that are easier to compreh...

February 4, 2019

2019-20 Pre-Budget Submission

Consumer Action has made a submission to The Australian Government Treasury’s 2019-20 Pre-Budget Submission process. We have focused this submission on two areas where budget action could make an imme...

January 31, 2019

Victorian households must have protected and simple access to a fair price for energy

We strongly support the ESC’s work to implement the VDO as a priority. Victorian households must have protected and simple access to a fair price for an essential service. In the period without price...

January 30, 2019

Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Finance Sector – Submission on Module 6 on insurance

Consumer Action made a submission to the Financial Services Royal Commission in October 2018 on the policy questions arising from Module 6 on insurance. Consumer Action has assisted people who have...

January 30, 2019

‘Loyalty tax’ for insurance is fundamentally unfair

Consumer Action made a submission to the NSW Emergency Services Levy Insurance Monitor’s Discussion Paper, Pricing Differences: New vs Existing Customers. Insurance is a product that claims to reward...

January 30, 2019

Appropriate responses to misconduct or consumer harm identified as part of ongoing electricity price monitoring

Consumer Action has provided a submission to the Senate Economics Committee inquiry on the Treasury Laws Amendment (Prohibited Energy Market Misconduct Bill) 2018. We support the Bill, which will allo...

January 25, 2019

Consumer Action and the Royal Commission

Consumer Action is not able to advise or represent members of the public for the purposes of the Royal Commission. However, the Royal Commission is now receiving public submissions directly...

January 23, 2019

Submission: Consultation Draft Behind the Meter Distributed Energy Resources Provider Code

Consumer Action has provided feedback on the Consultation Draft Behind the Meter Distributed Energy Resources Provider Code. We consider: the name of the code should be readily understood by the...

January 22, 2019