Submission to The Treasury on priorities for 2016-17 Federal Budget
Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide input into The Treasury’s budget development for financial year 2016-17. The stated aim of the Government in inviting submissions to feed into the development of the 2016-17 Federal Budget is to focus on responsible expenditure. This also gives the opportunity to identify saving measures that will allow the focus of Government resources on the skills and jobs Australians need.
Consumer Action has identified three budget measures that, if implemented, would improve the lives of low income and vulnerable Australians:
- Recover fees paid to Registered Training Organisations who are found to have mis-sold inappropriate courses, and free students from a debt they should never have incurred and are unlikely to be able to repay;
- Invest in legal assistance, provide access to justice, and avoid cost shifting to other government departments and service providers through escalation of legal problems; and
- Invest in financial counselling services to help Australians struggling with credit and debt get back on their feet, pay their way, and return to financial inclusion.
Read the full submission here [PDF]
160205-Consumer-Action-Pre-budget-Submission