‘A disastrous winding back of consumer protections’: Consumer groups call on lawmakers to reject proposed changes 

Proposed changes to consumer credit laws before the Senate must be rejected as they risk harm to individuals and families and hindering the economic recovery they are intended to promote. That is t...

February 4, 2021

Submission: National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Supporting Economic Recovery) Bill 2020

This submission is made on behalf of Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action), Financial Rights Legal Centre (Financial Rights), Financial Counselling Australia, Consumer Credit Legal Service (WA)...

February 4, 2021

Consumer advocates call for Parliament to vote against watered-down protections against predatory lenders

Consumer advocates have rejected the Federal Government’s proposed changes to laws governing high-cost payday loans and consumer leases, calling for Parliament to vote against the Bill in a submission...

February 3, 2021

Submission from the Stop the Debt Trap Alliance: National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Supporting Economic Recovery) Bill 2020

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February 3, 2021

Consumer groups comment on Banking Royal Commission reforms

Consumer groups welcome today’s passage of Royal Commission recommendations into law, but condemn the government for introducing the law to axe safe lending laws into the House. “This week the govern...

December 10, 2020

Calling out the banks: Why responsible lending laws need to stay intact

First published in The Age/Sydney Morning Herald, 2 December 2020 It's a great pity that the banks are weighing in so publicly to support the rollback of our responsible lending laws. Just when...

December 4, 2020

Private member’s Bill addresses Government’s ‘half-baked’ proposals on payday loans and high-cost leases

A private member’s Bill introduced in Parliament today by Andrew Wilkie MP would, if passed, greatly reduce the harm that high-cost payday loans and consumer leases cause to thousands of Australians....

November 30, 2020

Product intervention power for continuing credit contracts – some further considerations

Consumer Action, Financial Rights Legal Centre and WEstjustice have made a second submission to the Australian Securities and Investment Commission’s (ASIC) Consultation Paper 330 (CP 330), in which A...

November 27, 2020

Scrapping lending laws would take away legal rights and hinder economic recovery 

Consumer advocates have published a submission on exposure draft legislation that would repeal lending consumer protections in the National Consumer Credit Protection Act, in direct contradiction of t...

November 23, 2020

Treasury consultation: Consumer Credit Reforms our submission

A coalition of consumer advocates have published a submission on exposure draft legislation that would repeal responsible lending laws in the National Consumer Credit Protection Act. The submission p...

November 23, 2020

Buy now pay later report reveals one-in-five users going without essentials like meals

A report released today on the buy now pay later (BNPL) industry reveals statistics that suggest many Australians are being pushed into financial harm. The report by the Australian Securities &...

November 16, 2020

Parliament must kick ‘rent-to-buy’ products off Centrepay for good

Consumer Action has thrown its support behind a private member’s Bill introduced to the Senate yesterday to stop ‘rent-to-buy’ operators from accessing the Government’s bill paying service.  The Bi...

November 13, 2020

Stop The Debt Trap Alliance supports South Australian Bill for enhanced consumer protections

The Stop The Debt Trap Alliance has provided feedback on the draft Fair Trading (Small Amount Credit Contracts and Consumer Leases) Amendment Bill 2020 (SA). The Alliance) is a coalition of consume...

November 10, 2020

We support enhanced protections for South Australians from payday loans and high-cost leases

Consumer Action has provided a submission on the draft Fair Trading (Small Amount Credit Contracts and Consumer Leases) Amendment Bill 2020 (SA) (the SA Bill). Consumer Action strongly supports the...

November 9, 2020

“Stop the harm”: Renewed calls for consumer lease providers to be kicked off Centrepay 

The Commonwealth Ombudsman recently handed down its final decision on Consumer Action Law Centre's complaints about Services Australia failing to enforce the Centrepay Policy against predatory consume...

October 9, 2020

Predatory lending risks undermining Government’s economic recovery effort

With jobs, household spending and economic recovery  the focus of last night’s Budget, the Stop the Debt Trap Alliance is warning that lax protections from predatory lenders risk undermining the Gover...

October 7, 2020

Corporate regulator takes legal action to stop harmful rogue lending

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) this week commenced legal proceedings against Cigno Pty Ltd (Cigno) and BHF Solutions Pty Ltd (BHFS), alleging the companies provided credit...

October 1, 2020

Government waters down payday lending reforms

The Government has announced that it will weaken proposed consumer protections it promised to implement nearly four years ago in relation to small amount credit contracts (payday loans) and consumer l...

September 28, 2020

Consumer groups slam move to remove responsible lending law

Removing credit protections will cause harm to people and the economy   CHOICE, Consumer Action Law Centre, Financial Counselling Australia and Financial Rights Legal Centre have responded to the Gov...

September 25, 2020

Revamped Koorihelp website and Facebook page launched for community

Consumer Action has launched a revamped Koorihelp website and new Facebook page focused on providing the latest information about pressing consumer issues and services to Victoria’s Aboriginal and Tor...

September 23, 2020

Government-led Senate Committee backs strengthening consumer protections for predatory payday loans and high-cost leases

A Senate Committee has handed down its final report on proposed reforms to payday loans and consumer leases in the National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Small Amount Credit Contract and Consu...

September 22, 2020

Consumer groups welcome South Australian crackdown on predatory lenders

Consumer groups have applauded the South Australian government’s plans to crackdown on payday lenders and consumer lease providers. The government’s proposed laws would introduce important consumer pr...

September 16, 2020

Australian Competition Tribunal decision: A missed opportunity to improve solar sales practices

The Australian Competition Tribunal (the Tribunal) has handed down its decision today on the New Energy Tech Consumer Code (the Code), the proposed industry code for new energy technology such as sola...

September 15, 2020

Report misses the mark on buy now pay later regulation

The Senate Select Committee on Financial Technology and Regulatory Technology has published its Interim Report. Consumer groups say the Interim Report has missed the mark on its recommendation encoura...

September 3, 2020

Inquiry into Victoria’s Response to COVID-19

COVID-19 has deeply affected the Victorian community in unprecedented ways. With a significant number of job losses and most of the population staying at home in compliance with public health orders,...

August 10, 2020

Using the product intervention power: Continuing credit contracts

The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) is consulting on using its product intervention powers (PIP) against the second Cigno lending model. Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer...

August 7, 2020

Consumer groups welcome NAB crackdown on debt vultures

Consumer groups have welcomed a crackdown on debt vultures by National Australia Bank (NAB). In a statement today, NAB says it will no longer deal with unlicensed debt management providers. Cons...

July 29, 2020

Responsible lending law reform needed urgently

Consumer groups are extremely disappointed in ASIC’s decision not to appeal the Full Federal Court’s decision in the Westpac case to the High Court of Australia.[1] The Financial Rights Legal Centr...

July 22, 2020

Regulator proposes to stop the latest predatory lending model involving Cigno

The corporate regulator is proposing to again use its product intervention power (PIP) in relation to Cigno and BHF Solutions. Consumer Action Law Centre supports the move, saying there is a desperate...

July 9, 2020

Banks Announcement of Further Assistance for Customers a Timely Relief

Today’s announcement by the banking industry of further assistance to help customers experiencing financial hardship will provide some important relief to those who continue to be impacted by COVID-19...

July 8, 2020

Regulator reveals telcos failing to do proper credit checks 

The telco regulator has released worrying findings from its mystery shopping study into companies' credit assessments today.  The study released today by the Australian Communications and Media Aut...

June 30, 2020

Consumer groups: Federal insurance pricing monitor a ‘national priority’ ahead of next bushfire season as NSW office closes

The closure of the NSW insurance pricing monitor today leaves a gap in consumer protection that should be filled by an independent national body says a coalition of consumer groups. The NSW Emergen...

June 30, 2020

Consumer Action asks Tribunal to stop ‘buy now pay later’ solar rip offs

Today the Australian Competition Tribunal will commence hearing arguments on the New Energy Tech Consumer Code (the Code), the proposed industry code for new energy technology such as solar panel sale...

June 9, 2020

Australians urged to share their stories about financial hardship during COVID-19

Today, Consumer Action Law Centre has launched an online form to enable people to share their experiences of financial hardship during the Covid-19 emergency. The goal is to help track the severity an...

May 20, 2020

Junk insurance rorts continue despite millions in refunds

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s (ASIC) announcement today that it has secured its final tranche of remediation for consumers sold junk consumer credit insurance (CCI) by 11 bank...

May 13, 2020

Government reaffirms commitment to implement Banking Royal Commission reforms in full

Today the Government announced a six-month deferral to the implementation of commitments associated with the Banking Royal Commission. Under the updated timetable, measures previously scheduled for...

May 8, 2020

Submission: Bushfire Royal Commission and insurance affordability

Consumer Action’s submission to the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements covers the insurance and financial challenges faced by communities in the aftermath of the Black Summer...

April 27, 2020

Consumer group tells Bushfire Royal Commission that climate change is creating a perfect storm for insurance affordability

Consumer Action has warned that climate change is expected to make insurance unaffordable for many as extreme weather events hit Australia as part of its submission to the Bushfire Royal Commission re...

April 27, 2020

We’re at crisis point. Government needs to shut down predatory lenders.

Every week, community and consumer advocates speak to people trapped in payday lending debt. For years, we’ve been campaigning to stop the debt trap and harm caused by payday lenders. We’ve talked to...

April 16, 2020

Product design and distribution obligations –ASIC Consultation Paper 325

Consumer groups have commented on ASIC’s Consultation Paper 325 – Product design and distribution obligations. We strongly support the introduction of product design and distribution obligations (DDOs...

April 6, 2020

No impact on credit files during COVID-19 pandemic a welcome announcement by banks

Consumer groups welcome the announcement by the Australian Banking Association that bank customers applying for payment deferrals as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic will not have a missed payment or...

April 6, 2020

Keep communities connected, urge more than 40 community organisations across Australia

As more people face the prospect of losing work due to the COVID-19 health  crisis, community organisations are calling on banks, telcos, energy retailers, and rental providers to help people stay con...

March 19, 2020

A little relief will go a long way for thousands struggling due to COVID-19

Widespread disruption caused by COVID-19 is being felt across Australia. It won’t be long before we have thousands of people trying to survive on a reduced income, worried about whether they can pay t...

March 16, 2020

Banking Royal Commission reforms: “Pivotal moment in implementing Hayne’s vision”

Consumer Credit Legal Service (WA), CHOICE, Consumer Action Law Centre, Financial Counselling Australia, Financial Rights Legal Centre and Super Consumers Australia have today published policy submi...

March 10, 2020

Joint submission: Re: Financial Regulator Assessment Authority Bill 2020

This is a joint consumer submission from Financial Rights Legal Centre, CHOICE and the Consumer Action Law Centre to Treasury providing comment on the Financial Regulator Assessment Authority Bill 202...

March 10, 2020

Joint submission to the Treasury re: Duty to take reasonable care not to make a misrepresentation to an insurer

This is a joint consumer submission from the Financial Rights Legal Centre, Consumer Action Law Centre, CHOICE, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, Financial Counselling Australia, and the Consumer C...

March 10, 2020

Joint submission: Exposure draft – Deferred sales model for add-on insurance – FSRC Rec 4.3

This submission has been prepared by Consumer Action Law Centre with contributions and endorsement from Financial Rights Legal Centre, Financial Counselling Australia, CHOICE, Consumer Credit Law Cent...

March 10, 2020

Joint submission: Exposure draft – No hawking of financial products – FSRC Rec 3.4 and 4.1

This submission has been prepared by Consumer Action Law Centre with contributions and endorsements from Financial Rights Legal Centre, CHOICE, Consumer Credit Legal Service (WA), and Financial Counse...

March 10, 2020

Joint submission: Strengthening breach reporting

This is a joint consumer submission from Consumer Credit Legal Service (WA), CHOICE, Consumer Action Law Centre and Financial Rights Legal Centre. We strongly support proposed reforms to the breach re...

March 10, 2020

Joint submission: Enforceability of financial services industry codes

This is a joint submission by Financial Rights Legal Centre, the Consumer Action Law Centre, CHOICE, Financial Counselling Australia, Consumer Credit Legal Service (WA) and the Consumers’ Federation o...

March 10, 2020