Media Release - Consumer Action Law Centre

Regulator must ‘put consumers before commissions’ in new telco rules

The Fair Call Coalition, an alliance of consumer and community organisations has today joined peak communications consumer body ACCAN to call on the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA...

ATO debt failures a perverse problem that can be changed now

Consumer Action Law Centre says its Price of Survival report spotlighting the demoralising ways the ATO deals with people’s tax debts shows the need for immediate change. Almost 1,500 Victorians ca...

PRICE OF SURVIVAL REPORT: Deepening cost-of-living crisis taking a severe toll on families say financial counsellors

ONLINE BRIEFING for The Price of Survival REPORT https://youtu.be/KCaNYeRo8y4 A new report released today the Price of Survival from Consumer Action Law Centre reveals a bleak and troubling pict...

Scam victims must be at the heart of AFCA’s dispute resolution approach to ensure the system works for consumers

Consumer advocates have broadly welcomed the Australian Financial Complaints Authority’s (AFCA) proposed rules and operational guidelines for the Scam Prevention Framework (SPF) but caution the need f...

‘Personal data sold to the highest bidder’: ASIC sues shady comparison website owned by lead generators

Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the Australian Securities and Investment Commission’s (ASIC) decision to commence proceedings against Clark Family Pty Ltd (Clark Family) alleging it operated a lea...

‘Treated like trash’: Public Self Storage Scorseby fire victims fear losing treasured possessions twice

Consumer advocates and impacted clients are calling on Public Self Storage Scoresby (PSSS), to do the right thing and bring ‘complete peace of mind’ to their hundreds of customers impacted by a devast...

INSURANCE: Cash settlements never a risk-free option says ASIC report

Consumer advocates say a timely new report from the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) underscores what they have long been hearing about on their frontlines; insurance cash settle...

Consumer Action: Tackling 20 years of ‘dodgy,’ fighting for fairness and supporting hundreds of thousands of consumers

Consumer Action Law Centre is today celebrating an important milestone; 20 years of legal and financial counselling services and expertise used to fight for stronger consumer rights and fairness in th...

Image of Australia's Parliament House in Canberra

Mulino’s lead generation clampdown in financial services a ‘bold move’ to protect Aussies’ savings

Consumer Action Law Centre CEO, Stephanie Tonkin says Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino’s announcement today to rein in bad actors profiting off Australians’ life savings, is a bold and welcome move b...

Government needs to rein in poor insurance pricing practices

Consumers expect more from their insurers when it comes to pricing explanations. The Financial Rights Legal Centre, Consumer Action Law Centre, Financial Counselling Australia and CHOICE support the A...

Bank fees: ACCC’s low or no-fee account ruling a boost for thousands of Aussies doing it tough

Consumer advocates say the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) landmark determination requiring banks to proactively move eligible customers into low or no-fee accounts unless they...

ACCC releases blistering report on harms but falls short on banning ‘unsolicited selling’

Consumer Action Law Centre CEO, Stephanie Tonkin has welcomed the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)’s report on its first designated complaint, that concludes changes to unsolicite...

Manufactured Consent: New report shines spotlight on dodgy practice of lead generation

Consumer Action Law Centre has published a new report Manufactured Consent: stopping the harm from manipulative lead generation detailing the complicated practice and its devastating consumer harms....

REPORT: ASIC spotlights how car loans cause deep consumer harms

Consumer advocates nationwide have welcomed the release of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) report ‘Lifting the bonnet: ASIC’s review of car loans’. ASIC’s Indigenous Outrea...

Changes to the insurance code of practice fall well short say consumer groups

The Financial Rights Legal Centre (Financial Rights), Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) and Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) have warned that government intervention may be needed if g...

Don’t miss out! Lodge your claim to AFCA asap if you were ripped off by Snaffle

In May, the Federal Court ordered a $33.5 million penalty against Snaffle, operated through Walker Stores, for inflating prices and overcharging customers on credit contracts. Many of the customers we...

Federal Court scathing on HSBC, bringing legal clarity: Australia’s banks MUST protect their customers from scams

Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Stephanie Tonkin says the $35 million penalty plus costs imposed on HSBC Bank in the Federal Court yesterday sends a clear and resounding signal to Australia’s banks: th...

Lemon car reforms welcomed: Vic Government takes first step but more needed to tackle faulty second-hand car sales

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed proposed amendments to the Motor Car Traders Act 1986 introduced by the Victorian Government last week, but more is needed for purchasers of faulty second-hand...

‘Unacceptable Harms’: Scam laws delay will see Aussies robbed of billions

Consumer advocates have slammed the nine-month delay in the implementation of the Scam Prevention Framework (SPF), announced today by Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino, calling it a ‘betrayal’ of hund...

Energy cost relief: Embedded networks reforms welcomed & raise the Utility Relief Grant Scheme to $4000

Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Stephanie Tonkin has welcomed the Victorian Government’s announcement of changes to the law to ensure that consumers in embedded networks will be able to access more aff...

Upcoming State Election will be won on cost-of-living and fairer essential services for all says Consumer Action 

 A strong plan built on fairness for Victorians to weather day-to-day cost-of-living pressures will decide the upcoming Victorian State Election, says Consumer Action Law Centre CEO, Stephanie Tonkin....

Rogue lender Cigno and Directors fined $7 million at Federal Court

Consumer advocates have welcomed the decision by the Federal Court to fine Cigno Australia and its director Mark Swanepoel, and BSF Solutions and its director Brenton Harrison a combined penalty of $7...

Wrong direction: Australians robbed of $2.2 billion in 2025 by scam-crime

More than $10 billion has been stolen in scams from Australians since 2020 -a deeply troubling statistic as victims continue to carry 95% of the losses, and 30% or more of victims don’t report their l...

ACMA finally rejects self-regulatory telco Code, moves to direct regulation

The Fair Call Coalition has strongly welcomed the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA's) decision to reject the draft Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code. For too long,...

Energy price drop heralded by lower Victorian Default Offer is good news says Consumer Action

Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Stephanie Tonkin has welcomed the Essential Services Commission (ESC) announcement of a reduction in the Victorian Default Offer (VDO), the base energy price for eligibl...

Consumer Action welcomes ASIC review into ‘lead generators’ – a focus of our designated complaint

Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Stephanie Tonkin has warmly welcomed moves by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) to review and investigate financial advice licensees using lead...

Consumer groups call on Government to block scammers this Valentine’s Day

New protections needed to cover key businesses enabling romance scammers. A coalition of consumer advocacy groups, financial counselling organisations and community legal centres, including CHOICE,...

Consumer groups welcome consultation on reforms to stop unfair trading and strengthen consumer guarantees

Consumer groups have welcomed the release of Exposure Draft Legislation on Unfair Trading Practices, including two specific prohibitions targeting subscription traps and drip pricing. Consumer Acti...

‘Ongoing and significant harms’: New data shows millions still lost to scams in late 2025

Fresh data from Consumer Action Law Centre’s frontline services in the final quarter of 2025 confirms what Scamwatch reported throughout the year: Australians are still losing millions to scammers, wi...

Scam prevention laws must plug the gaps and guarantee fair compensation say consumer advocates

Joint submission warns current design leaves major scam channels uncovered, delays real protections, and will fail victims without a workable dispute resolution pathway Australia’s leading consumer...

Consumer Action wins landmark Federal Court case against pawnbroker Taylors Business

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) has secured a comprehensive victory in the Federal Court of Australia against Taylors Business Pty Ltd (Taylors), in a judgment handed down yesterday that...

Consumer advocates welcome report on the national scourge of lemon cars

Advocates across Australia are welcoming a new report today from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) which points a lens at one of the nation’s most pervasive and troubling consu...

Consumer Action calls for strong -world beating- Scams Prevention Framework as draft codes land

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the latest consultation on the Federal Government’s Scams Prevention Framework (SPF), announced Friday by Assistant Treasurer Dr Daniel Mulino MP, saying Austra...

Our impact in 2024-25: Fighting injustice and working for a fairer marketplace

We are delighted to present our Impact Report 2024-25 which highlights Consumer Action Law centre’s work over the past year working with consumers, community workers, national advocates and cross-sect...

Landmark reforms to stop unfair trading and strengthen consumer guarantees

Consumer groups have welcomed the decision by Consumer Affairs Ministers to progress major reforms that will make unfair business practices illegal and introduce enforceable consumer guarantees, the m...

A surge in scams while our ‘world leading’ Scam Prevention Framework missing in action

New scam data released today from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) reveals that Australians lost nearly $260 million in scams in the first nine months of 2025, a 16% increase...

Consumer Action welcomes preliminary findings from ASIC’s review of motor car finance

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the Australian Securities and Investment Commission’s (ASIC) release today of initial findings from their review into motor vehicle financing, noting that the r...

“Disappointing”: Our response to ESC decision on Greater Western Water

Consumer Action Law Centre acknowledges the Essential Services Commission’s (ESC) decision today to accept an enforceable undertaking from Greater Western Water (GWW) and the significant $130 million...

Fair Call Coalition: ‘Deficient’ industry code must be replaced with proper protections

The members of the Fair Call Coalition, an alliance of 23 consumer organisations, is calling on the Minister for Communications, Anika Wells, to exercise her powers and direct the Australian Communica...

Consumer Action Law Centre –Our Friends of Treaty Pledge

Our pledge We, the Consumer Action Law Centre, are proud to acknowledge the Wurundjeri people, Traditional Owners of the lands where we do our work to make a just marketplace, empower consumers and m...

Crypto ATMS are a clear vector for scams: Ban them now says Consumer Action

Crypto ATMs are a clear vector for scam activity focusing on older victims*, charging eye-boggling fees and causing massive harms – “the Albanese Government should do the right thing and ban them now”...

Energy Consumer Reforms ‘Transformational’ say Consumer Advocates

Major reforms in the consumer energy market announced today by the Essential Services Commission (ESC) will have a positive and transformational impact for thousands of Victorians say consumer advocat...

The attack on Camp Sovereignty was an attack on all Victorians

Consumer Action stands in solidarity with Camp Sovereignty and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities impacted by the egregious and racist attacks on Camp Sovereignty on 31 August. Consu...

Treaty welcomed as Victoria takes huge step towards meaningful reconciliation

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the tabling of the Treaty Bill in the Victorian Parliament yesterday. “Consumer Action celebrates this historic milestone with our First Nations colleagues,...

Court Finds Money3 Breached Responsible Lending Laws: Consumer Advocates Welcome Outcome

In a decision handed down on Friday, the Federal Courthas found that car lender Money3 breached responsible lending laws. The case, brought by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (...

Centrepay will no longer be a vehicle for financial abuse

Consumer advocates welcome reforms to Government payment service The Financial Rights Legal Centre, Mob Strong Debt Help, Consumer Action Law Centre, CHOICE, Anglicare NT and Economic Justice Austral...

Banks should be responsible for shifting people onto better accounts, say consumer groups

Consumer groups are urging the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to put the onus on banks to shift people into basic bank accounts as part of the ACCC’s authorisation of the Austra...

Scam Awareness Week kicks-off: taking care is important alongside business disruption efforts

Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Stephanie Tonkin is calling for immediate action from the Federal Government as new scam data reveals a surge in everyday Australians being robbed. Her call comes as...

Consumer advocates welcome banks’ commitment to refund $93 million, but gaps in support remain

Consumer advocates have welcomed a commitment from Australian banks to refund more than $93 million to low-income customers after charging excessive fees, but significant gaps in support remain, with...

Rogue lender Cigno and its Directors lose appeal to the Full Federal Court

Cigno Australia Pty Ltd and its directors’ appeal to the Full Federal Court has been dismissed today and costs awarded to the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC). Consumer Action...

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