Still too many Victorians choosing between heat or eat – response to EWOV annual report: Consumer Action

Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the significant drop in complaints to the Energy and Water Ombudsman (EWOV), but says there are still too many Victorians struggling with utilities. “It’s welcom...

October 14, 2015

A weaker ASIC helps no one: consumer groups

A proposed funding model for corporate regulator ASIC has come under fire by consumer groups who say the model could lead to a weaker and less effective regulator. In a submission to Treasury, the...

October 12, 2015

Cash Converters taken to court after reforms fail to protect vulnerable

Payday lending reforms from 2013 have failed vulnerable Australians according to Consumer Action Law Centre, as they take Cash Converters to court on behalf of a disability support pensioner over a ca...

September 24, 2015

Response to The Age – ‘Vocational education, the biggest get-rich quick scheme in Australia’

Katherine Temple - Senior Policy Officer in response to 'Vocational education, the biggest get-rich quick scheme in Australia' (The Age, 17/09/2015) We are shocked and dismayed by the story in The Ag...

September 17, 2015

ASIC report highlights exorbitant costs of rent-to-buy household goods: Consumer groups

The poorest and most vulnerable Australians are paying grossly inflated prices for household goods via “rent-to-buy” or “consumer lease” deals, as shown by a new report from the Australian Securities...

September 11, 2015

Rent-to-buy products must be kicked off Centrepay

Leading consumer groups are calling for the Australian Parliament to support moves by the Senate to protect the integrity of Centrelink’s budgeting tool for essentials, Centrepay, by excluding rent-to...

September 10, 2015

Response to “Making Energy Bills Fairer For Families” – Minister for Energy, Lily D’Ambrosio

Quotes attributable to Janine Rayner, Senior Policy Officer - Consumer Action Law Centre in response to Victorian Energy Minister Lily D'Ambrosio's announcement "Making Energy Bills Fairer For Familie...

September 1, 2015

The energy market is failing struggling Victorians

Victoria’s energy market is failing our most vulnerable people, according to Consumer Action Law Centre. With the release of the Essential Services Commission’s Energy Hardship Inquiry Draft Report to...

September 1, 2015

The real stories of Victorians forced to choose to heat, or eat

Victorians have shared their stories of energy disconnection as part of research by RMIT for Consumer Action Law Centre’s ‘Heat or Eat’ report released today. The report details six unique stories...

August 28, 2015

Don’t make the poor pay more: Consumer Action

Today, ALP Senator Doug Cameron will be leading debate on a Bill to exclude consumer lease products from Centrelink's welfare budgeting tool Centrepay. What are 'consumer leases'?  A consumer le...

August 20, 2015

“Almost completely worthless” – used car warranties catching out countless Australians

Bought a second hand car? There’s a good chance you’ve been offered an extended warranty. A Consumer Action investigation has found that warranty providers can avoid paying many if not most claims pur...

August 14, 2015

Review is opportunity to improve protections for payday loan and rent-to-buy borrowers

Payday lending and rent-to-buy products are often a source of financial distress and hardship according to Consumer Action Law Centre. The centre welcomes the Federal Government's announcement that it...

August 7, 2015

ALP National Conference: Labor needs to take a stand on payday loans.

Where the poorest pay the most - our session at #ALPConf2015 Fringe #auspol — Consumer Action (@consumer_action) July 26, 2015 Today, at an ALP National Conference fringe event, Consumer Actio...

July 26, 2015

Fake discounts must end: Consumer Action

Energy companies regularly offer discounts to Australians, but these “discounts” often hide the true costs faced by customers. According to the Australian Market Energy Commission’s latest Retail Comp...

July 1, 2015

Students will be better off with new VET complaints body

The Victorian Government’s decision to establish a new body with the power to resolve vocational education disputes is a win for students, according to the Consumer Action Law Centre. The dispute r...

June 30, 2015

Life insurance overdue for change

Consumer Action Law Centre says that proposed changes from the life insurance industry (welcomed by Assistant Treasurer Josh Frydenberg) to overhaul excessive commission structures and questionable ad...

June 25, 2015

Don’t make the poor pay more – time to end the free ride for rent to buy businesses: Consumer Groups

Consumer groups say draft legislation to ban rent-to-buy goods providers from Centrepay (Centrelink’s service that allows third parties to receive direct payment from welfare payments) is an essential...

June 24, 2015

Dodgy car park operators will now have to clean up their act in a win for Victorians

Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the Victorian Government’s move to stop disclosure of drivers’ personal details to private car park companies through the courts. Private car park companies have lo...

June 10, 2015

Consumer leases will continue to make the poor pay more: Consumer Groups

Consumer Action Law Centre and Financial Rights Legal Centre say changes to Centrepay (Centrelink’s service that allows third parties deduct from payments) announced today by the Federal Government ar...

May 22, 2015

Debt collection industry can still do more

Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the release of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Debt Collection Industry Research Report released today, but says the industry can still do much...

May 22, 2015

Australians should be compensated for poor financial advice: Consumer groups

Australia’s leading consumer groups have made a joint submission to the Senate Economics Committee’s Scrutiny of Financial Advice Inquiry calling for a last resort compensation scheme for consumers wi...

May 8, 2015

Energy consumers to get “even more information” under national rule change

Today marks the start of new national rules for energy retailers, which are intended to provide more clarity on fixed-term contracts, but instead, do little to protect Australians from unexpected pric...

May 1, 2015

Too many Australians have suffered at the hands of financial advisers

  Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes reports that independent Senator Nick Xenophon MP and Labor Senator Sam Dastyari have called for a last resort compensation scheme for financial services...

April 22, 2015

Media Release: WANTED – Households who have been disconnected from electricity

Have you been disconnected from your electricity supply because you couldn’t afford to pay your bills? If so, we want to hear from you.  We’re attempting to understand what households face when they c...

April 9, 2015

Media Release: Credit Wash “cleans up” vulnerable consumer

A former customer of Malouf Group Enterprises (Malouf), which holds itself out as being "Leaders in Credit Repair Solutions" has issued proceedings in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (...

April 7, 2015

Media Release: Consumer voices must be at heart of competition policy reform: Consumer Action

Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the release of the Harper Review into Competition Policy and particular the finding that purpose of competition is to make the market economy better serve the long-...

March 31, 2015

Media Release: Trowbridge final report a step in the right direction, but fixation with commissions remains

Consumer Action Law Centre, Financial Rights Legal Centre, CHOICE and Maurice Blackburn Lawyers have welcomed John Trowbridge's final report into retail life insurance but believe that the industry ha...

March 27, 2015

Media Release: Payday lending report questions compliance with the law

Consumer Action Law Centre welcomed a new report from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) which questions whether payday lenders are complying with the law. The 2013 law ref...

March 17, 2015

Media release: Proposed ban on enrolment inducements a welcome step

Consumer Action has welcomed an announcement from Assistant Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham this morning about reforms designed to crack down on dubious marketing practices by tra...

March 12, 2015

Media release: Consumer advocates welcome Allianz’s $400,016 refund but warn mis-selling of insurance is an ongoing problem

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed news that Allianz Australia Insurance will refund $400,016 to Australians who were sold its Consumer Credit Insurance (CCI) alongside payday loans. Consumer Ac...

March 4, 2015

Pensioners head to VCAT to challenge ‘deferred management fees’

The legality and fairness of ‘deferred management fees’ will be challenged in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) in a case that should be watched closely by the retirement living i...

February 26, 2015

Media release: Life insurance report lacks imagination in failing to look beyond commission based sales

The life insurance industry’s initial response to a damning report which revealed 37 per cent of all life insurance advice provided by Australia’s financial services licensees failed to comply with th...

February 10, 2015

Media release: ‘Vendor terms’ home ownership deal a fantasy with no basis in reality

The spotlight will be on ‘vendor terms’ home sales in a new case before the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). ‘Vendor terms’ contracts are an alternative to mainstream bank mortgages...

January 27, 2015

Media Release: Financial System Inquiry puts consumer welfare first

Consumer Advocate urges Government to implement recommendations ASAP The David Murray-led Financial System Inquiry represents a “paradigm shift” for Australia’s financial system. The report recogni...

December 8, 2014

Media release: Major parties urged to commit to helping vulnerable seniors before election

Overly complex contract terms and unfair fee structures can make the decision to move into retirement accommodation a gamble. Many Victorians move into purpose-built retirement villages or other retir...

November 25, 2014

Media release: Ensuring ‘fixed’ means ‘fixed’ when it comes to energy contracts

Consumer Action Law Centre and the Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre welcomed the Coalition's announcement that it will ban energy retailers using the term "fixed" when referring to contracts with va...

November 3, 2014

Energy retailers given green light to increase prices at will

Consumer advocates lament a lost opportunity to repair Australia’s broken energy retail market Energy retailers will continue increasing prices at their leisure after the Australian Energy Market Com...

October 23, 2014

Media release: Victorian energy retailers failing struggling customers – disconnection on the rise

The Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria (EWOV) Annual Report for 2013/14 suggests energy retailers are failing to offer sufficient assistance to customers struggling with high bills. During the year,...

October 16, 2014

Media release: Government’s pre election energy statement a welcome addition to the debate

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the State Government’s pre election energy statement, in particular the focus on making Victoria’s energy market easier to navigate, and keeping vulnerable memb...

October 15, 2014

Media release: Parliament urged to protect Victorian home owner-builders

In its final sitting week, the Victorian Parliament is being urged to pass new domestic building consumer protections into law as a matter of priority. The Building Legislation Amendment Bill 2014 wou...

October 12, 2014

Media release: Stitched up by two traders in the one deal – Foton Dandenong & All Loans R Us in the spotlight

After a protracted legal battle, car dealer Foton Dandenong has been found to have broken the Australian Consumer Law by selling a defective car. An associated company, All Loans R Us financed the pur...

September 11, 2014

Media release: Investigation into energy disconnections a welcome first step

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the Victorian Government’s announcement that it has directed the Essential Services Commission to conduct an investigation into the underlying causes of energy...

August 27, 2014

Media release: Energy market failing Victorian households, annual market report shows

An annual review of Australia’s energy markets suggest competition alone isn’t enough to keep the market running efficiently and to keep energy prices down. Research commissioned by the Australian Ene...

August 22, 2014

Media release: Credit reporting agency accused of breaching new credit reporting rules

Veda Advantage Ltd, a company which stores the credit history of millions of Australians, has been accused of breaching new credit reporting laws by promoting its $79.95 credit report at the expense o...

August 21, 2014

Media release: Energy retailers given the green light to increase prices at will

The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) is set to rubber stamp energy retailers’ ability to increase prices for consumers as often as they like. Energy retailers would have been banned from inc...

July 31, 2014

Media release: New report calls on energy retailers to improve support for struggling households

...

July 31, 2014

Media release: As fixed term interest rates fall to record lows, borrowers advised to look beyond the short term

As Australian banks cut fixed term interest rates on home loans to record lows, financial counsellors at Consumer Action Law Centre have advised prospective borrowers to consider the longer term and w...

July 27, 2014

Media Release: Murray Inquiry – focus on fairness welcome for consumers

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the interim report from the Murray Inquiry into Australia’s financial system, and its acknowledgment that fairness, along with stability and efficiency, are imp...

July 15, 2014

Media Release: Revised debt collection guideline should improve industry conduct

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the revised Debt Collection Guideline published by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commi...

July 8, 2014

Media Release: Making home insurance fair and simple – Consumer Action welcomes new report findings

A new report by the Office of the Fire Services Levy Monitor has lifted the veil on Australia’s home insurance industry, exposing high profits, poor product and price disclosure, and a severe lack of...

July 3, 2014