Building consumer protections welcomed
Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the introduction into State Parliament of a bill to improve building consumer protection. The Building Legislation Amendment (Consumer Protection) Bill 2015...
VET Sector needs a national ombudsman: Consumer Action
Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes reforms announced today by the Federal Government for the vocational education and training (VET) sector and calls for the establishment of a national ombudsman sch...
FIX IT! How to fix the energy market rule making process – an evaluation
Since 2012, consumer advocates have been able to propose a ‘rule change’ to the National Energy Retail Rules (NERR), which regulates the sale and supply of electricity and gas to retail customers in s...
Lawyering for Change: new research on the value of strategic advocacy by community legal centres and how to do it
Access to justice is not as simple as the provision of free legal services according to a new report. Strategic advocacy is often the missing ingredient to ensure that justice is done. The new report,...
Acquiring a long list of complaints on privacy
The privacy commissioner has been called in to investigate allegations that the Privacy Act is being flaunted by an education company targeting job-seekers to sell vocational courses. Consumer Acti...
Ban bad products before they cause harm: Financial System Inquiry
Fairness must be central to the regulation of financial services, says Consumer Action Law Centre commenting on the Federal Government response to the Financial System Inquiry. The Federal Governme...
The common car product you might get a refund for
Australians are demanding better from the products sold with used cars and winning. Sarah from Melbourne’s south east thought she had to buy an extended warranty in order to get a loan. Consumer Ac...
Senate inquiry backs VET Industry Ombudsman
Consumer Action Law Centre reiterates its call for the establishment of an Industry Ombudsman in the vocational education sector as recommended in a Senate report released today. The release of "Th...
New research shows struggling Australians suffering while the payday lending sector booms: Consumer groups
Consumer groups have cautioned policy makers not to fall for payday lending spin as new research from Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) shows the devastating impact of the industry on Australians strugg...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
“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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 (...
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-...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...