Goods and Services - Consumer Action Law Centre

Victorian Default Offer welcomed but more ways needed to reduce high energy costs

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed today’s decision from the Essential Services Commission’s (ESC) on the Victorian Default Offer (VDO) for 2025-26 and has reiterated its call on the State Govern...

VIDEO: Why a social tariff in Victoria would help low-income families pay their energy bills

" We unfortunately hear of people being told by retailers that they may be disconnected...and that's really concerning for us, because no one should be threatened with the disconnection of an essentia...

Cost-of-living measures in State Budget will make a positive difference

Consumer Action Law Centre CEO, Stephanie Tonkin has welcomed the cost-of-living measures announced in the Victorian State Budget saying they will make a ‘positive difference’ in the lives of many peo...

Essential Services Commission draft decision will help thousands in energy hardship

Consumer Action Law Centre strongly supports today’s draft decision from the Essential Services Commission (ESC) on stage one of its reforms to Victoria’s retail energy market, which will help the in...

When energy is unaffordable what can people do to keep this essential service?

"I speak to people who hold a lot of shame around these kind of debts... but this is an essential service, and it is important for a person's dignity... to have access to electricity, gas and water....

Introduction of a mandatory SMS Sender ID Register

This submission is made by Australian Consumers Communications Action Network (ACCAN) with support from Consumer Action. The introduction of a mandatory SMS Sender ID Register (the register) in Aus...

VIDEO: What ‘consumer-centric’ policies should the next Government pursue?

Consumer Action Law Centre has revealed a list of its top consumer-centric priorities to make life fairer and better for all Australians, ahead of the upcoming federal Election. “This Federal Elect...

ACMA Compliance Priorities 2025-26

Overall, we support the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA’s) current compliance and enforcement priorities and recommend they are extended into 2025-26 as there is more work to be do...

Victorian Default Offer could do more in cost-of-living crisis and beyond

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed today’s draft decision from the Essential Services Commission (ESC) on the Victorian Default Offer for 2025-26 but calls on the Commission and Energy Retailers...

Victorian Energy Upgrades Strategic Review: Discussion Paper

We welcome the opportunity to provide our submission responding to the Discussion Paper released as part of the Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) Strategic Review. Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer A...

Telco regulator cannot register out of touch industry code say consumer advocates

The Fair Call Coalition* of consumer advocates has written to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) urging the Regulator to refuse to register the Telecommunications Consumer Protec...

Energy is essential to our daily lives, and a core cost for people contacting the National Debt Helpline

Energy is essential to our daily lives, and a core cost for people contacting the National Debt Helpline (NDH). Energy is one of the core expenses in the household budget, and is essential to a liv...

Image of wind turbines denoting a submission about energy

Consumer Energy Resources (CER) Consumer Protections Review

Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the opportunity to provide our submission to the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) in response to the Consumer Energy Resources (CER) Con...

Strong action bringing telcos to account is the way to go

Consumer Action Law Centre has warmly welcomed today’s announcement from Communications Minister Michelle Rowland further strengthening consumer protections and increasing the Australian Communication...

Victorian Default Offer 2025-26 Request for comment

The cost-of-living crisis has deepened the urgency of ensuring an affordable energy price for Victorians. On Consumer Action’s frontlines, we hear from Victorians every day who are struggling to meet...

Energy Consumer Reforms Consultation

Consumer Action supports the objectives of the Essential Services Commission (ESC’s) proposed reforms to ensure people experiencing payment difficulty are receiving the best price for energy from thei...

Major overhaul of Building Regulator good news for Victoria’s consumers

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the Victorian Government's announcement today of a major overhaul of the Victorian Building and Plumbing Regulator's enforcement powers and structure, and domes...

Stronger telco protections targeting those experiencing domestic and family violence real progress

Consumer Action Law Centre Acting Director of Policy and Campaigns Luke Lovell said the new protections for telco customers experiencing domestic and family violence (DFV) announced today by Minister...

Strategic Review of the Victorian Energy Upgrades program

We welcome the opportunity to provide our feedback to the Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) strategic review. Consumer Action supports the VEU program objectives of helping Victorians to make energy...

Door-knock sales ban starting this week in Victoria will reduce harms say consumer advocates

Consumer Action Law Centre campaigned long and hard for a ban on door-to-door sales in Victoria and we are delighted that the ban for businesses that are part of the Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) ha...

Network Outage Review

As extreme weather events continue to increase, it is imperative that Victorians’ access to essential services is protected and prioritised by Government, regulators and industry. Consumer Action L...

The Energy Retail Code of Practice review

We welcome the opportunity to provide our submission to the Essential Services Commission’s (ESC) review of the Energy Retail Code of Practice (the Code). In this submission, where relevant, we hav...

Minimum Standards for Rental Properties and Rooming Houses

Consumer Action Law Centre, with Financial Counselling Victoria, the Federation of Community Legal Centres (FCLC), Anika Legal, Westjustice and Community Information & Support Victoria (CISVic),...

Network Outage Review

Consumer Action Law Centre is delighted to make a submission to the Network Outage Review. We were contacted by a small number of consumers impacted by the network outages in February 2024, and som...

‘ The Telco Code has run its course and failed to deliver’: ACMA must explore other options to protect consumers

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has called on the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to reject a proposed consumer protections code drafted by the telecommu...

Review of the National Energy Customer Framework

Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to provide our submission to the Australian Energy Regulator’s (AER) review of the National Energy Customer Framework (NECF). In this submission, we draw predo...

REPORT: Energy debt higher than ever as low-income households priced out of essential service

Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Stephanie Tonkin says the Centre’s new report Energy Assistance Report 4th Edition: Keeping the Lights On published today, highlights that thousands of Victorians are st...

REPORT Energy Assistance Report 4th Edition: Keeping the Lights On

The fourth edition of Consumer Action’s Energy Assistance Report outlines the growing trends of people facing energy hardship; barriers to accessing hardship assistance; and priority areas for targete...

Victorian Default Offer price drop will help thousands of families but more needs to be done

Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Stephanie Tonkin says the Essential Services Commission’s (ESC) decision to lower the Victorian Default Offer (VDO) price is welcome but doesn’t go far enough to help th...

Consumer advocates call for improved domestic family violence protections

Telecommunications consumers experiencing domestic and family violence (DFV) must see mandatory protections through direct regulation, say consumer advocates, in the wake of an important speech by the...

Lower Victorian Default Offer for electricity welcomed but consumers in energy hardship need much more relief

More callers in paid employment contacting the National Debt Helpline are struggling with energy debt and reporting an increase in energy retailers providing inadequate hardship assistance. That’s...

Victorian Default Offer Draft Decision 2024-25

Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to provide our submission to the Essential Services Commission (ESC) Draft Decision of the Victorian Default Offer 2024-25. We welcome the ESC’s draft deci...

ACMA Compliance Priorities 2024 – 2025

Thank you for the opportunity to provide input on the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) compliance priorities for the 2024-25 financial year. Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer...

Telemarketing and doorknocking ban under the Victorian Energy Upgrades program

Consumer Action reaffirms our strong support of the implementation of this ban on both telemarketing and door to door sales as an important step in addressing the consumer harm that unsolicited sales...

Fighting SMS Scams – What type of SMS sender ID registry should be introduced in Australia?

The Australian Communications Consumer Network's (ACCAN) submission has been informed by feedback from consumer and community organisations who regularly assist consumers affected by scams and other d...

Energy prices hitting families hard and bigger price reductions urgently needed say consumer advocates

Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Stephanie Tonkin has welcomed draft decision by the Essential Services Commission (ESC) that will see a modest decrease in energy bills this year, but as more families a...

Relief for telco customers in financial hardship welcomed – but much more needs to be done

Consumer Action’s CEO Stephanie Tonkin says new telco supports flagged by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) are a significant step in the right direction, but further work must...

Consumer fail: New Telco Code proposal delivers little for vulnerable consumers

The Communications Alliance, the peak industry body for the Australian communications sector, has released a proposed framework and review package for the Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP)...

Joint Submission: Getting the Victorian Default Offer right

This submission represents the shared view of leading Victorian community sector organisations and energy consumer advocates. Our submission identifies where there remains work to be done, and Victori...

2024-25 Victorian Default Offer: Request for comment paper

Consumer Action reaffirms the importance of the policy intent underpinning the Victorian Default Offer (VDO) to provide a simple, trusted and reasonably priced electricity option that safeguards consu...

REPORT: Our Impact 2022-23 fighting for a fairer marketplace especially for those needing help

We are delighted to publish our Impact Report 2022-23 which highlights our organisation’s achievements over the past year working for and with the people we help. Read about the many successes we h...

Consumer Action launches class action in Federal Court against pawnbroker Taylors Business

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) has filed a class action in the Federal Court of Australia against Taylors Business Pty Ltd. The lead plaintiff, a Victorian woman, represents herself and...

The consumer experience of faulty cars in Victoria: Report launch

Hear an expert panel discuss why we need a better system for resolving car disputes in Victoria at the launch of a major report on the consumer experience of faulty cars in Victoria by Consumer Policy...

REPORT: Victoria overrun with dodgy lemon cars as current dispute process totally unfit for consumers

A groundbreaking report from the Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC) has found that over half (54%) of all Victorians who bought used or new car in the past five years experienced major or minor fa...

Telcos still not connecting with Aussies -especially those most impacted by the cost-of-living crisis

The latest figures released in the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman’s (TIO) 2023 Annual report show that the nation’s telcos are still not providing an acceptable standard of service in many key...

In this cost-of-living crisis Telstra can do much better on hardship support

The vast majority of Telstra customers will pay $5 per month more on their internet bills following price increases announced this week. Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Stephanie Tonkin said a growi...

Banning telemarketing under the Victorian Energy Upgrades program

We strongly support the Minister’s intention to introduce a ban on telemarketing within the VEU program. We have long advocated for bans on telemarketing (as well as doorknocking) as inherently probl...

Energy Assistance Report 3rd Edition

Understanding the experience of Victorians dealing with energy hardship Access to affordable, reliable energy is one of the key challenges facing governments, the energy sector, and consumers in 20...

REPORT: More support needed to help Victorians households manage power bills

A new report released today by Consumer Action Law Centre has found that while Victoria’s energy retailers continue to improve their support for people in financial hardship, many Victorians continue...

Albanese Government’s new consumer safeguards for telco customers doing it tough welcomed

Consumer Action’s Acting CEO Tania Clarke has congratulated Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland for acting swiftly to address the growing list of concerns from consumer advocates and telco cu...

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