Goods and Services - Consumer Action Law Centre

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...

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...

Image of wind turbines denoting a submission about energy

Strengthening Protections for Energy Consumers in Victoria

We welcome the opportunity to provide our submission with support from Westjustice and Mob Strong Debt Help, to the Essential Services Commission (ESC) in response to their consultation on Stage 2 of...

Victorian Default Offer 2026-27 draft decision

The Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS) leads this joint submission with Consumer Action Law Centre, community services sector organisations, and energy consumer advocates who welcome the draf...

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,...

ACMA Compliance and Enforcement Priorities 2026–27

This submission provides Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) feedback to the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s (ACMA) consultation on its compliance and enforcement...

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 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...

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...

“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...

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...

Better protections for life support customers in Victoria review

We welcome the opportunity to provide the Essential Services Commission (ESC) our submission in partnership with Westjustice. Life support customers are some of the most vulnerable people in Austra...

Response to Productivity Commission Interim Report: Creating a more dynamic and resilient economy

This is a joint submission from Consumer Action Law Centre, Financial Counselling Australia, Consumer Policy Research Centre and CHOICE. We welcome the opportunity to inform this national conversation...

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 (...

Energy Consumer Reforms Regulatory Impact Statement

Consumer Action Law Centre strongly supports the proposed reforms outlined by the Essential Services Commission (ESC) in the Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS). We consider that these reforms will prov...

Minimum disconnection amount draft decision

In this submission, we discuss the significance of energy affordability in determining a disconnection amount, the risks with setting a threshold to disconnect a person or household from an essential...

Better Energy Customer Experiences consultation

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) supports the prioritisation of a strong energy consumer protection framework for Australian energy customers, particularly as we transition to renewable en...

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...

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...

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...

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