2018-19 Pre-Budget Submission
Every year, The Australian Treasury calls for ideas to feed into the budget process. We have focussed our submission for the 2018/19 Budget on three areas where budget action could make an immediate a...
Submission – Proposed amendments to retirement village fact sheets
Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed amendments to retirement village fact sheets. Consumer Action, RRVV, HAAG and COTA Vic do not oppose the proposed amendments to the f...
Fixed benefit periods notification obligations for energy retailers – Draft Decision
Consumer Action appreciates the Essential Services Commission working towards better outcomes from the energy market with a focus on the long-term interests of Victorians. We support the proposed chan...
Consumer Action response to the release of the Essential Services Commission Victorian Energy Market Report 2016-17
Too many people are doing it tough as energy retailers fail to give their customers a fair price and a fair go at staying connected to essential services. The Essential Services Commission (ESC) toda...
Submission in response to the ACCC retail electricity pricing inquiry preliminary report
Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to comment on ACCC Retail Electricity Pricing Inquiry: Preliminary Report (Preliminary Report) for this inquiry. The ACCC has undertaken a welcome and extensiv...
Joint submission: Options to reform the sale of add-on insurance and warranties in car yards
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on Consultation Paper 294: The sale of add-on insurance and warranties through caryard intermediaries (CP 294). Read the full submission here [PDF]...
Knock it off
Download the full report here [PDF] https://youtu.be/j43zE3HBoFk...
Initial feedback: Essential Services Commission 2018 Water Price Review
This feedback was provided to the Essential Services Commission (ESC) which is currently reviewing the prices that 17 Victorian water businesses propose to charge from 1 July 2018. Access to water is...
Submission in response to the Draft Guidance Note – Payment difficulty and disconnection
We acknowledge the significant work the Essential Services Commission has undertaken in drafting a comprehensive Guidance Note focused on customer outcomes. With expansion and redrafting in some areas...
Submission: Remake of the Estate Agents (Professional Conduct) Regulations 2008
Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action), COTA Victoria and Housing for the Aged Action Group welcome the opportunity to make this submission in relation to the remake of the Estate Agents (Profes...
Joint submission: Options to reform the sale of add-on insurance and warranties in car yards
Our organisations strongly support ASIC’s proposal to mandate a delayed sales model for add-on insurance and warranties sold through car yards, and to improve supervision of these sales. We have held...
Submission in response to Customer Price Information – Issues Paper
Consumer Action is happy to contribute to the development of materials to improve consumer engagement in the energy market—with the important caveat that we do not believe consumer engagement initiati...
Supplementary Submission: ACCC New Car Inquiry
Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to make a supplementary submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) New Car Retailing Inquiry. Our sup...
Submission: National Water Reform
Water is arguably the most essential of services: without it we would not live. Most of us access water every day for drinking, cooking, washing/hygiene and efficient removal of waste. For some though...
Turnbull’s energy policy won’t stop energy retailers from price gouging, but a Basic Service Offer will
Gerard Brody, CEO - Consumer Action Law Centre This week it was reported that energy bills for an average Victorian household have skyrocketed to a shocking $3,655 a year. The ACCC confirms tha...
Submission in response to National Energy Retail Amendment (Notification of the end of a fixed benefit period) Rule 2017 Rule Change Consultation Paper
The strategies involved in the proposed Rule Change, and in previous work outlined in the Commission’s consultation paper, reflect policymakers’ continued pursuit of trying to improve the effectivenes...
Submission: New Car Retailing Industry ACCC Draft Report
Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to make this submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) new car retail industry market study draft report (the Draf...
Proposed changes to TIO Terms of Reference
ACCAN and Consumer Action Law Centre made a joint submission to the consultation on proposed changes to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) terms of reference. We are pleased that the TIO...
Review of the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011
The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Review of the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 (NVETR Act). Consumer Action ha...
Proposal to re-regulate energy prices confirms Victorians have been gouged for too long
Victorian energy retailers would be required to provide a new 'basic service offer' at a price that will be regulated by the Essential Services Commission, if a proposal by the independent review led...
Prime Minister, you’ve talked to the energy retailers, now talk to those that pay the bill
Gerard Brody, Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull summoned the chief executives of the nation’s largest power companies to Canberra today, insisting they provide reli...
Comment on ASIC proposed ban on flex-commissions
Thank you for the opportunity to make additional comments on the proposed ASIC Credit (Flexible Credit Cost Arrangements) Instrument banning flex-commissions. Consumer Action supports this proposal. I...
Submission: Internal Dispute Resolution in Retirement Villages
We welcome Consumer Affairs Victoria’s interest in improving internal dispute resolution processes in retirement villages, and believe that the reforms suggested will likely result in some improvement...
Submission to ACCC inquiry into retail electricity supply and pricing Issues Paper
Electricity has traditionally been a regulated essential service that occupied a stable portion of Australian consumers' living expenses. Until relatively recently, they have not had to exert time or...
Four Corners – ‘Bleed Them Dry Until They Die’
Tonight, Consumer Action features in the ABC TV Four Corners special 'Bleed Them Dry Until They Die' - an important investigation into retirement living in Australia led by Adele Ferguson. Follow our...
Consumer Action supports removal of Limited Merits Review
In response to the Federal Government’s announcement of several reforms in the energy market on 20 June 2017: Announcement that the Federal Government will remove Limited Merits Review (LMR) by leg...
Submission: AEMC Governance Amendment Bill 2017
Consumer Action was one of a number consumer advocacy groups that made a joint submission to the Review of Governance Arrangements for Australian Energy Markets recommending the Energy Council underta...
Submission: ESC’s Payment Difficulty Framework Draft Decision
Consumer Action and the Financial and Consumer Rights Council welcome the opportunity to comment on the Essential Services ESC Victoria’s (ESC) new draft decision for its Payment Difficulties Framewor...
Consumer Action responds to Finkel
In response to the release of the Independent Review of the Future Security of the National Energy Market (the Finkel Blueprint), Consumer Action Law Centre makes the following comments: Recommenda...
Submission on AEMC’s rule change process guidance
Our analysis of the problems faced as a consumer group seeking to change the NERR, and our recommendations to make the process more transparent and less onerous for proponents, are extensively detaile...
Refunds for Motor Finance Wizard customers
Consumer Action Law Centre has applauded the corporate regulator for securing an enforceable undertaking (EU) against second-hand car financier Motor Finance Wizard (MFW). The EU will see the problem...
AEMC review of regulatory arrangements for embedded networks
SACOSS and the signatories consider that the existing framework has provided a high degree of flexibility and competition in products and services for embedded networks which has led to some valuable...
Submission: Estate agents and conveyancers options for reform
Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the opportunity to provide comment on the Consumer Property Law Review’s Options Paper on estate agents and conveyancers. Read the full submission here [PDF]....
Retirement Villages (Contractual Arrangements) Regulations 2017 – Regulatory Impact Statement submission
The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action), Council on the Ageing Victoria (COTA), Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG), and Residents of Retirement Villages Victoria (RRVV) write in relatio...
Submission to the inquiry into modernising Australia’s electricity grid
The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Standing Committee on the Environment and Energy’s inquiry into modernising Australia’s electricity grid. A...
We need a ban on energy bill fines that really works: Gerard Brody
UNDERSTANDING how power prices work isn’t an easy task. The Prime Minister recently tasked the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to look into power prices, but there’s one problem for Vic...
Comment on ASIC CP 279: Flex commission arrangements in the car finance industry
Consumer Action supports ASIC’s proposal to prohibit flex-commissions in the sale of car loans through a legislative instrument. There are clearly significant variations in the interest rates charged...
Independent Review into the Future Security of the National Electricity Market (Finkel review)
A reliable, secure and affordable energy supply is essential to health, wellbeing, economic participation and social inclusion, so there is a high risk to consumers when things go wrong and supply of...
Retirement villages in Australia – Life Matters
When people get older and start thinking about downsizing, retirement villages are an option many consider. However, it may be worth doing some research and assessing all of the associated costs befor...
Submission to the review of electricity and gas retail markets in Victoria
The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the review of electricity and gas retail markets in Victoria discussion paper following the consultation forum t...
Residents respond – Retirement Living Inquiry
Victorian retirees have responded to a Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry report....
“Car yards should be ashamed”: tips on avoiding car yard shonks
Consumer Action Law Centre is warning Australians about the behaviour of car yard shonks following an ASIC action refunding $400,000 to a group of NSW car buyers who were forced to purchase warran...
ACCC rejects weak effort by insurers to fix junk insurance
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has today rejected a cynical move by the insurance industry to keep selling junk insurance products. The industry has placed blame on the size...
Electricity Network Transformation Roadmap: Key Concepts Report
Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Electricity network transformation roadmap: key concepts report. We support the focus of the roadmap of incentiv...
Competition is failing in energy retail and it’s hurting households: Gerard Brody
In his address to the National Press Club last week, prime minister Malcolm Turnbull called out that families across the nation need not just reliable but affordable power. For lower income earners wh...
BMW Finance – you could get compensation
The Australian Securities Investment Commission (ASIC) recently took action against BMW Australia Finance (BMW Finance) for signing up customers to car loans they could not afford between 1 January 20...
Deferred Management Fees case settled: law reform now desperately needed
“The relief was immense”, a simple enough statement from one of the fourteen residents from Willow Lodge Over 50s Resort (Willow Lodge), but universally felt following the settlement of the long-runni...
Time to abolish unfair energy appeals
At their meeting in Melbourne this week, Energy Ministers from around the country will consider an issue that has the potential to save households and businesses hundreds of millions of dollars each y...
Power price shock – fake discounts gouge Victorians
Energy price rises announced today will hit Victorians hard as the Consumer Action Law Centre warns energy companies to remember that their product is an essential service. "Over 60,000 Victorians...