Goods and Services - Consumer Action Law Centre

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...

Junk Insurance and Rubbish Warranties

You might have bought something useless and don’t even know it. If you’ve purchased a used car or taken out a credit card or loan, you may have paid for some junk insurance or a rubbish warranty that...

Submission: VET Funding Review

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on how to improve the quality, stability and sustainability of the Victorian training market. Read our full submis...

Submission: Privacy and trust in the new energy market

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide input the Energy Market Reform Working Group's (EMRWG) paper, New products and services in the electricity market—consu...

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...

On the Wire: April 2015

Consumer action has published the April edition of On the Wire, a quarterly publication featuring updates on national energy market reforms and regulatory processes. Edition 42 can be found here....

Submission: Proposed re-make of Retirement Villages legislation

The Consumer Action Law Centre, COTA Victoria and Residents of Retirement Villages Victoria have made a joint submission to the Consumer Affairs Victoria review on the effectiveness of the Retirement...

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...

Submission: Private vocational education and training providers in Australia

Consumer Action has provided comment to the Senate Education and Employment Committees on the operation, regulation and funding of private vocational education and training (VET) providers in Australi...

Submission: 2015 Retail Competition Review Approach Paper

Consumer Action has provided input to the Australian Energy Market Commission's 2015 Retail Competition Review Approach Paper. Effective competition is critical for energy consumers to the extent that...

Submission: Regulating innovative energy selling business models

Consumer Action has made a submission to Australian Energy Regulator about regulating innovative energy selling business models under the National Energy Retail Law. The issue of appropriate regulati...

Submission: National Approach to Electricity Network Tariff Reform

Consumer Action and the Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre have provided input to the Energy Networks Association's position paper, Towards a National Approach to Electricity Network Tariff Reform. O...

Submission: The performance and management of electricity network companies

Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Environment and Communications about the performance and management of electricity network companie...

Submission: 2015 Retail Competition Review Approach Consultation Paper

Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the approach to the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) 2015 Retail Competition Review. Effective competition is critical for ener...

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...

Submission: Revisions to the Telecommunications Consumer Protections Industry Code

Consumer Action has provided the following thoughts on the proposed revisions to the Communications Alliance Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Industry Code (DR C628:2014). Duplication bet...

Submission: Energy Green Paper

Consumer Action has provided the following submission to the Department of Industry on the Energy Green Paper. Australia’s energy market is rapidly changing, with the unprecedented fall in energy d...

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...

Submission: Key Recommendations arising from the Review of Enforcement Regimes under the National Energy Laws Final Report

Consumer Action has provided comment on the Discussion Paper on Key Recommendations arising from the Review of Enforcement Regimes under the National Energy Laws Final Report. Consumer Action provided...

Submission: AEMC Rule Change on Distribution Network Pricing Arrangements Draft Determination

Consumer Action, Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre and Victorian Council of Social Service have provided input into the AEMC's draft determination on distribution network pricing arrangements. Our o...

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...

Submission: Retailer Price Variations in Market Retail Contracts

Consumer Action and Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre have made a supplementary submission on the Australian Energy Market Commission's Draft Rule Determination: Retailer Price Variations in Market...

Media release: Competition Policy Review Draft Report welcomed, but panellists urged to consider consumer experience and protection

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the Competition Policy Review Draft Report and its emphasis ‘on protecting competition and not competitors.’ But Consumer Action will be asking the review’s pan...

Submission: AEMC Rule Change on Customer Access to Information about their Energy Consumption

As in Consumer Action's previous submission to the consultation paper, we agree with the premise of the rule change that 'in practice it is difficult for customers to access their data from market par...

Submission: National Energy Retail Amendment (Retailer price variations in market retail contracts) Rule 2014 Draft Determination

Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre (CUAC) and Consumer Action are pleased that the Australian Energy Market Commission – and other bodies, such as the Australian Energy Regulator, Energy Retailers Ass...

Consumer Action welcomes Victorian Labor’s plan to strengthen Essential Services Commission

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed Victorian Labor’s new energy policy which would increase the powers the Essential Services Commission (ESC) and put consumers ‘front and centre’ of the Commissi...

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...

Joint submission: EWON prepayment meter discussion paper

Consumer advocates and welfare agencies have submitted a joint submission to the Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW’s prepayment meter discussion paper. We support joint work by consumer groups, ombudsme...

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...

Report: Smart Moves for a Smart Market

Smart Moves for a Smart Market: Simple steps to ensure consumer protections keep pace with innovation in a hi-tech energy market takes an in-depth look at the emerging demand-side energy market, inclu...

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...

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

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Report: Problems with Payment

As winter energy bills begin landing in letterboxes, a new report from the Consumer Action has identified fundamental flaws in the way energy retailers identify and assist struggling customers. Proble...

Submission: Competition Policy Review Issues Paper

Consumer Action has made a submission on the Competition Policy Review Issues Paper. The key points and recommendations are outlined below: While effective competition generally ensures market outc...

Joint Submission: Economic regulation, governance and efficiency in the Victorian water sector

Consumer Action, the Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre and the Victorian Council of Social Service welcome the opportunity to comment on the May 2014 Preliminary Advice from the Independent Reviewer....

Submission: AEMC Rule Change on Customer Access to Information about their Energy Consumption

Consumer Action recognises the great potential for advanced metering to enhance consumers' understanding of their own energy consumption, and acknowledges that it can be an important link for consumer...

Submission: AEMC Rule Change on Expanding Competition in Metering and Related Services

Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the AEMC's rule change proposal to expand competition in metering and related services. Consumer Action recognises the great potential f...

Submission: Review of the 2020 Renewable Energy Target

The Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the Federal Government’s review of Australia’s Renewable Energy Target (RET). Consumer Action is an independent, not-for-...

Joint submission: DSDBI Consultation Paper – Reforms to Retail Regulation 2014 and Planned Outages

Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Draft Consultation Paper – Reforms to Retail Regulation 2014 and Planned Outages. We strongly support the Minister’s proposal to increase th...

Submission: Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria independent review issues paper

This submission is the result of a collaboration between the Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre, the Victorian Council of Social Services, Consumer Action Law Centre and the Financial and Consumer Rig...

Submission: AEMC’s 2014 Retail Competition Review

Consumer Action has provided comment on the Australian Energy Market Commission’s (the AEMC) 2014 Retail Competition Review Approach Paper. We welcome ongoing reviews of competition within retail mar...

Submission: Final Report on the Review of Enforcement Regimes under the National Energy Laws

Consumer Action has made a submission to the Standing Council on Energy (SCER) on the Final Report: Review of the Enforcement Regimes under the National Energy Laws Consumer Action supports many of t...

Submission: ACCC consideration of AGL Energy’s proposed acquisition of Macquarie Generation

Consumer Action has made a submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) in response to its Statement of Issues on AGL Energy Limited (AGL) proposed acquisition of the busine...

Submission: AEMC’s review of electricity customer switching options paper

Consumer Action supports the Commission undertaking this review and we agree that timely and accurate transfer processes can "support customer choice" and "confidence" in the competitive retail market...

Submission: Energy White Paper 2014

Consumer Action was pleased to have the opportunity to comment on the Energy White Paper 2014. Our submission is available here....

Media release: End energy retailers’ free ride

New proposal to fix energy prices for length of contract Energy retailers would be banned from increasing a customer’s tariff mid contract under a proposal to be considered by the Australian Energy M...

Submission: Energy Assured Limited – Revocation and Substitution – A91390 & A91391

Consumer Action’s 2011 submissions to the Code authorisation process recommended the ACCC refuse to authorise the applications, on the grounds that the proposal did not actually improve existing consu...

Submission: AER Alternative Energy Sellers – Issues Paper

Consumer Action supports the AER's approach in attempting to identify a suitable outcome for consumers in an evolving and increasingly complex energy market. We have provided some comments to encourag...

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