Goods and Services - Consumer Action Law Centre

Who do I complain to about a private college or education provider?

Do you have a problem with a private college or education provider? Below explains who to go to depending on your circumstances. The role of regulators If you have a complaint about a Registered Tra...

Modernising Victoria’s Energy Licence Framework and General Exemptions Order: Submission

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) and Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS) welcome the opportunity to provide input to the Essential Services Commission (ESC) and the Department...

“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...

VET Funding Review – Issues Paper Submission

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on consultation questions on the future directions outlined in the VET Funding Review Issues Paper. Download our f...

Submission on Amendments to the AER Retail Pricing Information Guidelines

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to provide further input into the Australian Energy Regulator's (AER) Amendments to the AER Retail Pricing Information Guidelines V4.0, specific...

Housing Decisions of Older Australians

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action), Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG), Residents of Retirement Villages Victoria (RRVV) and Council on the Ageing Victoria (COTA Vic) welcome the o...

Residential Tenancies Act Review – Consultation Paper

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the consultation paper for the Residential Tenancies Act Review (the Review). Download our full submission here...

Private VET providers: Supplementary submission

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide a supplementary submission on the operation, regulation and funding of private vocational education and training (V...

Joint submission to Melbourne Water Price Review 2016: Submission

Consumer Action has joined with the Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre and the Victorian Council of Social Service to provide a submission to the Melbourne Water Price Review. Water is a basic essenti...

New protections for VET students welcomed

New vocational education & training guidelines will protect students enrolled in courses involving VET FEE-HELP student loans. From 1 January 2016, students will benefit from new protections safeg...

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...

Clean Energy Council application for revocation and substitution A91495 – A91496

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide you with comment on the Clean Energy Council's application of revocation and substitution of the voluntary PV Code of C...

AEMC Draft Determination on Expanding Competition in Metering and Related Services

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the AEMC's draft rule determination to expand competition in metering and related services. Read the fu...

Submission to the Notice of draft instrument: Amendments to the AER Retail Pricing Information Guidelines

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the Australian Energy Regulator's (AER) Notice of draft instrument: Amendments to the AER Retail Pricing Inf...

Submission to Review of Governance Arrangements for Australian Energy Markets Issues Paper

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide input the Review of Governance Arrangements for Australian Energy Markets Issues Paper (the Issues Paper). Click her...

Submission to the Inquiry into the financial hardship arrangements of energy retailers

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the Essential Services Commission's (the Commission) Inquiry into the financial hardship arrangements of ene...

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...

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