Media Release Archives - Consumer Action Law Centre

Government sets new energy price safety net to stop Victorians getting ripped off

Victorians will be taking back control of their energy prices thanks to the introduction of the Government’s new default energy offer. Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is strongly suppo...

Newly passed bill officially bans rent-to-buy and vendor finance schemes from the Victorian housing market

The historic ban on certain residential vendor terms and rent-to-buy agreements, included in the Sale of Land Amendment Bill 2019 passed by Parliament this week means vulnerable home purchasers will b...

ASIC handed new powers to tackle harmful financial products

Newly enacted laws about the fairness of financial products and services can work to prevent harm in banking and finance if the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) takes immediate...

Ban on vendor term and rent-to-buy transactions to make buying a home fairer for all Victorians

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) supports a ban on vendor term and rent-to-buy agreements in the housing market proposed by the Sale of Land Amendment Bill 2019, which is to be introduced...

It’s time to clean up energy market pricing for all Victorians

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) commends the Essential Services Commission’s (ESC) draft advice to the Victorian Government about the default regulated price for electricity, but urges re...

Community legal centres and financial counsellors get the vote for more funding

The Australian Labor Party (ALP) has promised a significant funding boost for financial counsellors and community legal centres across the country if it wins the next election. The ALP has committed t...

Senate Inquiry report recommends vital safeguards for Australian families struggling with debt

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) says that, if implemented, the recommendations in the final report from the Senate Inquiry into credit and financial services targeted at Australians at ri...

Mortgage Broking: Consumer groups quit disingenuous consultation

Consumer groups ask Canberra to move quickly on bank payments to mortgage brokers Consumer groups have quit en masse from a mortgage broking industry forum, saying that the industry isn’t interested...

Increased consumer protections and removal of legal loopholes key Royal Commission recommendations

Increased consumer protections and removal of loopholes and exemptions are the key recommendations from the Hayne Royal Commission that will benefit everyday Australians says Consumer Action Law Centr...

For Australians, debt advice must be a matter of trust: Consumer Action

All Australians looking to get their finances back on track should be able to trust the financial or debt advice they receive. Sadly, this trust has been broken by dodgy debt advisers and other poorly...

Banks bosses should lose their conflicted payments: MEDIA RELEASE

It’s time to give regulators the resources and powers they need and stop finance executives pocketing bonuses for rip offs, according to Consumer Action Law Centre in its response to the Royal Commiss...

The Victorian Default Offer to cut energy bills: Consumer Action

The Victorian Default Offer, announced today by the Victorian Government, is a positive step towards all Victorian households enjoying fairer prices on their energy bills according to Consumer Action...

MEDIA RELEASE: Government unlocks energy and water grants for vulnerable Victorians

Financial and Consumer Rights Council (FCRC) and Consumer Action Law Centre (CALC) today congratulated the Victorian government for its recently announced reforms to the Utility Relief Grant Scheme (U...

Debt vultures to go under the microscope of Senate Inquiry: MEDIA RELEASE

Today the Australian Senate voted to establish an inquiry into debt management firms (known as debt vultures). Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) has long argued that debt vultures operate i...

“High billing” top energy issue for Victorians: MEDIA RELEASE

The annual report from Energy and Water Ombudsman (Victoria) (EWOV), released today, shows why Victoria’s politicians need to act to tackle the high energy bills crisis. According to the report, compl...

Consumer groups respond: Banking Royal Commission Interim Report

The release of the Interim Report from the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry today is a watershed moment for the finance sector according...

New Legislation to mark the end of VET FEE-HELP disaster: MEDIA RELEASE

Federal Minister for Skills and Vocational Education, Senator Michaelia Cash has announced new legislation that will waive VET FEE-HELP debts that were incurred because of inappropriate conduct by VET...

Consumer groups respond to resignation of ASIC Deputy Chair: MEDIA RELEASE

The Consumer Action Law Centre, Financial Counselling Australia and CHOICE have responded to the news of ASIC Deputy Chair Peter Kell’s resignation by calling for the Government to ensure that he is r...

Grant Stewart – Royal Commission Witness: MEDIA RELEASE

Today Victorian man Grant Stewart, 61, gave evidence to the Financial Services Royal Commission about a life insurer pressure-selling insurance to his son, who has a disability. Mr Stewart told t...

Life insurance cold calling must be banned: consumer advocates

Consumer advocates are calling for a ban on life insurance cold calling, after ASIC today revealed major rip offs and startlingly high claims rejections. ASIC reported today that insurers are cold-...

Enough talk on electricity, governments must walk the walk and guarantee lower prices

In light of the disappointing Federal Government decision on the National Energy Guarantee, consumer and end-user groups (the ‘Group’) representing regional and urban communities have joined together...

A basic service offer is a quick fix for the energy mess

This piece from Zac Gillam (Senior Policy Officer) originally appeared in The Age. It was fascinating listening to the Premier attack the price gouging of energy retailers in Victoria, more so give...

Solar energy rebate a win for households – now for fair energy tariffs

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed a new Victorian government solar energy rebate program for 650,000 households, saying that solar energy on homes can help people save on power costs. “A reba...

Victorian couple sues “debt management” firm J Daniels & Associates and Nationwide Debt Collection over family home

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) have issued proceedings in the Federal Circuit Court of Australia on behalf of a Narre Warren family who were charged $12,000 in fees and had a caveat lodg...

Lobbyists beat the battlers on payday loans and rent-to-buy

The Federal Government is letting the worst and most harmful financial products in the community run wild according to consumer advocates. It’s now one year, eight months, one week and fifteen days s...

New Banking Code must have teeth: consumer groups

Australia’s banks will have to commit to strict enforcement and strong resourcing for the new Code of Banking Practice, if the Code is to achieve real change in the industry, say consumer advocates....

Stop the spread: New ASIC powers to be extended to funeral insurance, “buy now pay later” credit

The Turnbull Government is set to boost the power of the corporate regulator, with proposed legislation that would allow ASIC to stop even more predatory products from hurting Australians. This leg...

ACCC report calls for much needed, long overdue reform of Australia’s dysfunctional energy market

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) commends the ACCC on its report into Australia’s electricity market, Restoring electricity affordability and Australia’s competitive advantage. The report...

Consumer concern at Federal Government review of telco complaints handling

The consumer movement has expressed strong concerns at Government proposals to reduce the remit of the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman. ‘One of the vital elements in the consumer protection r...

Credit cards should not be a lifelong debt sentence: Media Release

A proposal to prevent credit cards becoming a lifelong debt sentence has been welcomed by Consumer Action Law Centre. The Australian Securities & Investment Commission (ASIC) has released its p...

Tracey Walsh – Royal Commission Witness: Media Release

Today Tracey Walsh, a 53-year-old Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander woman from Victoria, gave evidence to the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation & Financial Servic...

Consumer Groups warn banks’ plan to protect vulnerable customers will fail

Consumer groups have today criticised a plan by the four major banks to exclude customers from the new mandatory Comprehensive Credit Regime if an agreement with their bank is reached on hardship arra...

Consumer rights and protections, and older consumers: the value of loyalty

Gerard Brody, speech to COTA Forum June 28, 2018 Thank you to Ian and COTA Australia for the opportunity to speak today. Today I’d like to talk about values and consumer protection, and part...

Retirement ombudsman: Safe and fair retirement should be bipartisan

Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy MP and Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs Heidi Victoria MP have announced that the Coalition will establish an ombudsman for retirement housing residents if...

Victorian water prices to remain steady

The Essential Services Commission (ESC) has today made its final pricing determinations for the 2018 Water Price Review. The determinations specify the prices that water companies can charge as well a...

Letter to the editor: Credit reporting not great for the public

The fintech industry's claims that delays in putting more customer data into credit reports will entrench the big four's market dominance need scrutinising ('Labor credit report delay will entrench ba...

Energy Market Commission confirms the deregulated energy market has not delivered for Victorians

The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) has admitted that competition among energy retailers is not delivering ‘expected benefits’ in its annual retail energy competition review. The Victoria...

Data disaster – Commbank shows banks fail at the basics

A data disaster is coming according to consumer advocates, following revelations that 12 million customers’ personal financial histories were lost by the Commonwealth Bank. “A data disaster is comi...

Victorian Budget: Funding boost for regulator good news for energy consumers

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) today welcomed an additional $4.1 million in the Victorian Budget in the 2018/19 financial year for the Essential Services Commission (ESC). Funding will c...

“Credit repair” business ordered to pay $1.7 million

The Federal Court has found that credit repair business, Malouf Group Enterprises Pty Ltd (Malouf Group), and its director Jordan Francis Malouf breached the Australian Consumer Law by making false an...

Relief for Victorians struggling to pay essential service bills

The Victorian Government has announced an increase to the Utility Relief Grant Scheme (URGS) with $21.7 million allocated in the upcoming budget. Victorians households are currently eligible to apply...

Jail time for corporate crooks needed to clean up finance sector

Today the Federal Government announced that there will be tougher penalties for corporate misconduct, and stronger powers for the corporate regulator ASIC. The Federal Government has agreed or agreed-...

Consumer groups call for tougher penalties, ban on broker commissions in submissions to Royal Commission

Consumer Action Law Centre, CHOICE and Legal Aid NSW today published submissions in response to the first round of hearings before the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation a...

Find yourself judging bank victims? That’s exactly what the banks want

Jonathan Brown, Communications Manager - Consumer Action Law Centre It’s not often that I find myself in tears at work, but last week as I heard the story of, and then met Robert Regan – the fi...

An agenda for ageing in Victoria

Currently, there is no plan for the increased longevity and diversity of Victoria’s population. The result is a fragmented approach to policy and programs relating to older people between the ages of...

Consumer Groups Strongly Disagree with OAIC Credit Reporting Guidance

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) has today published Guidance on its website about how lenders should treat Repayment History Information (RHI) for customers that are exper...

Royal Commission – Sales culture and short-term profit motivation is the problem

Yesterday, irresponsible car lending was the focus of the Banking Royal Commission, with Nalini Thiruvangadam taking the stand to share her experience of a car loan from Bank of Melbourne (part of the...

Royal Commission – Billion dollar junk insurance rip-off must end now

Consumer Action Law Centre says it’s time for the banking and insurance industry to end the billion dollar junk insurance rip-off they’ve let fester for over a decade. The statement comes following l...

ANZ defends 30-year loan to scam victim aged 71

ANZ Bank has defended giving a 30-year loan to a 71-year-old scam victim in testimony to the Banking Royal Commission. In response to Mr Robert Regan’s (Full witness statement now available at the...

Robert Regan – Royal Commission Witness

Today the first bank customer witness took the stand at the Royal Commission. Robert Regan, a 72 year old widower from Victoria, took out a home loan with the ANZ through a broker in 2017 following th...

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