Media Release - Consumer Action Law Centre

From Good to Great – the Australian Consumer Law Review and beyond – Consumer Congress 2016 Speech

Gerard Brody, National Consumer Congress, 16 March 2016 The Australian Consumer Law has served the community well since it was enacted back in 2010, and it has produced a number of significant outc...

“Because you need an interpreter should not disadvantage you and you should not be punished for it”

Funding for the Telephone Interpreter Service must be restored. Email EO@FCRC.org.au to find out more....

As Australians face over $1 trillion personal debt crisis, advocates warn about ‘debt vultures’

With ABS data showing that Australians are living with over $1 trillion of personal debt, consumer advocates are warning that an emerging industry of ‘debt vultures’ is making things worse. Debt vu...

Stop selling junk – ASIC reports show how Australians are being dudded out of millions

Consumer Action Law Centre is calling on insurance and warranty companies to stop selling junk following the release of two damning ASIC reports. ASIC today released two reports examining add-on in...

Consumer Action responds: Parliamentary Inquiry into Retirement Housing

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) has responded to the establishment today of a Parliamentary Inquiry into the retirement housing sector. The inquiry will be heard by the Legal and Social I...

‘Debt vultures’ in the spotlight

Australians live with over $1 trillion in personal debt, according to recent data from the Reserve Bank of Australia. That’s a staggering figure that should have economists, legislators and regulators...

Good communication the key to successful electricity tariff reform: Gerard Brody

In response to "Andrews Government accused of killing $1.6b benefit of tariff changes" (3/2/2016) in the Australian Financial Review: Claims that the Victorian Andrews Government’s ‘backing away’ f...

Victorian Mum takes on consumer rental company Flexirent and wins

A Victorian Mum of four has won a settlement of nearly $4000 after she took legal action against Flexirent Capital Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of the ASX listed company FlexiGroup Limited. Michelle T...

Debt vultures are not your friends

The huge up-front fees and dubious value of services provided by for-profit debt businesses is in the spotlight after a new report by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). Co...

Training Provider Open Colleges sued for breach of consumer law

As the crisis in Vocational Education deepens, another student is fighting back by taking on education provider Open Colleges in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Tanea Ferris (a 52...

Stop lifelong debt sentences – Consumer Action responds to Credit Card Inquiry.

The Government must take meaningful action on the lifelong debt sentences wreaking havoc on many Australians by credit cards. Consumer Action Law Centre commends the recommendation of the Senate in...

Junk merchants fleecing millions from unknowing Australians

Unknowing Australians could be paying millions of dollars for junk insurance according to a new report from Consumer Action Law Centre. The ‘Junk Merchants’ report says that Consumer Credit (CCI) a...

Building consumer protections welcomed

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the introduction into State Parliament of a bill to improve building consumer protection. The Building Legislation Amendment (Consumer Protection) Bill 2015...

VET Sector needs a national ombudsman: Consumer Action

Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes reforms announced today by the Federal Government for the vocational education and training (VET) sector and calls for the establishment of a national ombudsman sch...

FIX IT! How to fix the energy market rule making process – an evaluation

Since 2012, consumer advocates have been able to propose a ‘rule change’ to the National Energy Retail Rules (NERR), which regulates the sale and supply of electricity and gas to retail customers in s...

Lawyering for Change: new research on the value of strategic advocacy by community legal centres and how to do it

Access to justice is not as simple as the provision of free legal services according to a new report. Strategic advocacy is often the missing ingredient to ensure that justice is done. The new report,...

Acquiring a long list of complaints on privacy

The privacy commissioner has been called in to investigate allegations that the Privacy Act is being flaunted by an education company targeting job-seekers to sell vocational courses. Consumer Acti...

Ban bad products before they cause harm: Financial System Inquiry

Fairness must be central to the regulation of financial services, says Consumer Action Law Centre commenting on the Federal Government response to the Financial System Inquiry. The Federal Governme...

The common car product you might get a refund for

Australians are demanding better from the products sold with used cars and winning. Sarah from Melbourne’s south east thought she had to buy an extended warranty in order to get a loan. Consumer Ac...

Senate inquiry backs VET Industry Ombudsman

Consumer Action Law Centre reiterates its call for the establishment of an Industry Ombudsman in the vocational education sector as recommended in a Senate report released today. The release of "Th...

New research shows struggling Australians suffering while the payday lending sector booms: Consumer groups

Consumer groups have cautioned policy makers not to fall for payday lending spin as new research from Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) shows the devastating impact of the industry on Australians strugg...

Still too many Victorians choosing between heat or eat – response to EWOV annual report: Consumer Action

Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the significant drop in complaints to the Energy and Water Ombudsman (EWOV), but says there are still too many Victorians struggling with utilities. “It’s welcom...

A weaker ASIC helps no one: consumer groups

A proposed funding model for corporate regulator ASIC has come under fire by consumer groups who say the model could lead to a weaker and less effective regulator. In a submission to Treasury, the...

Cash Converters taken to court after reforms fail to protect vulnerable

Payday lending reforms from 2013 have failed vulnerable Australians according to Consumer Action Law Centre, as they take Cash Converters to court on behalf of a disability support pensioner over a ca...

Response to The Age – ‘Vocational education, the biggest get-rich quick scheme in Australia’

Katherine Temple - Senior Policy Officer in response to 'Vocational education, the biggest get-rich quick scheme in Australia' (The Age, 17/09/2015) We are shocked and dismayed by the story in The Ag...

ASIC report highlights exorbitant costs of rent-to-buy household goods: Consumer groups

The poorest and most vulnerable Australians are paying grossly inflated prices for household goods via “rent-to-buy” or “consumer lease” deals, as shown by a new report from the Australian Securities...

Rent-to-buy products must be kicked off Centrepay

Leading consumer groups are calling for the Australian Parliament to support moves by the Senate to protect the integrity of Centrelink’s budgeting tool for essentials, Centrepay, by excluding rent-to...

Response to “Making Energy Bills Fairer For Families” – Minister for Energy, Lily D’Ambrosio

Quotes attributable to Janine Rayner, Senior Policy Officer - Consumer Action Law Centre in response to Victorian Energy Minister Lily D'Ambrosio's announcement "Making Energy Bills Fairer For Familie...

The energy market is failing struggling Victorians

Victoria’s energy market is failing our most vulnerable people, according to Consumer Action Law Centre. With the release of the Essential Services Commission’s Energy Hardship Inquiry Draft Report to...

The real stories of Victorians forced to choose to heat, or eat

Victorians have shared their stories of energy disconnection as part of research by RMIT for Consumer Action Law Centre’s ‘Heat or Eat’ report released today. The report details six unique stories...

Don’t make the poor pay more: Consumer Action

Today, ALP Senator Doug Cameron will be leading debate on a Bill to exclude consumer lease products from Centrelink's welfare budgeting tool Centrepay. What are 'consumer leases'? A consumer le...

“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...

Review is opportunity to improve protections for payday loan and rent-to-buy borrowers

Payday lending and rent-to-buy products are often a source of financial distress and hardship according to Consumer Action Law Centre. The centre welcomes the Federal Government's announcement that it...

ALP National Conference: Labor needs to take a stand on payday loans.

Where the poorest pay the most - our session at #ALPConf2015 Fringe #auspol — Consumer Action (@consumer_action) July 26, 2015 Today, at an ALP National Conference fringe event, Consumer Actio...

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...

Life insurance overdue for change

Consumer Action Law Centre says that proposed changes from the life insurance industry (welcomed by Assistant Treasurer Josh Frydenberg) to overhaul excessive commission structures and questionable ad...

Don’t make the poor pay more – time to end the free ride for rent to buy businesses: Consumer Groups

Consumer groups say draft legislation to ban rent-to-buy goods providers from Centrepay (Centrelink’s service that allows third parties to receive direct payment from welfare payments) is an essential...

Dodgy car park operators will now have to clean up their act in a win for Victorians

Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the Victorian Government’s move to stop disclosure of drivers’ personal details to private car park companies through the courts. Private car park companies have lo...

Consumer leases will continue to make the poor pay more: Consumer Groups

Consumer Action Law Centre and Financial Rights Legal Centre say changes to Centrepay (Centrelink’s service that allows third parties deduct from payments) announced today by the Federal Government ar...

Debt collection industry can still do more

Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the release of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Debt Collection Industry Research Report released today, but says the industry can still do much...

Australians should be compensated for poor financial advice: Consumer groups

Australia’s leading consumer groups have made a joint submission to the Senate Economics Committee’s Scrutiny of Financial Advice Inquiry calling for a last resort compensation scheme for consumers wi...

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...

Too many Australians have suffered at the hands of financial advisers

Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes reports that independent Senator Nick Xenophon MP and Labor Senator Sam Dastyari have called for a last resort compensation scheme for financial services...

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...

Media Release: Credit Wash “cleans up” vulnerable consumer

A former customer of Malouf Group Enterprises (Malouf), which holds itself out as being "Leaders in Credit Repair Solutions" has issued proceedings in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (...

Media Release: Consumer voices must be at heart of competition policy reform: Consumer Action

Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the release of the Harper Review into Competition Policy and particular the finding that purpose of competition is to make the market economy better serve the long-...

Media Release: Trowbridge final report a step in the right direction, but fixation with commissions remains

Consumer Action Law Centre, Financial Rights Legal Centre, CHOICE and Maurice Blackburn Lawyers have welcomed John Trowbridge's final report into retail life insurance but believe that the industry ha...

Media Release: Payday lending report questions compliance with the law

Consumer Action Law Centre welcomed a new report from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) which questions whether payday lenders are complying with the law. The 2013 law ref...

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...

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