Media Release - Consumer Action Law Centre

“High billing” top energy issue for Victorians

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 Victor...

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...

National Energy Retail Amendment (Strengthening Protections for Customers in Hardship) Rule 2018 Draft Rule Determination

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

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“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...

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...

Robert Photos

Photos of Robert Regan available for publication. Credit: Consumer Action Law Centre...

Consumer Action responds: Interim response to the review into Victoria’s electricity and gas retail markets

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) commends recent action by the Victorian Government as a significant step forward in making it easier and fairer for Victorians to get a better, more afford...

Commbank dumps junk – Consumer Credit Insurance (CCI) scandal must end now: Consumer groups

Junk insurance sold with credit cards and loans is on its deathbed according to consumer groups (Consumer Action Law Centre, Financial Rights Legal Centre and Financial Counselling Australia). The com...

Twelve months on, and still no Ombudsman for older Victorians

One year since the release of the Victorian Parliament’s Inquiry into the Retirement Housing Sector recommending the establishment of a Retirement Housing Ombudsman, we are still no closer to knowing...

Productivity Commission – Gerard Brody opening statement

Productivity Commission Competition in the Australian Financial System Opening Remarks from Consumer Action Law Centre – Public Hearings on Draft Report Thank you very much for having me...

Credit card reforms long overdue

Today, a package of reforms to improve credit card lending and marketing practices passed Federal Parliament. After a long consultation process, Consumer Action Law Centre is relieved to see the impor...

A new one-stop shop for financial disputes

Today, the legislation establishing a new one-stop shop for financial and superannuation complaints passed the Federal Parliament. The new Australian Financial Complaints Authority will replace the Fi...

Consumer Action asks insurance companies to show Australians some love – Media Release

High res images available for media use: Image 1 - Image 2 - Image 3 - Image 4 - Image 5 - Image 6 - Image 7 - Image 8 - Image 9 - Image 10 - Image 11 Consumer Action's 'DENIED' R...

Denied – Levelling the playing field to make insurance fair

There is a big ‘fairness’ problem in insurance. People often make insurance claims when they are at a low ebb. They can face shocking outcomes and no appropriate recourse under current laws. This repo...

At this year’s State Election, “Energy Prices Matter”

In the lead up to November's Victorian State Election, Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) has launched a platform to ease the burden of energy prices, "Energy Prices Matter: Make it fair and...

New polling shows Victorians don’t trust power retailers and want a Fair Price Guarantee

Independent state-wide polling released today by the Consumer Action Law Centre and the Brotherhood of St Laurence has shown that most Victorians don’t trust their electricity companies and strongly s...

Radio Rentals hauled over the coals for irresponsible lending – again.

Today, the corporate regulator ASIC announced it is taking action against consumer leasing giant Radio Rentals after the company admitted to breaching responsible lending laws. Consumer Action Law...

Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Finance Sector – Consumer Action submission part 1

Consumer Action Law Centre has published part 1 of its initial submission to the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Finance Sector today. The submission draws on the e...

Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Finance Sector – Consumer Action submission part 1

All shoppers need to be wary of junk insurance

Gerard Brody, CEO - Consumer Action Law Centre As originally published in the Herald Sun 27/12/2017 Car yards, banks and insurance companies — we don’t need a Royal Commission to remind us tha...

Opinion: Afterpay – Buy now, pain later?

Opinion – Gerard Brody, CEO Consumer Action Law Centre The boom of ‘buy now pay later’ at popular retailers has been touted as a win for business and consumers alike. But at a time when Australians...

Rent-to-buy: How many second chances do they deserve?

How should we describe a Government that wants to end the practice of 884% equivalent interest rates being charged to Australians who don’t have a spare $345 to buy a clothes dryer? It is a Government...

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