Media Release - Consumer Action Law Centre

Urgent need for payday loan reform acknowledged by Consumer Affairs Ministers

The need for urgent law reform to protect consumers from unfair and predatory payday loans has been reinforced at a meeting of Australian and New Zealand ministers in Queenstown, New Zealand. Minis...

Consumer advocates unite as Government inaction on payday loan reform hits 1,000 days

As the counter ticks over to 1,000 days since the Coalition Government accepted the recommendations from the Small Amount Credit Contract (SACC) review, consumer advocacy organisations across the coun...

Time to implement Hayne recommended law reform following court decision

The Financial Rights Legal Centre (Financial Rights) and Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) have called for the Government to amend responsible lending laws to ensure that lenders make reaso...

Regulator to implement blanket ban on insurance cold calling

An Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) consultation paper, released today, proposes a ban on unsolicited telephone sales of direct life insurance and consumer credit insurance (CCI...

Landmark report shows Victorian Government’s new policies are reducing energy disconnections, but energy companies are still falling short addressing consumer vulnerability

A new report shines a light on the Victorian Government’s ‘Payment Difficult Framework’ finding that disconnections have significantly decreased, but some energy companies are still giving vulnerable...

Regulator slams ‘junk insurance’ sold by banks as Aussies demand over $2 million in refunds

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) report released today confirms that consumer credit insurance, commonly tacked on when taking out a loan or credit card, is junk. This news...

Consumer Action lodges complaint to Commonwealth Ombudsman about the Department of Human Services’ poor administration of Centrepay

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) has made a formal complaint to the Commonwealth Ombudsman about the Department of Human Services (DHS). This complaint comes after the department failed o...

Consumer Action supports ASIC use of new powers to tackle predatory credit agents such as Cigno

Businesses such as Cigno Pty Ltd, which facilitate access to predatory and unregulated payday loans by exploiting loopholes in the law, are on notice as the Australian Securities and Investment Commis...

Telecommunications Consumer Protection Code Inadequately Protects Consumers: Consumer Groups

The revised Telecommunications Consumer Protection (TCP) Code fails to adequately protect telco consumers, according to consumer groups. Despite consultation with the telco industry and regulator,...

Unconscionable conduct: Divided High Court confirms need for change to the law

In its response to the High Court finding that a ‘book-up’ credit scheme operated in the remote Aboriginal community of Mintabie in the South Australian APY lands was not unconscionable, Consumer Acti...

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 have quit en masse from a mortgage broking industry forum, saying that the industry isn’t interested in doing the right thing by the community and has been disingenuous. CHOICE, Con...

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...

‘Car-napping’ court win against car hire company

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) has successfully defended a case brought by hire car company, Insurance Replacement Rentals (IRR), against Mr Makyle Mekonnen, a car accident victim. The...

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

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-...

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