Other Archives - Consumer Action Law Centre

Victorian Government’s class action changes promote corporate accountability

The Victorian Government’s proposed changes to class action rules should enable greater access to justice and promote corporate accountability, according to Consumer Action Law Centre. The Justice...

Alert: Membo Finance Pty Ltd trading as Clear Loans

We have been contacted by a number of financial counsellors, community workers and the general public with serious concerns about ClearLoans. On its website ClearLoans advertises itself as “guarantor...

Impact Report 2018/19

This year has been dynamic for our Centre. In addition to our core direct services for the community, we have continued to advocate for a fairer marketplace obtaining some significant outcomes. Som...

Insurance pricing differences: New vs existing customers

Local councils must take financial hardship into account when collecting rates
Local Government Rating System Review

Financial counsellors assist clients who are experiencing financial hardship. Most of WEstjustice’s and Consumer Action’s clients are grappling with debts and meeting the high cost of living in Melbou...

ASIC Enforcement Review
Australian Securities and Investments Commission - Exposure draft legislation, ASIC Enforcement Review Taskforce Final Report

In our joint response to exposure draft legislation implementing certain aspects of the ASIC Enforcement Review Taskforce (ERT) Final Report, Consumer Action and Financial Rights Legal Centre (Financi...

Integrated Practice Project: 2019 Mid-Year Report

Recognising that we need to take a coordinated approach to addressing the civil needs of Victorian Aboriginal communities, Consumer Action Law Centre and the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service teamed...

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...

National Consumer Congress Keynote Address: How to deliver better outcomes for vulnerable consumers in regulated markets

The following keynote speech was delivered by Consumer Action CEO, Gerard Brody at the National Consumer Congress 2019 on Thursday, 14 March 2019 in Melbourne. Today I want to ask whether w...

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...

Prohibition will strengthen the consumer law and allow regulators to deal with practices that cause consumer detriment
Australian Competition & Consumer Commission - Digital Platforms Inquiry Preliminary Report

Consumer Action has made a submission to the ACCC Digital Platforms Inquiry Preliminary Report. The submission focuses primarily on the proposal to develop a general prohibition against unfair practic...

Submission: Inquiry into credit and financial services targeted at Australians at risk of financial hardship
Senate Standing Committees on Economics - Senate Economics References Committee Inquiry into Credit and Financial Services Targeted at Australians at Risk of Financial Hardship

This Senate Inquiry is a crucial opportunity to close the regulatory loopholes exploited by fringe lenders and ‘debt help’ companies. These companies can entrench disadvantage for some of the most vul...

Submission: Reforms to strengthen penalties for corporate and financial sector misconduct – Draft Legislation
Consumer and Corporations Division - Reforms to Strengthen Penalties for Corporate and Financial Sector Misconduct (Draft Legislation)

This submission supports the proposed increases to maximum criminal and civil penalties across a number of provisions, the expansion in provisions subject to penalties, and the power to obtain disgorg...

National Energy Guarantee Draft Detailed Design Consultation Paper – Commonwealth Elements
Minister for the Environment and Energy (Parliament House) - National Energy Guarantee Draft Detailed Design Consultation Paper (Commonwealth Elements)

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the National Energy Guarantee (Guarantee) Draft Detailed Design Consultation Paper for Commonwealth Elements (Co...

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...

Submission: Options for greater involvement by private sector life insurers in worker rehabilitation
Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services - Submission on options for greater involvement by private sector life insurers in worker rehabilitation

This joint submission of CHOICE, Financial Rights Legal Centre and Consumer Action Law Centre responds to the insurance industry proposal for greater involvement by life insurers in worker rehabilitat...

Victorians need better access to quick, fair and free justice in 2018

Consumer Action has launched our latest election platform for this November's Victorian State Election which calls on our state politicians to make access to justice fairer and more affordable for all...

New report uncovers murky world of online marketing

Online marketing, lead generation and cold-calling have been scrutinised in a new report from Consumer Action Law Centre. The report, entitled Dirty Leads: consumer protection in online lead gener...

The psychology of Christmas shopping: how marketers nudge you to buy

Paul Harrison, Deakin University Many people see marketing as a form of manipulation, particularly around Christmas and the other retail bonanzas: Easter, Valentine’s Day, Mothers’ Day and Fath...

Consumer Action Strategic Plan 2017-2021

We use our skills in the law, financial counselling, policy and campaigning to make consumer markets fair. We do this by: Assisting and empowering people – by advising them about their rights, connec...

Protected: The Do Not Knock movement grows

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Rural and Regional Outreach Project – Evaluation Report

Consumer Action has an ongoing commitment to strategic outreach focusing on capacity building for community workers, who play a vital role in connecting vulnerable clients with legal assistance. Throu...

Community Legal Centres face funding cut from July 1

UPDATE: The Federal Government has announced a reversal of the planned cuts. However, Community Legal Centres are still facing a surge in community need that the Productivity Commission estimates requ...

Review of the Warehousemen’s Liens Act 1958 – Position Paper

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Storage Industry Position Paper. In our view, the proposed changes to the Warehousemen’s Liens Act 1958 (...

Senate Standing Committee on Economics inquiry into Australia’s general insurance industry

This submission examines home and car insurance from the consumer’s perspective. It focuses on transparency in Australia’s home and car insurance industries, the benefits of establishing an independen...

Retail Remuneration Review – Issues Paper

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action), is pleased to provide a submission in response to the Retail Remuneration Review Issues Paper (Issues Paper). As stated in our joint response to th...

EDR Review – Interim Report

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Review of the Financial System Dispute Resolution Framework – Interim Report (Interim Report). This joint submission was coordinated by Consumer Action...

Submission in response to Consultation Paper 272 – Remaking ASIC class orders on time-sharing schemes

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) and Financial Rights Legal Centre (Financial Rights) are pleased to make this submission to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s (ASIC) p...

Productivity Commission Draft Report – Consumer Law Enforcement and Administration

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to provide comment in response to the Productivity Commission Draft Report – Consumer Law Enforcement and Administration (Draft Report)....

Why we are willing to pay for mega expensive things

Paul Harrison, Deakin University It may not seem logical or good value for money, but there are plenty of us that will fork out for expensive presents this Christmas. Maybe it will be close to A$3,...

Regulation of the Legal Profession: Consumer Focus and Engagement

The objectives of the Legal Profession Uniform Law, which currently applies in NSW and Victoria, include: “enhancing the protection of clients of law practices…” and “empowering clients of law pract...

Research report: Review of Tenants’ and Consumers’ Experience of VCAT

There are “very substantial barriers” that inhibit people from accessing justice at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), according to a new research report. Consumer Action Law C...

Emergency Service Levy Monitor – price exploitation and false conduct draft guidelines

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to comment on the Emergency Services Levy Insurance Monitor Act 2016 Draft Guidelines on the prohibition against price exploitation and Draft Gu...

Productivity Commission’s Issues Paper Human Services – Identifying sectors for reform (Issues Paper).

Consumer Action Law Centre is pleased to provide this submission to the Productivity Commission’s Issues Paper Human Services – Identifying sectors for reform (Issues Paper). This submission provides...

Public Inquiry: Data Availability and Use

Consumer Action has provided a submission in response to the Productivity Commission's Issues Paper for its inquiry on Data Availability and Use. The submission primarily focuses on the need to mai...

Submission to the ESC Water Pricing Approach Review

Consumer Action has partnered with the Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre and the Victorian Council of Social Service to provide a submission to the Essential Services Commission Position Paper, A New...

Review of Enforcement Regimes under the National Energy Laws: Proposed policy positions for consultation

Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the opportunity to comment on the consultation paper, Review of Enforcement Regimes under the National Energy Laws: Proposed policy positions for consultation, rele...

Federal Circuit Court Financial Counselling Project Evaluation

Since September 2014, the Federal Circuit Court (FCC) in Melbourne has provided direct financial counselling services to self-represented debtors in the FCC’s Bankruptcy Lists. This pilot service, imp...

Evaluating Consumer Action’s worker advice service

Consumer Action Law Centre (“Consumer Action”) improves the lives of Victorians by advancing fairness in the marketplace. To this end, we publish consumer law information, run a legal advice service,...

Parliamentary Inquiry into the Retirement Housing Sector

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action), Council on the Ageing Victoria (COTA), Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG), Justice Connect (Seniors Law) (Justice Connect) and Residents of Reti...

Telephone Financial Counselling Service – Evaluation of Service Quality and Outcomes

Consumer Action Law Centre is pleased to publish this evaluation of our telephone financial counselling service, MoneyHelp. Consumer Action regularly evaluates its services, particularly its advice se...

Credit Cards: improving consumer outcomes and enhancing competition

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) and the Financial Rights Legal Centre (FRLC) is pleased to comment on the proposed reforms outlined in Credit cards: improving consumer outcomes and enhanc...

Submission to AER on its approval of minimum amount owing for disconnection

Consumer Action has provided a submission to the Australian Energy Regulator on its approval of the minimum amount owing for disconnection of electricity or gas under the National Energy Retail Rules....

Role of LIV in regulation of the profession: Submission

In the June edition of the Law Institute Journal, the Law Institute of Victoria asks “who should regulate the profession”? It is the view of consumer and community lawyers that any modern regulatory...

Consumer property law review: Issue Paper 3: Sale of land and business

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to make this submission to Consumer Affairs Victoria's (CAV) review of Victoria's consumer property laws on Issue Paper 3: Sale of land and busi...

Australian Consumer Law Review – submission

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Australian Consumer Law Review—Issues Paper (Issues Paper). The Review is highly anticipated and offers a...

AER Electricity Ring-Fencing Guideline

Ring-fencing is undertaken when a monopoly business also operates in a contestable market, and some form of functional separation is deemed necessary to ensure the market remains competitive. Read...

Submission to Consumer Property Law Review: Issue Paper 2 – Owners corporations

Lawyers and Referrer Conflict—an underrated risk

The risk of a conflict of interest can arise in some arrangements where lawyers have a relationship with a party from which they receive regular client referrals. The extent of this conflict of intere...

Improving bankruptcy and insolvency laws – Proposals paper

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide input to proposed changes to Australia’s bankruptcy and insolvency laws. To read a PDF of the submission online,...

Submission to the AER Draft Sustainable Payment Plan Framework

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to provide comment on the AER Draft Sustainable Payment Plan Framework (the draft framework). Read our full submission here [PDF]...

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