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
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 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]...
Submission to ESC’s Draft Energy Compliance and Enforcement Policy, April 2016
The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) wishes to make a brief submission to the Essential Services Commission’s (the Commission) consultation on its Draft Energy Compliance and Enforcement P...
New Polling: 3 in 4 Australians want ban on door-to-door sales
Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) has launched new polling data from IPSOS, one of Australia’s leading polling agencies, on unsolicited sales. Unsolicited sales are commonly performed th...
Speech to the CIO Dispute Resolution Conference 18 May 2016, Melbourne
On Wednesday, 18 May 2016, Consumer Action CEO Gerard Brody gave a speech to the CIO Dispute Resolution Conference. An edited transcript of the speech can be found below. ***CHECK AGA...
Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (Fees) Regulations 2016
The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide input to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (Fees) Regulations (VCAT Fees) Review. Read our full su...
Residential Tenancies Act review: Issues Paper 3 – Rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants
Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to comment on Issues Paper 3 - Rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants as part of Consumer Affairs Victoria's (CAV's) review of the...
Price Review 2016: Melbourne Water – Essential Services Commission Draft Decision
The Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre (CUAC) and the Consumer Action Law Centre (CALC) welcome the opportunity to comment on the Essential Service Commission’s (Commission) Price Review 2016: Melbour...
Scrutiny of Financial Advice Inquiry: Additional terms of reference on the life insurance industry
Joint submission with Financial Rights Legal Centre and CHOICE to the Senate Economics References Committee Scrutiny of Financial Advice Inquiry: Additional terms of reference on the life insurance in...
Residential Tenancies Act review: Issues Paper 2 – Rent, bonds and other charges
Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to comment on Issues Paper 2—Rent, bonds and other charges as part of Consumer Affairs Victoria's (CAV) review of Victoria's Residential Tenanci...
CP247: Client review and remediation programs and update to record-keeping requirements
The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on ASIC’s Consultation Paper 247: Client review and remediation programs and update to record-keeping requirements....
Review of Card Payments Regulation – Consultation Paper
Thank you for the opportunity to provide comment on the reforms proposed by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) in the Review of Card Payments Regulation Consultation Paper (Consultation Paper), relea...
Inquiry into the causes and consequences of the collapse of listed retailers in Australia
The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Inquiry into the causes and consequences of the collapse of listed retailers in Australia (Inquiry). View...
Submission to consumer property law review: Issue Paper 1 – Conduct and institutional arrangements for estate agents, conveyancers and owners corporation managers
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 1: Conduct and instituti...
Submission to Council on Federal Financial Relations Affordable Housing Working Group – Innovative financing models
Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to make this submission to the Affordable Housing Working Group. Consumer Action's legal service and financial counselling service assist many...
Review of the Warehousemen’s Liens Act 1958 (VIC)
Consumer Action Law Centre has provided comment on the review of the Warehousemen’s Liens Act 1958 (Vic) (“Act”). Read our full submission here [PDF]...
Debt Management Firms Communiqué
Around forty representatives from consumer advocacy organisations, industry associations, ombudsman schemes, government agencies and regulators met in Melbourne on 18 February 2016 to discuss the soci...
Access to Justice Review
The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide input to the Access to Justice Review. We have provided responses to specific relevant questions raised under each...
Our finances are a mess – could behavioral science help clean them up?
Hal Hershfield, University of California, Los Angeles and Abigail Sussman, University of Chicago The first few months of a new year can be a stressful time financially. The Christmas holidays typic...
Unemployed and at risk: more help needed for those out of work
The mental health of the unemployed deteriorates the longer they are out of work and this is a barrier to securing future employment, research has found. While different ways to reach this group are b...
Submission to The Treasury on priorities for 2016-17 Federal Budget
Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide input into The Treasury’s budget development for financial year 2016-17. The stated aim of the Government in inviting s...