Submission: 2014-15 Federal Budget
Consumer Action welcomes the Government’s invitation to the Australian community to provide input to the 2014-15 Commonwealth Budget. We are mindful of the current economic conditions and their imp...
Submission: Debt agreement administrators’ guidelines relating to advertising
Consumer Action's MoneyHelp financial counselling practice helps disadvantaged, low income Victorian consumers who are experiencing severe financial distress consumers Victorians, some of who have use...
Submission: Do Not Call Register – registration period
Consumer Action support removing the registration period for the Do Not Call Register so that registration is indefinite (Option Three in the Discussion Paper[i]). Customers actively opt out of unsol...
Submission: Changes to Credit Ombudsman Scheme Rules
Consumer Action had provided comment on the Credit Ombudsman Service’s proposes changes to COSL Rules: 9th Edition. We commend the Credit Ombudsman Service on its drafting of the proposed changes, mo...
Submission: ACCC / ASIC Debt Collection Guideline
Consumer Action has provided comment on the review of the ACCC / ASIC Debt Collection Guideline for Collectors and Creditors. The revised draft Guideline is a significant improvement on the existing...
Submission: Financial System Inquiry—Draft Terms of Reference
Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to comment on the draft terms of reference for the Financial System Inquiry. In summary, we recommend that: the overall objective for the Inquiry could be e...
Submission: Energy Assured Limited – Revocation and Substitution – A91390 & A91391
Consumer Action’s 2011 submissions to the Code authorisation process recommended the ACCC refuse to authorise the applications, on the grounds that the proposal did not actually improve existing consu...
Submission: Review of the regulation of owners’ corporation managers
Consumer Action has provided comment to the Review of the regulation of owners’ corporation managers Issues Paper. Our submission makes two primary recommendations: that the unfair contract term pr...
Submission: AER Alternative Energy Sellers – Issues Paper
Consumer Action supports the AER's approach in attempting to identify a suitable outcome for consumers in an evolving and increasingly complex energy market. We have provided some comments to encourag...
Joint submission: National Smart Meter Consumer Protection and Safety Review
A coalition of advocates has taken the opportunity to comment on SCER's National Smart Meter Consumer Protection and Safety Review Consultation Paper (Consultation Paper) and the National Energy Retai...
Submission: Regulatory Review of the Motor Car Traders Act (MTCA) 1986
Consumer Action has submitted comment on the Issue Paper for the regulatory review of the Motor Car Traders Act (MTCA) 1986. We generally do not agree that the regulatory burden on traders is exces...
Submission: Post Implementation Review of Ban on Mortgage Exit Fees
Consumer Action has contributed to the Post Implementation Review of the ban on mortgage exit fees. Briefly, this submission supports the existing ban on mortgage exit fees; argues that ava...
Submission: Carbon tax repeal legislation
Consumer Action generally does not support repeal of the legislation that is not linked to imposing a price on carbon emissions, given the dire consequences for Australians from predicted impacts of c...
Submission: Access to Justice Arrangements
Consumer Action has provided a submission to the Productivity Commission on its Issues Paper, Access to Justice Arrangements. The key points and recommendations made in this submission are: The inq...
Joint submission: Independent Review of the Financial Ombudsman Service
Consumer Action and Consumer Credit Legal Centre (NSW) have coordinated and written a consumer submission to the independent review of the Financial Ombudsman Service. The submission contains contribu...
Submission: The performance of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission
Consumer Action Law Centre has made a submission to the Senate Economics References Committee inquiry into the performance of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). Briefly: w...
Submission: Guidelines for Complaint Handling in Organisations
Consumer Action has commented on the draft Revision of AS ISO 10002-2006: Guidelines for Complaint Handling in Organisations. We support the draft guidelines, but have made a number of recommendation...
Submission: Review of Enforcement Regime for National Energy Laws
Consumer Action has made a submission to the Standing Council on Energy and Resources in relation to its Review of National Enforcement Regimes for National Energy Laws. Consumer Action believes regul...
Submission: Draft Australian Energy Regulator stakeholder engagement framework
Consumer Action has provided comment on the Australian Energy Regulator’s (AER) Draft Stakeholder Engagement Framework. We believe the Draft provides a strong foundation for the AER to engage with it...
Submission: Credit hardship obligations—outstanding issues
Consumer Action, Consumer Credit Legal Centre NSW, and Financial Counselling Australia have made a joint submission on Australian Securities and Investments Commission's discussion paper Credit Hardsh...
Joint submission: Essential Services Commission harmonisation of the Energy Retail Code and Guidelines with the National Energy Customer Framework Draft Decision
Consumer Action has contributed to a joint submission on the Essential Services Commission Harmonisation of the Energy Retail Code and Guidelines with the National Energy Customer Framework Draft Deci...
Submission: Regulatory impact statement on retirement village contract and disclosure options
Consumer Action has provided comments on the Regulatory Impact Statement for the Retirement Villages Amendment (Records and Notices) Regulations 2013 and the Retirement Villages Amendment (Contractual...
Submission: Proposed Changes to Regulatory Instruments Relating to Flexible Pricing of Electricity
Consumer Action has provided comment on the Essential Services Commission’s Draft Decision in relation to Proposed Changes to Regulatory Instruments Relating to Flexible Pricing of Electricity. Energy...
Submission: Limited merits review – consultation draft legislation
Consumer Action has provided comment on the exposure draft Statutes Amendment (National Electricity and Gas Laws—Limited Merits Review) Bill 2013. Our comments are aimed to ensure the legislation enac...
Submission: Review of the Energy Saver Incentive Scheme
Consumer Action has provided input to the Review of the Energy Saver Incentive (ESI) Scheme. In short, our submission says: the promotion of energy efficiency products and services through door-to-d...
Submission: Credit card surcharges and non-transparent transaction fees
Consumer Action Law has made a submission to the Commonwealth Consumer Affairs Advisory Council’s study into Credit Card Surcharges and Non-Transparent Transaction Fees. We believe the key problems i...
Submission: Review of the Benchmarks for Industry-based Customer Dispute Resolution Schemes
Consumer Action has made a submission to the Commonwealth Consumer Affairs Advisory Council review of the benchmarks for industry dispute resolution schemes. In broad terms, we strongly support the b...
Submission: Exposure Draft Insurance Contracts Amendment (Unfair Terms) Bill 2013
Consumer Action, the Insurance Law Service and Legal Aid New South Wales are broadly very supportive of the Exposure Draft Insurance Contracts Amendment (Unfair Terms) Bill 2013. Unfair contract term...
Submission: Proposals to strengthen regulation of debenture companies
Consumer Action has provided a submission to the discussion paper, Banking Act exemptions and section 66 guidelines, published by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority. The discussion paper p...
Submission: Joint Consumer Submission to the Water Price Review 2013 draft decision
We welcome the Essential Services Commission’s overall approach articulated in their Draft Decision on the Water Price Review 2013. In summary, this submission states as follows: 1. We are pleased th...
Joint Submission: Changes to Disclosure Requirements under the National Consumer Protection Act 2009
Consumer Action and the Consumer Credit Legal Centre welcomes Treasury's approach of basing revised disclosure on the findings made by the Uniquest report. Uniquest was commissioned by the Standing Co...
Joint submission: Credit Reporting Privacy Code
Consumer Action has, in conjunction with five other consumer and privacy advocate organisations, made a submission to the review of the Credit Reporting Code of Conduct. An industry code should be se...
Submission: The exemption of retailers from the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009
Consumer Action has made a submission on Treasury's Discussion paper regarding the exemption of retailers from the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009. Briefly, this submission: supports o...
Submission: Commonwealth Treasury consumer leases issues paper
Consumer Action has made a submission to the Commonwealth Treasury on regulation of consumer leases. The submission argues that the purpose of any reform of regulation of consumer leases should be to:...
Submission: Exposure Drafts of the National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Credit Reform Phase 2) Bill 2012
The Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the opportunity to comment on the draft National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Credit Reform Phase 2) Bill 2012. Briefly, this submission: strongly s...
Submission: Federal Government’s independent review of Centrepay, Centrelink’s voluntary bill-paying service
The Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the opportunity to comment on the independent review of the Centrepay system. Consumer Action believes that Centrepay can be a valuable financial management too...
Submission: ASIC Consultation Paper on an online database for small amount lenders
Joint submission with Financial Counselling Australia and the Consumer Credit Legal Service (WA) to ASIC's Consultation Paper on an online database for small amount lenders. The Consumer Action Law Ce...
Submission: Proposed variation to Numbering Plan – charges for calls to free-phone and local rate numbers
Consumer Action believes the Australian Communications and Media Authority's proposal of amending the numbering plan to make 1800 numbers free of charge and 13 and 1300 numbers (hereafter '13 numbers'...
Submission: Essential Services Commission Victoria Harmonised Energy Retail Code
The signatories to this submission represent the interests of the majority of Victorian residential and small business energy consumers – being particularly cognizant of the special needs of low incom...
Submission: Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Fees Regulations
Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Department of Justice’s Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) for the proposed Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Fees Regulations. In...
Submission: Limited merits review of decision-making in the electricity and gas regulatory frameworks
Consumer Action's submission to the Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement on the framework for limited merits review of decision-making in electricity and gas regulation argues that Option 3, Amend...
Submission: Water Price Review 2013-2018
Consumer Action and the Consumer Utility Advocacy Centre Ltd have made a joint submission to the Metropolitan and Regional Businesses Water Plans for 2013-2018. Our comments in this submission apply...
Submission: Taxi Industry Inquiry—Response to Final Report
Consumer Action has made a submission on the Taxi Industry Inquiry’s Final Report, Customers First—Service, Safety, Choice. This report is an important one. The taxi industry is one where consumers...
Submission: Single pricing requirements – proposal to exempt restaurants and cafes
Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to comment on the proposed amendments to the Australian Consumer Law in Schedule 2 of the Competition and Consumer Act 2012 (Cth). Precedent of exemptions wit...
Submission: Consumer Affairs Victoria’s review of section 32 of the Sale of Land Act
Consumer Action’s submission to Consumer Affairs Victoria's review of section 32 of the Sale of Land Act makes the following general points: we support efforts to reduce regulatory burden, but cutti...
Submission: Electricity network regulatory frameworks—Productivity Commission draft report
Consumer Action has responded to the Productivity Commission's Draft Report on Electricity Network Regulatory Frameworks. We have found the Commission‘s review of the Electricity Network Regulatory F...
Submission: Review of debt agreements under the Bankruptcy Act 1966 – Proposals Paper
Consumer Action has made a submission to the Review of Debt Agreements under the Bankruptcy Act 1966 proposals paper. Our submission: reiterates our recommendation that the Bankruptcy Act should be...
Submission: Consumer lease reform
Consumer Action has made a submission to Commonwealth Department of Treasury on cost disclosure and termination fees in consumer lease contracts. The submission argues that: there is no difference...
Submission: Review of Limited Merits Review for Energy Pricing Determinations
Consumer Action has provided a submission to the Standing Council on Energy & Resources on the Final Report of the Expert Panel set up to examine the Limited Merits Review Regime for energy determ...
Supplementary Submission: Senate Select Inquiry on Electricity Pricing
Consumer Action has written to the Senate Select Committee on Electricity Prices in response to the written questions it provided on 5 October 2012. The committee has asked the following questions:...