AEMC review of regulatory arrangements for embedded networks

SACOSS and the signatories consider that the existing framework has provided a high degree of flexibility and competition in products and services for embedded networks which has led to some valuable...

May 22, 2017

Submission: Estate agents and conveyancers options for reform

Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the opportunity to provide comment on the Consumer Property Law Review’s Options Paper on estate agents and conveyancers. Read the full submission here [PDF]....

May 18, 2017

Submission: Emergency Services Levy Insurance Monitor public inquiry into prohibited conduct in the insurance industry

We were asked to provide feedback on questions 4, 5, 7 and 11 in the ESLIM’s Public Inquiry Issues Paper. We have also responded to question 9 on competition drivers, and briefly commented on our insu...

May 16, 2017

Submission: General Insurance Code of Practice 2017 Review

The Code is an important piece of self-regulation, setting out the best practice expected of the industry. Recent inquiries and reviews have ventilated a number of persistent, systemic problems for ge...

May 3, 2017

Retirement Villages (Contractual Arrangements) Regulations 2017 – Regulatory Impact Statement submission

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action), Council on the Ageing Victoria (COTA), Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG), and Residents of Retirement Villages Victoria (RRVV) write in relatio...

May 2, 2017

Submission to the inquiry into modernising Australia’s electricity grid

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Standing Committee on the Environment and Energy’s inquiry into modernising Australia’s electricity grid. A...

April 27, 2017

Submission: Consumer Property Law Review—Sale of land and business: options for reform

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to make this submission in response to Consumer Affairs Victoria's Sale of land and business: options for reform (Options Paper), as part of the...

April 26, 2017

Design, scope, cost-benefit analysis, contracts awarded and implementation associated with the Better Management of the Social Welfare System initiative

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to provide a submission to the Inquiry on the Design, scope, cost-benefit analysis, contracts awarded and implementation associated with the...

April 11, 2017

Comment on ASIC CP 279: Flex commission arrangements in the car finance industry

Consumer Action supports ASIC’s proposal to prohibit flex-commissions in the sale of car loans through a legislative instrument. There are clearly significant variations in the interest rates charged...

March 31, 2017

Supplementary submission: Design & Distribution Obligations and Product Intervention Power – Proposals Paper

The undersigned provided a comprehensive submission to the Design and Distribution Obligations and Product Intervention Power – Proposals Paper (the Proposals Paper) on 15 March 2017. We make this sup...

March 28, 2017

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 (...

March 21, 2017

Independent Review into the Future Security of the National Electricity Market (Finkel review)

A reliable, secure and affordable energy supply is essential to health, wellbeing, economic participation and social inclusion, so there is a high risk to consumers when things go wrong and supply of...

March 21, 2017

Design and Distribution Obligations and Product Intervention Power – Proposals Paper

Nine consumer advocacy organisations have made a joint submission on the Design and Distribution Obligations and Product Intervention Power. This joint submission was coordinated by Consumer Action La...

March 21, 2017

Consumer protection in the banking, insurance and financial sector

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to provide a submission to the Senate Inquiry into consumer protection in the banking, insurance and financial sector. Read the full subm...

March 16, 2017

Submission to the review of electricity and gas retail markets in Victoria

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the review of electricity and gas retail markets in Victoria discussion paper following the consultation forum t...

March 16, 2017

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...

February 17, 2017

Electricity Network Transformation Roadmap: Key Concepts Report

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Electricity network transformation roadmap: key concepts report. We support the focus of the roadmap of incentiv...

February 16, 2017

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...

February 14, 2017

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...

February 3, 2017

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...

February 3, 2017

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)....

January 30, 2017

Submission to The Treasury on priorities for 2017-18 Federal Budget

Consumer Action has provided input into The Treasury’s budget development for financial year 2017-18. We have identified four budget measures that would, if implemented, enhance justice for all Aus...

January 19, 2017

Proposed Industry Funding Model for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission – Proposals Paper.

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) and CHOICE welcome the opportunity to comment on the Proposed Industry Funding Model for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). Re...

December 22, 2016

Submission: ANZ Banking Group Ltd—Exclusive Dealing Notification N99426

Thank you for the invitation to comment on the ANZ Banking Group Ltd—Exclusive Dealing Notification N99426 (the Notification), under which ANZ is only financing Esanda and ANZbranded comprehensive car...

December 22, 2016

Public Inquiry: Data Availability and Use – Draft Report

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Data Availability and Use – Draft Report October 2016 (Draft Report). Read the full submission here [PDF]...

December 22, 2016

Submission to Consumer Property Law Review: Options for reform of the Owners Corporations Act 2006

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to make this submission to Consumer Affairs Victoria's (CAV) comprehensive review of Victoria's consumer property laws, specifically on Opti...

December 22, 2016

Australian Consumer Law Review: Interim Report

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Australian Consumer Law Review—Interim Report (Interim Report). While we are engaged with the process, we...

December 13, 2016

Supplementary Submission: Applications for authorisation—A191556-A91557 Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance Company Australia Pty Ltd & Ors

We refer to our original submission on the application by insurers for Australian Competition and Consumer Authority (ACCC) authorisation to cap commissions on add-on insurance sold through motor vehi...

December 13, 2016

Submission: Life insurance industry inquiry

This submission will focus on issues seen in Consumer Action’s casework and policy work, including life insurance contract terms which could be ‘unfair’, an assessment industry self regulation and p...

December 2, 2016

Transition to Metering Competition in Victoria

The Alternative Technology Association (ATA), Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action), and Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre (CUAC) welcome the opportunity to respond to the Energy Policy and Pr...

November 22, 2016

Submission on the proposed safety net for energy consumers facing payment difficulty

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) and Financial and Consumer Rights Council (FCRC) welcome the opportunity to comment on the Commission’s proposed safety net for energy consumers facing...

November 22, 2016

Financial Services Council – Draft Minimum Standard Medical Definitions

Thank you for the opportunity for the Financial Rights Legal Centre and the Consumer Action Law Centre to comment on the Financial Services Council’s Draft Minimum Standard Medical Definitions. Rea...

November 22, 2016

Codes of Conduct for Registered Building Practitioners

Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Victorian Building Authority’s (VBA) Draft Codes of Conduct Protocol (the Draft Protocol). The Draft Protocol has been designed to assist bui...

November 22, 2016

Parliamentary Inquiry into the Retirement Housing Sector

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to contribute to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Retirement Housing, which we believes speaks to a real and urgent need for more effective re...

November 16, 2016

New car retailing industry market study: Response to Issues Paper

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to make this submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC’s) review of the new car retail market. Read the full sub...

November 16, 2016

Submission: Applications for authorisation—A191556-A91557 Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance Company Australia Pty Ltd & Ors

This submission focuses on the public benefit and detriment of the proposal for consumers. Any benefits to motor vehicle dealerships or insurers are private and not public in nature, and we do not b...

October 21, 2016

Inquiry into the VET Student Loans Bill 2016, the VET Student Loans (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2016 and the VET Student Loans (Charges) Bill 2016

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to make this submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Education and Employment in relation to the Inquiry into the VET Student Loans Bill...

October 20, 2016

Dispute resolution and complaint handling in the financial services sector – Letter to the Hon. Malcolm Turnbull MP

Consumer advocates have written to the Prime Minister about access to justice in the finance and banking sector. "Our organisations have supported and represented thousands of consumers in disputes w...

October 11, 2016

EDR Review: Joint Consumer Submission

The following consumer advocacy organisations have made a joint submission to the Ramsay EDR Review: Care Inc Financial Counselling Service and the Consumer Law Centre of the ACT Caxton Legal...

October 11, 2016

Consumer Protections for Behind the Meter electricity supply

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) and Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre (CUAC) welcome the opportunity to respond to the Council of Australian Governments Energy Council (Energy Council) c...

October 10, 2016

Review of the Limited Merits Review Regime

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) and Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre (CUAC) welcome the opportunity to respond to the Council of Australian Governments Energy Council (Energy Council) r...

October 7, 2016

Stand-alone energy systems in the Electricity Market

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) and Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre (CUAC) welcome the opportunity to respond to the Council of Australian Governments’ Energy Council (Energy Council)...

October 7, 2016

Expansion of the Financial Ombudsman Service’s (FOS) Small Business Jurisdiction

Financial Counselling Australia, Consumer Action Law Centre and Financial Rights Legal Centre welcome the opportunity to respond to the Expansion of FOS’s Small Business Jurisdiction – Consultation Pa...

September 23, 2016

Draft Life Insurance Code of Practice – Second Public Consultation

Thank you for the opportunity for Consumer Action Legal Centre (Consumer Action) and the Financial Rights Legal Centre (Financial Rights) to comment on the Financial Services Council’s (FSC’s) Draft L...

September 16, 2016

Independent review of product sales commissions and product based payments

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action), Financial Rights Legal Centre (Financial Rights) and Good Shepherd Microfinance (GSM) are pleased to provide a joint submission in response to the Aus...

September 16, 2016

Productivity Commission Issues Paper – Consumer Law Enforcement and Administration

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

September 8, 2016

General Exemption Order Review

Consumer Action has joined with Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre to make a submission to the Department of Land, Water and Planning Position Paper on the General Exemptions Order. The Paper proposes...

September 1, 2016

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...

August 9, 2016

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...

August 2, 2016

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...

July 29, 2016