News - Consumer Action Law Centre

Proposed billing exception approval for Greater Western Water

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback on the Essential Services Commission’s (ESC) proposed billing exception for Greater Western Water (GWW). We...

Crypto ATMS are a clear vector for scams: Ban them now says Consumer Action

Crypto ATMs are a clear vector for scam activity focusing on older victims*, charging eye-boggling fees and causing massive harms – “the Albanese Government should do the right thing and ban them now”...

Energy Consumer Reforms ‘Transformational’ say Consumer Advocates

Major reforms in the consumer energy market announced today by the Essential Services Commission (ESC) will have a positive and transformational impact for thousands of Victorians say consumer advocat...

Better protections for life support customers in Victoria review

We welcome the opportunity to provide the Essential Services Commission (ESC) our submission in partnership with Westjustice. Life support customers are some of the most vulnerable people in Austra...

OPINION: The lessons of the Banking Royal Commission must not be forgotten

Published in the Herald Sun, 16 September, 2025. Opinion by Stephanie Tonkin, CEP Consumer Action Law Centre The Banking Royal Commission was a watershed moment for Australians. It shattered pub...

Response to Productivity Commission Interim Report: Creating a more dynamic and resilient economy

This is a joint submission from Consumer Action Law Centre, Financial Counselling Australia, Consumer Policy Research Centre and CHOICE. We welcome the opportunity to inform this national conversation...

The attack on Camp Sovereignty was an attack on all Victorians

Consumer Action stands in solidarity with Camp Sovereignty and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities impacted by the egregious and racist attacks on Camp Sovereignty on 31 August. Consu...

Treaty welcomed as Victoria takes huge step towards meaningful reconciliation

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the tabling of the Treaty Bill in the Victorian Parliament yesterday. “Consumer Action celebrates this historic milestone with our First Nations colleagues,...

Court Finds Money3 Breached Responsible Lending Laws: Consumer Advocates Welcome Outcome

In a decision handed down on Friday, the Federal Courthas found that car lender Money3 breached responsible lending laws. The case, brought by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (...

Centrepay will no longer be a vehicle for financial abuse

Consumer advocates welcome reforms to Government payment service The Financial Rights Legal Centre, Mob Strong Debt Help, Consumer Action Law Centre, CHOICE, Anglicare NT and Economic Justice Austral...

Banks should be responsible for shifting people onto better accounts, say consumer groups

Consumer groups are urging the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to put the onus on banks to shift people into basic bank accounts as part of the ACCC’s authorisation of the Austra...

Scam Awareness Week kicks-off: taking care is important alongside business disruption efforts

Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Stephanie Tonkin is calling for immediate action from the Federal Government as new scam data reveals a surge in everyday Australians being robbed. Her call comes as...

Draft Determination AA1000683 – Application by the Australian Banking Association

This is a joint submission from Consumer Action Law Centre, Mob Strong Debt Help, Financial Rights Legal Centre, and Financial Counselling Australia. Basic bank accounts (BBAs) are incredibly valua...

Consumer advocates welcome banks’ commitment to refund $93 million, but gaps in support remain

Consumer advocates have welcomed a commitment from Australian banks to refund more than $93 million to low-income customers after charging excessive fees, but significant gaps in support remain, with...

OPINION: The evil reach of the ‘recovery’ scam as victims robbed again

First published in the Herald Sun, Sunday27 July 2025 The scams crisis is still raging, and some statistical indicators reveal this problem, which costs Australians billions of dollars every year,...

Rogue lender Cigno and its Directors lose appeal to the Full Federal Court

Cigno Australia Pty Ltd and its directors’ appeal to the Full Federal Court has been dismissed today and costs awarded to the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC). Consumer Action...

Energy Consumer Reforms Regulatory Impact Statement

Consumer Action Law Centre strongly supports the proposed reforms outlined by the Essential Services Commission (ESC) in the Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS). We consider that these reforms will prov...

Second AUSTRAC Consultation on new AML/CTF Rules

This is a joint submission made on behalf of: • Consumer Action Law Centre • Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network • Super Consumers Australia • Financial Counselling Australia • Mob Strong Debt...

OPINION: Will our ‘super complaint’ stop the scourge of door-knock selling?

First published in the Herald-Sun, 29 June 2025 By Stephanie Tonkin CEO Consumer Action Law Centre On 17 June, the nation’s economy-wide regulator, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commis...

Proposed AFCA Rules changes to expand jurisdiction over receiving banks in scams

We welcomed this year’s Federal Government announcement and Authorisation to expand AFCA’s jurisdiction to enable AFCA to consider complaints against banks for scam matters where an AFCA complainant d...

Minimum disconnection amount draft decision

In this submission, we discuss the significance of energy affordability in determining a disconnection amount, the risks with setting a threshold to disconnect a person or household from an essential...

ACCC’s decision on first super complaint ‘shows the system works’ says Consumer Action

Consumer Action Law Centre CEO, Stephanie Tonkin says she is thrilled by the decision of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to launch a detailed review into the national impact and har...

Stop the harms! Regulate wage advance products now say consumer advocates

Consumer advocates from across Australia are calling on the Albanese Government to urgently regulate the proliferation of ‘wage advance’ products that are making the cost-of-living crisis worse for th...

Better Energy Customer Experiences consultation

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) supports the prioritisation of a strong energy consumer protection framework for Australian energy customers, particularly as we transition to renewable en...

Insurers once again shown to be failing customers, not meeting expectations

Consumer groups including Financial Rights Legal Centre, Financial Counselling Australia and Consumer Action Law Centre, have backed calls from the insurance regulator the Australian Securities and In...

Insurance code enforceability welcomed but delays and watering down protections a concern

Consumer groups including the Financial Rights Legal Centre, Financial Counselling Australia and the Consumer Action Law Centre, have welcomed the Insurance Council’s announcement that they will inclu...

Victorian Default Offer welcomed but more ways needed to reduce high energy costs

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed today’s decision from the Essential Services Commission’s (ESC) on the Victorian Default Offer (VDO) for 2025-26 and has reiterated its call on the State Govern...

VIDEO: Why a social tariff in Victoria would help low-income families pay their energy bills

" We unfortunately hear of people being told by retailers that they may be disconnected...and that's really concerning for us, because no one should be threatened with the disconnection of an essentia...

Put consumers before commissions: advocates call for sales and credit reform

Fair Call Coalition: Too many Australians are being pressured into phone and internet deals that don’t meet their needs. The industry-drafted rules that are in place to protect consumers from harmful...

Cost-of-living measures in State Budget will make a positive difference

Consumer Action Law Centre CEO, Stephanie Tonkin has welcomed the cost-of-living measures announced in the Victorian State Budget saying they will make a ‘positive difference’ in the lives of many peo...

Essential Services Commission draft decision will help thousands in energy hardship

Consumer Action Law Centre strongly supports today’s draft decision from the Essential Services Commission (ESC) on stage one of its reforms to Victoria’s retail energy market, which will help the in...

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‘Advance long-awaited reforms’ Consumer Action congratulates new Assistant Treasurer

Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Stephanie Tonkin has congratulated Dr Daniel Mulino on his appointment to the positions of Assistant Treasurer and Financial Services Minister in the new Albanese Govern...

When energy is unaffordable what can people do to keep this essential service?

"I speak to people who hold a lot of shame around these kind of debts... but this is an essential service, and it is important for a person's dignity... to have access to electricity, gas and water....

A historic opportunity to enact a stronger consumer-focused agenda say advocates

Consumer advocates have congratulated the Albanese Government on its emphatic re-election victory and called for it to seize the moment to govern with an even stronger consumer-focused agenda in its s...

Joint Submission: Centrepay Reform – Consultation

This is a joint submission led by Financial Rights Legal Centre, supported by Consumer Action Law Centre and: • Australian Communications Consumer Action Network • AnglicareNT • Brotherhood of St...

Introduction of a mandatory SMS Sender ID Register

This submission is made by Australian Consumers Communications Action Network (ACCAN) with support from Consumer Action. The introduction of a mandatory SMS Sender ID Register (the register) in Aus...

Draft Determination – Application by the Australian Banking Association

We provide the following comment on Draft Determination AA1000683 in response to the Australian Banking Association’s (ABA) application to continue offering Basic Bank Accounts (BBAs) and certain cond...

OPINION: Why unsolicited selling should be banned

An edited version was first published in the Herald Sun on Sunday, 14 April 2025 Christine clicked on a Facebook site promising a solar deal with government rebates she could not refuse. Then a sal...

VIDEO: First ever ‘designated complaint’ targets the scourge of ‘door-knock’ unsolicited selling

Consumer Action Law Centre is calling for a nationwide ban on unsolicited selling in the first ever designated ‘super’ complaint presented to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)....

First ‘designated complaint’ targets the nationwide scourge of door-knock unsolicited selling

VIDEO: What ‘consumer-centric’ policies should the next Government pursue?

Consumer Action Law Centre has revealed a list of its top consumer-centric priorities to make life fairer and better for all Australians, ahead of the upcoming federal Election. “This Federal Elect...

‘Cost-of-living’ at the centre of Election 2025: Our consumer-centric priorities revealed  

ACMA Compliance Priorities 2025-26

Overall, we support the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA’s) current compliance and enforcement priorities and recommend they are extended into 2025-26 as there is more work to be do...

We’re HIRING! A First Nations Financial Counsellor (Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Identified)

Consumer Action Law Centre (CALC) and the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service (VALS) are excited to establish an exciting new initiative to provide culturally safe financial advice to First Nations peo...

Insurance sector action plan welcomed – but consumer groups warn industry that ‘trust us’ doesn’t cut it

Consumer groups including the Financial Rights Legal Centre, Consumer Action Law Centre and Financial Counselling Australia have welcomed the Insurance Council of Australia’s (ICAs) Industry Action Pl...

Victorian Default Offer could do more in cost-of-living crisis and beyond

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed today’s draft decision from the Essential Services Commission (ESC) on the Victorian Default Offer for 2025-26 but calls on the Commission and Energy Retailers...

REPORT: Payday lenders pushing borrowers over the edge

The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) has today released a report revealing what consumer advocates have been saying for months – predatory lenders are pushing customers in vulner...

Consumer Action: ‘Strengthened anti-scam laws will help future victims’

Assistant Treasurer, Stephen Jones has announced strengthened pathways for victims to seek compensation where wrongdoing has occurred. A Ministerial Direction announced yesterday, will empower the Aus...

Reported scams down but two-billion dollars in losses still ‘deeply concerning’

Consumer Action Law Centre says a report released today from the National Anti-Scam Centre, Targeting scams, reveals a welcome fall in the value of reported scams losses for 2024 (down by 25.9% to $2....

Victorian Energy Upgrades Strategic Review: Discussion Paper

We welcome the opportunity to provide our submission responding to the Discussion Paper released as part of the Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) Strategic Review. Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer A...

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