Submission to the Parliamentary Joint Committee’s Class Action Inquiry

Class actions provide Australians a valuable mechanism for accessing justice where systematic or repetitive conduct by the same party has caused similar harm to numerous individuals. Class actions als...

June 18, 2020

Comment to the Class Action Inquiry

Consumer Action has provided comment to the Parliamentary Joint Committee’s inquiry, Litigation funding and the regulation of the class action industry (Class Action Inquiry). Class actions p...

June 17, 2020

Submission: Maximum prices for embedded networks and other exempt sellers

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Essential Service Commission’s (ESC) Maximum prices for embedded networks and other exempt sellers Draft Decisio...

June 17, 2020

A joint submission to the Electricity Distribution Price Review (2022-2027 Victorian EDPR)

Affordable electricity remains critical for vulnerable Victorians and a lack of energy affordability denies people sufficient access to an essential service. Further, high energy costs are a major cau...

June 16, 2020

Consumer Action asks Tribunal to stop ‘buy now pay later’ solar rip offs

Today the Australian Competition Tribunal will commence hearing arguments on the New Energy Tech Consumer Code (the Code), the proposed industry code for new energy technology such as solar panel sale...

June 9, 2020

Submission to the Senate Select Committee on COVID-19

Our clients have been affected by the COVID-19 emergency, and the Australian Government’s response, in a number of ways. In many cases we have experienced a short-term decrease in demand on financi...

May 29, 2020

Overwhelmed by bills or struggling financially as a result of COVID-19?

COVID-19 means this year we are staying at home now more than ever. As a result, your bills might be a lot higher than they were.   As we enter the winter months, keeping warm and safe is more impo...

May 28, 2020

Australians urged to share their stories about financial hardship during COVID-19

Today, Consumer Action Law Centre has launched an online form to enable people to share their experiences of financial hardship during the Covid-19 emergency. The goal is to help track the severity an...

May 20, 2020

Are you experiencing financial hardship during the Covid-19 crisis?

...

May 18, 2020

Junk insurance rorts continue despite millions in refunds

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s (ASIC) announcement today that it has secured its final tranche of remediation for consumers sold junk consumer credit insurance (CCI) by 11 bank...

May 13, 2020

$3.7 million package announced for Victorians struggling with energy bills

Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Gerard Brody says that the Victorian Government’s $3.7 million package for people having difficulty paying their energy bills is a well-timed funding boost as we head in...

May 13, 2020

Government reaffirms commitment to implement Banking Royal Commission reforms in full

Today the Government announced a six-month deferral to the implementation of commitments associated with the Banking Royal Commission. Under the updated timetable, measures previously scheduled for...

May 8, 2020

Hayne Royal Commission insurance reforms should be introduced into Parliament in next sitting

A coalition of consumer advocacy groups is calling on the Federal Government to urgently implement much-needed reforms to the insurance industry as recommended by the Royal Commission into Misconduct...

May 7, 2020

Over 1,000 requests to disconnect Victorians for not paying their electricity bills during Covid-19 health crisis

The latest figures from the Essential Services Commission (ESC) reveal that more than 1,000 requests have been made to disconnect Victorians from electricity for not paying their bills since late Marc...

May 1, 2020

Submission: Bushfire Royal Commission and insurance affordability

Consumer Action’s submission to the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements covers the insurance and financial challenges faced by communities in the aftermath of the Black Summer...

April 27, 2020

Consumer group tells Bushfire Royal Commission that climate change is creating a perfect storm for insurance affordability

Consumer Action has warned that climate change is expected to make insurance unaffordable for many as extreme weather events hit Australia as part of its submission to the Bushfire Royal Commission re...

April 27, 2020

We’re at crisis point. Government needs to shut down predatory lenders.

Every week, community and consumer advocates speak to people trapped in payday lending debt. For years, we’ve been campaigning to stop the debt trap and harm caused by payday lenders. We’ve talked to...

April 16, 2020

Predatory lender Cigno has case thrown out by Federal Court

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) took swift action in September 2019 using its new product intervention powers to shut down the high cost lending model, which was causing wi...

April 15, 2020

Joint Submission: Implementing the Royal Commission recommendations: Mortgage brokers and the best interests duty

A joint consumer submission from Consumer Credit Legal Service (WA), CHOICE,Consumer Action Law Centre, Financial Counselling Australia and Financial Rights Legal Centre. It’s time to make mortgage...

April 6, 2020

Product design and distribution obligations –ASIC Consultation Paper 325

Consumer groups have commented on ASIC’s Consultation Paper 325 – Product design and distribution obligations. We strongly support the introduction of product design and distribution obligations (DDOs...

April 6, 2020

No impact on credit files during COVID-19 pandemic a welcome announcement by banks

Consumer groups welcome the announcement by the Australian Banking Association that bank customers applying for payment deferrals as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic will not have a missed payment or...

April 6, 2020

Assessing the energy retail market’s competitiveness and efficiency

Consumer Action has provided a submission to the Essential Services Commission’s (ESC) consultation "Assessing the competitiveness and efficiency of the Victorian energy retail market" The submissi...

April 6, 2020

Treasury consultation: Enhancements to Unfair Contract Term Protections

Consumer Action has provided a joint submission to Treasury's consultation on Enhancements to Unfair Contract Term (UCT) Protections. Nearly a decade of the current UCT legislative regime has not e...

April 6, 2020

Telco companies are failing people in financial hardship

A report released this week by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) shows that telco providers are not adequately identifying and supporting customers experiencing financial hardsh...

April 3, 2020

Community and consumer organisation joint proposal: COVID-19 National Energy Hardship Relief Package

The Public Interest Advocacy Centre joins a coalition of leading consumer and community organisations to call for immediate Commonwealth Government funding and stronger commitments by energy businesse...

March 30, 2020

Consumer Action Law Centre’s work during COVID-19 health crisis

The team at Consumer Action Law Centre are continuing to support people experiencing vulnerability and disadvantage through COVID-19. Our free Consumer Legal Advice Service continues to operate,...

March 23, 2020

Keep communities connected, urge more than 40 community organisations across Australia

As more people face the prospect of losing work due to the COVID-19 health  crisis, community organisations are calling on banks, telcos, energy retailers, and rental providers to help people stay con...

March 19, 2020

Keeping communities connected

...

March 18, 2020

A little relief will go a long way for thousands struggling due to COVID-19

Widespread disruption caused by COVID-19 is being felt across Australia. It won’t be long before we have thousands of people trying to survive on a reduced income, worried about whether they can pay t...

March 16, 2020

Banking Royal Commission reforms: “Pivotal moment in implementing Hayne’s vision”

Consumer Credit Legal Service (WA), CHOICE, Consumer Action Law Centre, Financial Counselling Australia, Financial Rights Legal Centre and Super Consumers Australia have today published policy submi...

March 10, 2020

Joint submission: Re: Financial Regulator Assessment Authority Bill 2020

This is a joint consumer submission from Financial Rights Legal Centre, CHOICE and the Consumer Action Law Centre to Treasury providing comment on the Financial Regulator Assessment Authority Bill 202...

March 10, 2020

Joint submission to the Treasury re: Duty to take reasonable care not to make a misrepresentation to an insurer

This is a joint consumer submission from the Financial Rights Legal Centre, Consumer Action Law Centre, CHOICE, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, Financial Counselling Australia, and the Consumer C...

March 10, 2020

Joint submission: Exposure draft – Deferred sales model for add-on insurance – FSRC Rec 4.3

This submission has been prepared by Consumer Action Law Centre with contributions and endorsement from Financial Rights Legal Centre, Financial Counselling Australia, CHOICE, Consumer Credit Law Cent...

March 10, 2020

Joint submission: Exposure draft – No hawking of financial products – FSRC Rec 3.4 and 4.1

This submission has been prepared by Consumer Action Law Centre with contributions and endorsements from Financial Rights Legal Centre, CHOICE, Consumer Credit Legal Service (WA), and Financial Counse...

March 10, 2020

Joint submission: Strengthening breach reporting

This is a joint consumer submission from Consumer Credit Legal Service (WA), CHOICE, Consumer Action Law Centre and Financial Rights Legal Centre. We strongly support proposed reforms to the breach re...

March 10, 2020

Joint submission: Enforceability of financial services industry codes

This is a joint submission by Financial Rights Legal Centre, the Consumer Action Law Centre, CHOICE, Financial Counselling Australia, Consumer Credit Legal Service (WA) and the Consumers’ Federation o...

March 10, 2020

Joint submission re: Exposure Draft Implementation of ASIC Enforcement Review Taskforce – Directions Power

This submission has been drafted by Consumer Action Law Centre with contributions and endorsement from Financial Rights Legal Centre, CHOICE, Consumer Credit Legal Service (WA), and Financial Counsell...

March 10, 2020

Joint submission re: Exposure Draft: Cap on vehicle dealer commissions

This submission has been drafted by Consumer Action Law Centre with contributions and endorsement from Financial Rights Legal Centre, CHOICE, Financial Counselling Australia, and Consumer Credit Legal...

March 10, 2020

Joint submission: Financial Services Royal Commission Recommendations 4.6 – Limiting avoidance of life insurance contracts

This is a joint consumer submission from the Financial Rights Legal Centre, Consumer Action Law Centre, CHOICE, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, Financial Counselling Australia and Consumer Credit...

March 10, 2020

Joint submission: Financial Services Royal Commission Additional commitment in response to Recommendation 4.2 – Restricting the use of the term ‘insurance’ and ‘insurer’

This is a joint submission from the Financial Rights Legal Centre, Consumer Action Law Centre, CHOICE, Financial Counselling Australia and Consumer Credit Legal Service (WA) and provides comment on th...

March 10, 2020

Joint submission: Re: Ongoing fee arrangements and disclosure of lack of independence

This is a joint consumer submission from Financial Rights Legal Centre, CHOICE and the Consumer Action Law Centre. Read the full submission [here]  ...

March 10, 2020

Legal Assistance To Victims Of Financial Services Wrongdoing Needs Boost

Collectively, our services assist thousands of Australians subjected to poor bank and insurer behaviour every year. However we are only ever able to serve a fraction of the demand. Free and independen...

March 10, 2020

Report: Regulator Watch

Consumer Action Law Centre has released its second edition of Regulator Watch: The enforcement performance of Australia’s consumer protection regulators. In 2013, Consumer Action published the first e...

March 10, 2020

Households in embedded networks need fair electricity prices

Households in embedded networks are often in effective monopoly situations with little regulatory oversight. For this reason, they need the same or better protections than their peers with conventiona...

March 6, 2020

This isn’t news, but thousands of people getting caught in debt is

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) has made a submission on reforms to make payday loans and rent-to-buy schemes safer, fairer and more affordable. This is the fourth time the Centre has mad...

February 26, 2020

Time’s up: Government must step up and pass payday lending and rent-to-buy reforms

Consumer Action's submission to the Senate Economics Legislation Committee calls on Parliament to pass the National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Small Amount Credit Contract and Consumer Leas...

February 25, 2020

Establishing a Compensation Scheme of Last Resort

Consumer groups have made a joint submission to the Treasury’s Discussion Paper, Implementing Royal Commission Recommendation 7.1 – Establishing a Compensation Scheme of Last Resort (December 2019). T...

February 20, 2020

Maintain households’ rights when accessing essential energy services

As new energy products and services create more options for consumers to access energy offers with non-conventional pricing or features, the complexity of making decisions increases and poses more ris...

February 18, 2020

New report reveals how irresponsible lenders are causing harm in Victorian Aboriginal communities

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) and the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service (VALS) are launching a new report on how irresponsible lenders are causing harm in Victorian Aboriginal communit...

February 14, 2020

Consumer Issues in Victorian Aboriginal Communities: Integrated Practice Project Report 2020

‘Consumer issues in Victorian Aboriginal communities’ reports findings from Consumer Action Law Centre’s (Consumer Action) and the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service’s (VALS) Integrated Practice proje...

February 14, 2020