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...
$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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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] ...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Implement strong protections to ensure households benefit from new energy technology
Consumer Action’s legal and financial counselling services have regularly assisted consumers experiencing harm as solar technology grows in popularity in Victoria. Our Power Transformed, Knock It Off!...
Delivering on the promise to ban vendor terms and rent-to-buy agreements from Victoria’s housing market
Over the years, our team has assisted a number of people who have been adversely affected by failed vendor finance and rent-to-buy deals, which are promoted as an opportunity to achieve home ownership...
Consumer advocates welcome Act implementing three key Banking Royal Commission recommendations
Today the Government passed the first omnibus bill in the wake of the Banking Royal Commission, which consumer advocates say will help address long-standing problems with unfair insurance contracts, f...
Critical moment to fix and prevent systemic mis-selling of junk insurance and warranties through caryards
Since 2016, Consumer Action’s free tool, DemandaRefund.com has helped people to generate over 9,000 demands totalling an estimated $17 million in refunds for junk consumer credit insurance (CCI), guar...
RBA Review of Retail Payments Regulation
The payments landscape has changed rapidly since the RBA’s last review of retail payment systems five years ago. The emergence of new payment schemes, such as buy now, pay later (BNPL) has skewed the...
One year on and greater focus needed to complete Hayne’s vision
Tomorrow marks one year since Commissioner Kenneth Hayne submitted the Banking Royal Commission Final Report. The Government has taken big steps towards cleaning up the finance sector, but consumer ad...
Energy contracts can only be fair if all Victorian energy users have the same protections
Despite the introduction of the Victorian Default Offer for electricity, the state’s most vulnerable energy consumers still face challenges in the market. Energy prices changing unexpectedly, excessiv...
Remove barriers to energy efficiency for rental properties
Consumer Action’s National Debt Helpline service provided financial counselling to over 11,000 people in the 2018/19 financial year. Often issues with low quality rental properties or disputes with re...