News - Consumer Action Law Centre

Submission: 2018 Water Price Review standard draft decisions

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Essential Service Commission’s (ESC) standard draft decisions in the 2018 Water Price Review for Barwon Wate...

Data disaster – Commbank shows banks fail at the basics

A data disaster is coming according to consumer advocates, following revelations that 12 million customers’ personal financial histories were lost by the Commonwealth Bank. “A data disaster is comi...

National Energy Retail Amendment (Strengthening Protections for Customers in Hardship) Rule 2018 Draft Rule Determination

Victorian Budget: Funding boost for regulator good news for energy consumers

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Submission to the Australian Consumer Law Review – Clarification, simplification and modernisation of the consumer guarantee framework

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action), WEstjustice, National Association of Community Legal Centres (NACLC) and Federation of Community Legal Centres (Victoria) Inc welcome the opportunity...

“Credit repair” business ordered to pay $1.7 million

The Federal Court has found that credit repair business, Malouf Group Enterprises Pty Ltd (Malouf Group), and its director Jordan Francis Malouf breached the Australian Consumer Law by making false an...

Victorians need better access to quick, fair and free justice in 2018

Consumer Action has launched our latest election platform for this November's Victorian State Election which calls on our state politicians to make access to justice fairer and more affordable for all...

Relief for Victorians struggling to pay essential service bills

The Victorian Government has announced an increase to the Utility Relief Grant Scheme (URGS) with $21.7 million allocated in the upcoming budget. Victorians households are currently eligible to apply...

NEM Data Strategy Consultation Paper

Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to provide a brief submission in response to the Energy Security Board (ESB) Consultation Paper regarding the development of the NEM Data Strategy. Consumer...

Jail time for corporate crooks needed to clean up finance sector

Today the Federal Government announced that there will be tougher penalties for corporate misconduct, and stronger powers for the corporate regulator ASIC. The Federal Government has agreed or agreed-...

AEMC National Energy Retail Amendment (Preventing discounts on inflated energy rates) Rule 2018 Consultation Paper

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) National Energy Retail Amendment (Preventing discounts on inflate...

Submission – Inquiry into Competition in the Australian Financial System Draft Report

The Consumer Action Law Centre, Financial Counselling Australia and the Financial Rights Legal Centre are pleased to provide a submission in response to the Inquiry into Competition in the Australian...

Oversight of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority: Update to ASIC Regulatory Guide 139

In Australia, everyone should be able to easily access a free, fair, fast and effective service to resolve complaints against financial firms. The establishment of the Australian Financial Complaints...

Image of wind turbines denoting a submission about energy

Consumer Action Submission: Developing a reference price methodology for Victoria’s energy market

Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to provide a brief submission in response to the Essential Services Commission (ESC) Consultation Paper regarding the development of a methodology to determine...

Consumer groups call for tougher penalties, ban on broker commissions in submissions to Royal Commission

Consumer Action Law Centre, CHOICE and Legal Aid NSW today published submissions in response to the first round of hearings before the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation a...

Summary of Consumer Action submission to Royal Commission on consumer lending and reform recommendations

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) has published its submission to the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Finance Sector in response to the consumer lending...

Submission: DELWP Consultation Paper – Response to the Bipartisan Independent Review of the Electricity and Gas Retail Markets in Victoria

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the government's Interim Response to the Independent Review of the Electricity and Gas Retail Markets...

Find yourself judging bank victims? That’s exactly what the banks want

Jonathan Brown, Communications Manager - Consumer Action Law Centre It’s not often that I find myself in tears at work, but last week as I heard the story of, and then met Robert Regan – the fi...

An agenda for ageing in Victoria

Currently, there is no plan for the increased longevity and diversity of Victoria’s population. The result is a fragmented approach to policy and programs relating to older people between the ages of...

Consumer Groups Strongly Disagree with OAIC Credit Reporting Guidance

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) has today published Guidance on its website about how lenders should treat Repayment History Information (RHI) for customers that are exper...

Water Price Review – Consumer Action recommends water bills be cut by over $700 million over five years

An independent report commissioned by Consumer Action Law Centre has recommended the Victorian water regulator lower the rates for equity and debt costs for water authorities. This would have the effe...

Submission: Facilitating access to consumers’ energy data: Houston Kemp Draft Report

Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to provide a brief submission in response to the draft report prepared by Houston Kemp, Facilitating access to consumer electricity data (Houston Kemp Report)....

Royal Commission – Sales culture and short-term profit motivation is the problem

Yesterday, irresponsible car lending was the focus of the Banking Royal Commission, with Nalini Thiruvangadam taking the stand to share her experience of a car loan from Bank of Melbourne (part of the...

Why don’t we read the fine print? Because banks know the pressure points to push

Paul Harrison, Deakin University and Chiara Piancatelli The Financial Services Royal Commission has exposed the pressure selling tactics used by the banks. They draw on simple psychological rul...

Submission: Inquiry into credit and financial services targeted at Australians at risk of financial hardship

Benefit Change Notice Guidelines Issues Paper

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Australian Energy Regulator’s (AER) benefit change notice guidelines issues paper. As stated in previous sub...

Royal Commission – Billion dollar junk insurance rip-off must end now

Consumer Action Law Centre says it’s time for the banking and insurance industry to end the billion dollar junk insurance rip-off they’ve let fester for over a decade. The statement comes following...

ANZ defends 30-year loan to scam victim aged 71

ANZ Bank has defended giving a 30-year loan to a 71-year-old scam victim in testimony to the Banking Royal Commission. In response to Mr Robert Regan’s (Full witness statement now available at the...

Robert Regan – Royal Commission Witness

Today the first bank customer witness took the stand at the Royal Commission. Robert Regan, a 72 year old widower from Victoria, took out a home loan with the ANZ through a broker in 2017 following th...

New report uncovers murky world of online marketing

Online marketing, lead generation and cold-calling have been scrutinised in a new report from Consumer Action Law Centre. The report, entitled Dirty Leads: consumer protection in online lead gener...

Robert Photos

Photos of Robert Regan available for publication. Credit: Consumer Action Law Centre...

Dirty Leads: consumer protection in online lead generation

Online marketing, lead generation and cold-calling have been scrutinised in a new report from Consumer Action Law Centre. The report, entitled Dirty Leads: consumer protection in online lead gener...

Consumer Action submission to Draft Retail Pricing Information Guidelines

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Draft AER Retail Pricing Information Guidelines (Draft Guidelines). Consumer Action has appreciated the oppo...

Submission: 2018 Water Price Review early draft decisions

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Essential Service Commission’s (ESC) early draft decisions in the 2018 Water Price Review for East Gippsland...

Consumer Action responds: Interim response to the review into Victoria’s electricity and gas retail markets

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) commends recent action by the Victorian Government as a significant step forward in making it easier and fairer for Victorians to get a better, more afford...

Submission: Debt Agreement Reform

Consumer advocates welcome the reform of the debt agreement regime in the Bankruptcy Amendment (Debt Agreement Reform) Bill 2018. Comprehensive reform is needed to curb the rampant mis-se...

Commbank dumps junk – Consumer Credit Insurance (CCI) scandal must end now: Consumer groups

Junk insurance sold with credit cards and loans is on its deathbed according to consumer groups (Consumer Action Law Centre, Financial Rights Legal Centre and Financial Counselling Australia). The com...

Twelve months on, and still no Ombudsman for older Victorians

One year since the release of the Victorian Parliament’s Inquiry into the Retirement Housing Sector recommending the establishment of a Retirement Housing Ombudsman, we are still no closer to knowing...

Productivity Commission – Gerard Brody opening statement

Productivity Commission Competition in the Australian Financial System Opening Remarks from Consumer Action Law Centre – Public Hearings on Draft Report Thank you very much for having me...

Victorian State Budget Submission 2018-19

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) has made a submission to Victoria's Department of Treasury and Finance during the 2018-19 Pre-Budget period. Consumer Action has focused this submission on...

Consumer Action and the Royal Commission

Consumer Action has made two submissions to the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry. The experiences of the people we help through our advic...

Submission: Consumer Action submission to National Energy Guarantee Draft Design Consultation Paper

Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to provide a brief submission in response to the Energy Security Board’s (ESB) Draft Design Consultation Paper: National Energy Guarantee (Consultation Paper)....

Drought legal assistance scoping project – Final report

Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) contracted Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) to undertake a detailed scoping and service model development project for Drought Legal Assistance for Victoria. This...

Credit card reforms long overdue

Today, a package of reforms to improve credit card lending and marketing practices passed Federal Parliament. After a long consultation process, Consumer Action Law Centre is relieved to see the impor...

A new one-stop shop for financial disputes

Today, the legislation establishing a new one-stop shop for financial and superannuation complaints passed the Federal Parliament. The new Australian Financial Complaints Authority will replace the Fi...

Consumer Action asks insurance companies to show Australians some love – Media Release

High res images available for media use: Image 1 - Image 2 - Image 3 - Image 4 - Image 5 - Image 6 - Image 7 - Image 8 - Image 9 - Image 10 - Image 11 Consumer Action's 'DENIED' R...

Denied – Levelling the playing field to make insurance fair

There is a big ‘fairness’ problem in insurance. People often make insurance claims when they are at a low ebb. They can face shocking outcomes and no appropriate recourse under current laws. This repo...

Submission: Design and Distribution Obligations and Product Intervention Powers

We are grateful for the opportunity to comment on the exposure draft of the Treasury Laws Amendment (Design and Distribution Obligations and Product Intervention Powers) Bill 2018 (the Bill). We s...

Submission: Retirement Living Council Retirement Living Code of Conduct

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action), Residents of Retirement Villages Victoria (RRVV), Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG) and COTA Victoria (COTA Vic) have made a joint submission in re...

At this year’s State Election, “Energy Prices Matter”

In the lead up to November's Victorian State Election, Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) has launched a platform to ease the burden of energy prices, "Energy Prices Matter: Make it fair and...

New polling shows Victorians don’t trust power retailers and want a Fair Price Guarantee

Independent state-wide polling released today by the Consumer Action Law Centre and the Brotherhood of St Laurence has shown that most Victorians don’t trust their electricity companies and strongly s...

Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Finance Sector – Consumer Action submission part 2

Consumer Action Law Centre has published part 2 of its submission to the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Finance Sector today. The submission draws on the experienc...

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