Building consumer protections welcomed
Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the introduction into State Parliament of a bill to improve building consumer protection. The Building Legislation Amendment (Consumer Protection) Bill 2015...
Solar sale burns buyer
A Melbourne couple are fighting to get their money back after being sold solar panels that they say were trouble from the moment they were installed. The couple, Michael and Amanda Cousins, assist...
VET Sector needs a national ombudsman: Consumer Action
Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes reforms announced today by the Federal Government for the vocational education and training (VET) sector and calls for the establishment of a national ombudsman sch...
Higher Education Support Amendment (VET FEE-HELP Reform) Bill 2015 Inquiry
Consumer Action Law Centre provides free legal advice and pursues litigation on behalf of vulnerable and disadvantaged consumers across Victoria. In recent years we have built up substantial experienc...
Submission to the draft AER (Retail) Exempt Selling Guidelines
The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to provide comment on the revised AER (Retail) Exempt Selling Guideline (the Guideline). Read our full submission here [PDF]....
FIX IT! How to fix the energy market rule making process to improve competition and consumer outcomes
The National Energy Retail Rules (NERR) impose minimum requirements that apply to terms and conditions of energy retail contracts. For market retail contracts, energy retailers are required to notify...
FIX IT! How to fix the energy market rule making process – an evaluation
Since 2012, consumer advocates have been able to propose a ‘rule change’ to the National Energy Retail Rules (NERR), which regulates the sale and supply of electricity and gas to retail customers in s...
Lawyering for Change: new research on the value of strategic advocacy by community legal centres and how to do it
Access to justice is not as simple as the provision of free legal services according to a new report. Strategic advocacy is often the missing ingredient to ensure that justice is done. The new report,...
Lawyering for change
Providing our clients with access to free legal services does not necessarily mean we provide them with justice. With 156,854 clients turned away from community legal centres (CLCs) in 2014,1 it is cl...
November 2015
Read, watch and listen to media featuring Consumer Action from November 2015. Suncorp reports spike in smash repairers car-napping vehicles and holding owners to ransom https://www.google.com/url...
Consumer Complaints Register – Joint Submission
The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) and Financial Rights Legal Centre (Financial Rights) welcome the opportunity to comment on the Consumer Complaints Register described in the Discussion...
Accident Towing Regulation – Joint submission
Consumer Action has partnered with Western Community Legal Centre to provide a submission to the Essential Services Commission on its Draft Report on Accident Towing. The submission welcomes the focus...
Acquiring a long list of complaints on privacy
The privacy commissioner has been called in to investigate allegations that the Privacy Act is being flaunted by an education company targeting job-seekers to sell vocational courses. Consumer Acti...
Retirement living parliamentary event
Consumer Action hosted a morning tea at Parliament House on 9 October 2015 which brought together over 70 retirement housing residents with their local parliamentarians. It was a hugely successful d...
Payday loans: Julie’s Story
Julie is a single mother who subsists on Centrelink payments. She was recently involved in a family breakdown and suffers from mental health issues. She has had her Centrelink reduced and as a result...
Payday loans: James’ Story
James says he has had approximately 8 to 12 payday loans from a payday lender (that also operates as a pawnbroker) in the last 12 to 18 months, but he's lost count. James says that he was recently pro...
Ban bad products before they cause harm: Financial System Inquiry
Fairness must be central to the regulation of financial services, says Consumer Action Law Centre commenting on the Federal Government response to the Financial System Inquiry. The Federal Governme...
The common car product you might get a refund for
Australians are demanding better from the products sold with used cars and winning. Sarah from Melbourne’s south east thought she had to buy an extended warranty in order to get a loan. Consumer Ac...
Payday loans: Laura’s Story
Laura lives in public housing and receives a Centrelink pension. She has a mild intellectual disability and suffers from mental illness. Laura has two young children one of which has a mild intellectu...
Used car warranties: Phil’s story
Phil* bought a used car as a gift for his granddaughter in October 2014. He also bought a motor vehicle warranty from National Warranty Company. Phil paid $4500 for the car and $295 for the warranty....
Review of the small amount credit contract laws – Submission
The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the review of the small amount credit contract laws and comparable consumer leases (the review). Read the full...
Add-on insurance – watch out!
Consumer Action has helped a client take on one of Australia's biggest finance companies about add-on insurance and a high-cost loan. In April 2013, our elderly client asked for a loan of $10,000 to...
Senate inquiry backs VET Industry Ombudsman
Consumer Action Law Centre reiterates its call for the establishment of an Industry Ombudsman in the vocational education sector as recommended in a Senate report released today. The release of "Th...
New research shows struggling Australians suffering while the payday lending sector booms: Consumer groups
Consumer groups have cautioned policy makers not to fall for payday lending spin as new research from Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) shows the devastating impact of the industry on Australians strugg...
Still too many Victorians choosing between heat or eat – response to EWOV annual report: Consumer Action
Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the significant drop in complaints to the Energy and Water Ombudsman (EWOV), but says there are still too many Victorians struggling with utilities. “It’s welcom...
Submission to the Energy Hardship Inquiry Draft Report
Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the Essential Services Commission's (the Commission) Inquiry into the financial hardship arrangements of ene...
A weaker ASIC helps no one: consumer groups
A proposed funding model for corporate regulator ASIC has come under fire by consumer groups who say the model could lead to a weaker and less effective regulator. In a submission to Treasury, the...
Proposed industry funding model for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission: Joint Submission
We welcome the opportunity to comment on Treasury’s consultation paper proposing an industry funding model for ASIC (the consultation paper). The following is a joint submission prepared by the above...
Unable to open the letterbox – money and mental health
Money is a major cause of distress for many Australians and for some Australians with mental health problems, there are times when being financially responsible for yourself simply isn’t possible. Man...
‘Lemon’ laws – An inquiry into consumer protections and remedies for buyers of new motor vehicles
The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the need to improve the consumer protections and remedies for buyers of ‘lemon’ motor vehicles. We strongly sup...
October 2015
Read, watch and listen to media featuring Consumer Action from October 2015. Consumer groups call for overhaul of power market controls https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=http://www....
Evaluating Consumer Action’s consumer legal advice service
Consumer Action uses various strategies to improve the lives of Victorian consumers and advance fairness in the marketplace, including undertaking public interest litigation, publishing legal informat...
Used car warranties: Christian’s story
Christian (name changed) bought a second hand car in late 2014. He had had gearbox trouble with a previous car which cost him a lot of money, so when he noticed advertising for National Warranty Compa...
Energy disconnections: Rod’s story
When his electricity was disconnected in late 2014, Rod lived with his wife and four of his seven children in Melbourne’s north. The disconnection lasted four days. Rod says the automatic payments he’...
A complex market needs simple dispute resolution – On The Wire
In this month's On The Wire we're calling for simple dispute resolution in the energy market... Dispute resolution must be consistent, regardless of where a consumer’s energy supply comes from, who it...
Energy disconnections: Lyn’s story
Lyn is 58 years old. She lives with her daughter in Melbourne’s north, and they have experienced several energy disconnections. Lyn is a survivor of domestic violence, and her financial problems stem...
We’re hiring – Senior Policy Officer – Vendor Terms
We are undertaking an exciting project with the aim to bring up to date current consumer sector knowledge of unconventional home sales arrangements known as “Rent to Buy” or “vendor terms” for sellers...
Cash Converters taken to court after reforms fail to protect vulnerable
Payday lending reforms from 2013 have failed vulnerable Australians according to Consumer Action Law Centre, as they take Cash Converters to court on behalf of a disability support pensioner over a ca...
Energy disconnections: Sarah’s story
Sarah is a writer in her forties. She lives by herself in an inner Melbourne apartment, which she rents privately. With a tertiary degree and regular work, Sarah had always been able to manage her fin...
Solving Energy Bill Disputes – Studio 10
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06LFC6jclIM] Denise Boyd speaks with Studio 10 about energy bill disputes....
Taking action against a credit repair company
There are easy options for seeking a refund or compensation from a credit repair company. Many Victorians have experienced problems with credit repair companies. If you are one of these people, and yo...
Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs Inquiry into the Social Security Legislation Amendment (Debit Card Trial) Bill 2015
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Social Security Legislation Amendment (Debit Card Trial) Bill 2015. Read our full submission here [PDF]....
Response to The Age – ‘Vocational education, the biggest get-rich quick scheme in Australia’
Katherine Temple - Senior Policy Officer in response to 'Vocational education, the biggest get-rich quick scheme in Australia' (The Age, 17/09/2015) We are shocked and dismayed by the story in The Ag...
Submission to Northern Australia Insurance Premiums Taskforce Interim Report
The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Northern Australia Insurance Premiums Taskforce Interim Report. Read the full submission here [PDF]...
ASIC report highlights exorbitant costs of rent-to-buy household goods: Consumer groups
The poorest and most vulnerable Australians are paying grossly inflated prices for household goods via “rent-to-buy” or “consumer lease” deals, as shown by a new report from the Australian Securities...
Rent-to-buy products must be kicked off Centrepay
Leading consumer groups are calling for the Australian Parliament to support moves by the Senate to protect the integrity of Centrelink’s budgeting tool for essentials, Centrepay, by excluding rent-to...
Energy disconnections: Emira’s story
Emira lives in public housing in regional Victoria with her young son, Jack. At 27, she has faced significant challenges in her life: she left a violent family home at 14, and has since found herself...
AEMC Multiple Trading Relationships Consultation Paper
The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the AEMC's consultation paper on Multiple Tradition Relationships (MTR) in the National Electricity Mark...
September 2015
Read, watch and listen to media featuring Consumer Action from September 2015. Mental glitch that's making us spend https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=http://www.news.com.au/financ...
Energy disconnections: Julie’s story
Julie is 48 years old and lives alone in a public housing unit. In the past Julie has struggled with alcohol addiction, and has recently escaped a violent partner. She suffers from post-traumatic stre...