News - Consumer Action Law Centre

Plan ahead to avoid the New Year credit crunch

In the months after Christmas our financial counsellors hear from hundreds of Victorians struggling with Christmas debt. Their credit card bills have arrived and the cost of presents and festivities,...

October 2013

VCOSS concerned over 'discriminatory' new Victorian energy concessions ABC Online, 11 October 2013 AGL facing $50k fine for ignoring a Do Not Knock sign Herald Sun, 11 October 2013 AGL faces $...

Direct Share Purchasing Corporation – defence kit

This self help kit was written at a time when Direct Share Purchasing Corporation had sued a number of consumers. Changes to the law have made it unlikely that consumers will see these types of cases...

A Policy Trilemma – workshop

Consumer Action held a workshop in June 2013 to further the discussion of key energy issues for consumers identified in its report, A Policy Trilemma. The workshop convened a number of participants an...

Submission: Guidelines for Complaint Handling in Organisations

Consumer Action has commented on the draft Revision of AS ISO 10002-2006: Guidelines for Complaint Handling in Organisations. We support the draft guidelines, but have made a number of recommendation...

Report: The Hidden Cost of ‘Rent to Own’

We’ve all seen adverts promoting ‘Rent to Buy’ or ‘Rent to Own’ arrangements, where customers rent a product for a number of years before being given the option to buy or keep that product, but our la...

Media release: ASIC case against The Cash Store to shape the future of payday lending

One of Australia’s biggest payday lenders, The Cash Store, will face allegations of irresponsible lending and unconscionable conduct before the Federal Court. The case being brought by the Australian...

Submission: Review of Enforcement Regime for National Energy Laws

Consumer Action has made a submission to the Standing Council on Energy and Resources in relation to its Review of National Enforcement Regimes for National Energy Laws. Consumer Action believes regul...

Media release: Australian Power and Gas the latest energy retailer taken to court over door-to-door selling

The organisation behind the national Do Not Knock campaign, has welcomed the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Federal Court proceedings against Australian Power & Gas Compan...

ABC’s 7.30 looks at businesses cashing in on people in financial stress

The ABC’s flagship current affairs program looked into businesses that seek to profit from Australians in financial stress, a key campaign area for Consumer Action. The report says these businesses ‘c...

Stop VicRoads from disclosing your personal information to private companies

VicRoads is being forced to disclose motorists’ personal information to private car park operators who then use that information to issue payment demands. Consumer Action is throwing its support be...

September 2013

Millions of Australians at risk of defaulting on their debts ABC News’ PM, 30 September 2013, Mandie Sami Payday D-day as Money3 buys rival Cash Store The Australian, 30 September 2013, Tim Boreham...

Submission: Draft Australian Energy Regulator stakeholder engagement framework

Consumer Action has provided comment on the Australian Energy Regulator’s (AER) Draft Stakeholder Engagement Framework. We believe the Draft provides a strong foundation for the AER to engage with it...

Submission: Credit hardship obligations—outstanding issues

Consumer Action, Consumer Credit Legal Centre NSW, and Financial Counselling Australia have made a joint submission on Australian Securities and Investments Commission's discussion paper Credit Hardsh...

Joint submission: Essential Services Commission harmonisation of the Energy Retail Code and Guidelines with the National Energy Customer Framework Draft Decision

Consumer Action has contributed to a joint submission on the Essential Services Commission Harmonisation of the Energy Retail Code and Guidelines with the National Energy Customer Framework Draft Deci...

Media release: Time to end the funeral insurance rip-off say consumer advocates

A coalition of eleven consumer and older Australian advocates has released a thirteen point strategy to end the funeral insurance rip-off. The strategy was created after the advocates identified a num...

Time to end the funeral insurance rip-off: a Consumer Strategy for a fairer deal

Consumers are increasingly keen to plan financially for all significant life events, including the first thing that happens when they die—their funeral. This means there is now a market for funeral pl...

Consumer Action Law Centre Policy and Campaigns Plan 2013-14

Consumer Action is a not-for-profit, independent community organisation, focused on advancing the interests of consumers. We advocate for more equitable outcomes for consumers, particularly those who...

Media release: ACCC shuts the gates on tricky vacuum cleaner salespeople

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Full Federal Court victory against a company that sold vacuum cleaners costing more than $2000 to elderly women in their homes has sent a cl...

Consumers urged to get advice regarding rent to buy car agreements from Plunkett Rd in Dandenong

Consumer Action is urging consumers to seek legal advice if they have entered into a rent to buy car agreement at 10-12 Plunkett Rd in Dandenong. This agreement may be with R.V. Investments (Aust) Pty...

Fixed means fixed

Victorian energy retailers are able to vary their customers’ electricity tariff provided retailers give customers correct notification. This is even the case with a fixed term electricity contract, i....

Joint media release: Independent review confirms Centrepay is a good idea that has lost its way

Two of Australia’s leading consumer organisations have welcomed Ms Anna Buduls’ independent report into Centrepay—a payment system which helps Centrelink recipients manage their income. Financial Coun...

Consumer InterAction – Issue 4 of 2013

The fourth edition of Consumer InterAction for 2013 is now online. In this edition: Default judgments in the spotlight; Simply and Red Energy lag behind; Funeral insurance marketing exposed; Debt col...

Driving change—effective motor vehicle dispute resolution

Many of the cases we are asked for advice on relate to second hand cars, the traders who sell or lease them, and the credit agencies who provide loans or leases. Going to court is intimidating for mos...

Profiting from Poverty—making a buck from bad luck

Low-income debtors often get the worst deal when it comes to dealing with debt—inaccessible or weak hardship assistance, particularly for those in long-term hardship; misleading or severe debt collect...

Power for People—essential service vs market commodity

Energy bills form a disproportionately high slice of the outgoings of low income and vulnerable consumers. Those who are experiencing financial hardship on multiple fronts are likely to find their out...

Slippery slopes and dodgy dealings—consumer leases

Financial inclusion is not only about access to financial services, but protection from exploitative products that are inappropriate to consumers’ needs. Consumer leases, or ‘rent to own’ deals as the...

Stop the Rip Offs – building the case for unfair trading prohibitions

High pressure sales practices are designed to get people to buy products they don’t want, don’t need, and can’t afford. In the worst cases, consumers are deliberately misled, and some even sign up to...

August 2013

Power grab by utilities over debts Herald Sun, 30 August 2013, Karen Collier Consumer groups demand action on funeral cover Insurance News, 26 August 2013 Consumers urged to mute funeral insurance a...

Media release: Move to emissions trading scheme could wipe $185 off annual power bills – but regulators must play a role

As delegates converge on Brisbane for the annual regulators conference, Consumer Action Law Centre has urged national and state energy regulators to ensure any move to an emission trading scheme resul...

Move to emissions trading scheme could wipe $185 off annual power bills—but regulators must play a role

Media release: Energy retailers improve their behaviour, but Simply Energy & Red Energy didn’t get the memo

335 complaints about door-to-door salespeople have now been lodged with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission through donotknock.consumeraction.org.au And while the latest round of compla...

Debt collection lawyer breached professional conduct rules

Consumer Action has welcomed the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal’s ruling that debt collection lawyer, Ms Pippa Sampson, of law firm Goddard Elliot, breached professional conduct rules whe...

Media release: New report highlights procedural failings in Magistrates Court—80 per cent of small money claims go undefended

A new report from the Consumer Action Law Centre calls for changes to Magistrates Court procedures to protect consumers from inaccurate law suits and inappropriate judgments. Each year 30,000 to 40,00...

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