Submission: 2014-15 Federal Budget

Consumer Action welcomes the Government’s invitation to the Australian community to provide input to the 2014-15 Commonwealth Budget. We are mindful of the current economic conditions and their imp...

Help available for back to school costs

Consumer Action Law Centre’s financial counselling service MoneyHelp is preparing for calls from parents struggling to cope with back to schools costs. With many families still dealing with the financ...

Submission: Do Not Call Register – registration period

Consumer Action support removing the registration period for the Do Not Call Register  so that registration is indefinite (Option Three in the Discussion Paper[i]). Customers actively opt out of unsol...

Media release: End energy retailers’ free ride

New proposal to fix energy prices for length of contract Energy retailers would be banned from increasing a customer’s tariff mid contract under a proposal to be considered by the Australian Energy M...

January 2014

Qantas and Virgin skirting the law with unsolicited card mailouts Sydney Morning Herald, 30 January 2014, Nathan Lynch Push to ban energy price increases during fixed-term contracts Herald Sun, 2...

Submission: Changes to Credit Ombudsman Scheme Rules

Consumer Action had provided comment on the Credit Ombudsman Service’s proposes changes to COSL Rules: 9th Edition. We commend the Credit Ombudsman Service on its drafting of the proposed changes, mo...

Submission: ACCC / ASIC Debt Collection Guideline

Consumer Action has provided comment on the review of the ACCC / ASIC Debt Collection Guideline for Collectors and Creditors. The revised draft Guideline is a significant improvement on the existing...

December 2013

Privacy concerns over new credit card reporting rules ABC Online, 26 December 2013, Alison Caldwell Planned financial advice changes 'a step backwards', say consumer groups The World Today, 20 Decemb...

A cautionary tale about debt consolidation

Many people refinance or consolidate debts in an attempt to make their loan repayments more affordable in the short term. However, the overall cost of a new loan should be significantly lower than...

November 2013

Concern finance inquiry will throw good regulation out with bad The World Today, 21 November 2013, Michael Janda Consumer groups worried David Murray's banking inquiry will focus too heavily on regul...

Submission: Carbon tax repeal legislation

Consumer Action generally does not support repeal of the legislation that is not linked to imposing a price on carbon emissions, given the dire consequences for Australians from predicted impacts of c...

Submission: Access to Justice Arrangements

Consumer Action has provided a submission to the Productivity Commission on its Issues Paper, Access to Justice Arrangements. The key points and recommendations made in this submission are: The inq...

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...

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...

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...