News - Consumer Action Law Centre

Submission: Filing fees for debtors’ petitions, overseas travel requests and an increase to the realisations charge

A scan of Consumer Action's casework records (including both our legal advice and financial counselling services) reveals that we have on record at least 1900 calls from low income and vulnerable clie...

Submission: Final Report on the Review of Enforcement Regimes under the National Energy Laws

Consumer Action has made a submission to the Standing Council on Energy (SCER) on the Final Report: Review of the Enforcement Regimes under the National Energy Laws Consumer Action supports many of t...

Media release: Consumer advocate welcomes Government focus on lease providers

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the Federal Government’s proposal to extend consumer protections to short term and indefinite leases, which aren’t covered by national credit laws. These leases...

Submission: ACCC consideration of AGL Energy’s proposed acquisition of Macquarie Generation

Consumer Action has made a submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) in response to its Statement of Issues on AGL Energy Limited (AGL) proposed acquisition of the busine...

Submission: AEMC’s review of electricity customer switching options paper

Consumer Action supports the Commission undertaking this review and we agree that timely and accurate transfer processes can "support customer choice" and "confidence" in the competitive retail market...

Federal Court finds ANZ late fees were penalty charges

The Federal Court has ruled that ANZ’s credit card late fees were penalty charges rather than a cost recovery measure. This is significant because, while businesses can recover the costs of late paym...

Submission: Energy White Paper 2014

Consumer Action was pleased to have the opportunity to comment on the Energy White Paper 2014. Our submission is available here....

Media release: Australian households to get their say on rising energy bills

Australians are being asked their opinion on a proposal to stop energy retailers increasing prices mid contract. Consumer advocates have been frustrated that current market rules allow retailers to in...

Media release: Advocates object to new fee for entering bankruptcy

A coalition of consumer advocates and financial counselling agencies has expressed dismay at a plan to charge Australians filing for bankruptcy. The Australian Financial Security Authority (ASFA) has...

Media release: High cost of car cases in VCAT putting justice out of reach

A Victorian couple has successfully used the Australian Consumer Law to claim $17,495 from Melbourne Street Cars after it sold her a faulty 2003 Nissan X Trail. But while the victory in the Victorian...

February 2014

Spruikers exploit the vulnerable Lateline, 24 February 2014, Amy Bainbridge Consumer law lobby group says AGL bid to hike bills The Australian, 21 February 2014, Amanda Saunders News Corporation hop...

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: Debt agreement administrators’ guidelines relating to advertising

Consumer Action's MoneyHelp financial counselling practice helps disadvantaged, low income Victorian consumers who are experiencing severe financial distress consumers Victorians, some of who have use...

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...

Submission: Financial System Inquiry—Draft Terms of Reference

Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to comment on the draft terms of reference for the Financial System Inquiry. In summary, we recommend that: the overall objective for the Inquiry could be e...

Media release: Consumer protections can drive economic growth and innovation in financial system

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the Federal Government’s inquiry into Australia’s financial system. In its submission on the inquiry’s draft terms of reference, Consumer Action has suggested t...

Submission: Energy Assured Limited – Revocation and Substitution – A91390 & A91391

Consumer Action’s 2011 submissions to the Code authorisation process recommended the ACCC refuse to authorise the applications, on the grounds that the proposal did not actually improve existing consu...

Media release: The numbers show Consumer Credit Insurance is a poor deal for consumers

New figures from the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority show Australians spent $330 million on Consumer Credit Insurance in the twelve months to June this year, yet only 23 cents in every doll...

Submission: Review of the regulation of owners’ corporation managers

Consumer Action has provided comment to the Review of the regulation of owners’ corporation managers Issues Paper. Our submission makes two primary recommendations: that the unfair contract term pr...

Submission: AER Alternative Energy Sellers – Issues Paper

Consumer Action supports the AER's approach in attempting to identify a suitable outcome for consumers in an evolving and increasingly complex energy market. We have provided some comments to encourag...

Joint submission: National Smart Meter Consumer Protection and Safety Review

A coalition of advocates has taken the opportunity to comment on SCER's National Smart Meter Consumer Protection and Safety Review Consultation Paper (Consultation Paper) and the National Energy Retai...

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...

Submission: Regulatory Review of the Motor Car Traders Act (MTCA) 1986

Consumer Action has submitted comment on the Issue Paper for the regulatory review of the Motor Car Traders Act (MTCA) 1986. We generally do not agree that the regulatory burden on traders is exces...

Submission: Post Implementation Review of Ban on Mortgage Exit Fees

Consumer Action has contributed to the Post Implementation Review of the ban on mortgage exit fees. Briefly, this submission supports the existing ban on mortgage exit fees; argues that ava...

Why improved consumer protections for default judgment cases are needed

A recent report from the Consumer Action called for changes to Magistrates Court procedures to protect consumers from inaccurate law suits and inappropriate judgments. Each year 30,000 to 40,000 Victo...

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...

Media release: Repeal of carbon price to expose broken, uncompetitive energy markets

Politicians and policymakers who believe a move away from carbon pricing will result in a drop in retail electricity prices haven’t been paying attention – Australia’s retail energy markets are broken...

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...

Media release: Cash Converters sued for breaching its responsible lending obligations

Two Cash Converters franchises are being sued in the Magistrates Court by a Victorian mother who received 83 payday loans over three and a half years–54 of which were loans from Cash Converters outlet...

Joint submission: Independent Review of the Financial Ombudsman Service

Consumer Action and Consumer Credit Legal Centre (NSW) have coordinated and written a consumer submission to the independent review of the Financial Ombudsman Service. The submission contains contribu...

Submission: The performance of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission

Consumer Action Law Centre has made a submission to the Senate Economics References Committee inquiry into the performance of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). Briefly: w...

Media release: Review finds online lenders are reluctant to embrace the spirit of new regulations

A review conducted by the Consumer Action Law Centre has found that some online lenders providing 'payday loans' are reluctant to embrace the spirit of new regulations intended to provide consumers wi...

Press statement: Consumer groups welcome desalination plant refinancing

Consumer Action Law Centre and Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre (CUAC) have welcomed news that Melbourne households would benefit from the early refinancing of the desalination plant project. ‘Ma...

Media release: Federal Court finds Do Not Knock Sign is ‘an unambiguous request to leave the premises’

The inventor of the Do Not Knock sticker has welcomed today’s Federal Court ruling that the sticker is legally enforceable under the Australian Consumer Law. The decision means ignoring the sticker co...

Joint media release: Some win, some lose in concessions shakeup

New restrictions on Victoria’s energy concessions will make it harder for some low income Victorians to access affordable electricity and gas, and discriminate against concession holders based upon th...

Policy report: Winners and Losers – the impact of energy concession caps on low-income Victorians

A new report from Consumer Action Law Centre and the Victorian Council of Social Service, Winners and Losers: the impact of energy concession caps on low-income Victorians, finds new restrictions on V...

Media release: Maurice Blackburn class action to highlight the sad truth about payday lending

Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes Maurice Blackburn’s class action against Cash Converters, which alleges Cash Converters ‘illegally exploited thousands of financially struggling Australians by impo...

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...

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