May 2013
The power of flexibility Christine Long, 26 May 2013, The Age AGL launches ‘do not knock’ sticker campaign while fighting legal battle against stickers UmBRELLA, 23 May 2013, Nic Christensen A...
Media release: Improved concessions and hardship programs will be the key if water price rises proceed
Improved access to water concessions and affordable payment plans will be paramount if the Essential Services Commission (ESC) proceeds with its draft decision to allow metropolitan water retailers to...
April 2013
Draft ruling by utilities regulator could mean water retailers slug customers with 25pc rise Herald Sun, 23 April 2013, Karen Collier Push for air conditioners to be fitted with remote switches...
Media release: Pensioner sues two Cash Converters lenders in the Magistrates’ Court
A Victorian Disability Support Pensioner has issued proceedings in the Magistrates' Court against two Cash Converters lenders.[1] Consumer Action's client alleges that over approximately a three year...
New Report: Regulator Watch
Consumer Action believes that a regulatory scheme with well-designed rules will be ineffective in addressing industry or market-wide problems if it can only be enforced by individual consumers taking...
New Indigenous consumer education film released by ACCC
A new Indigenous consumer education film is now available from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The film, ‘Six Simple Rules’, encourages Indigenous consumers to use their ref...
ASIC raises concern about Carboodle’s ‘potentially misleading representations’
Car lease company, Green Light Auto Group Pty Limited which trades as Carboodle, has recently written to its customers about potentially misleading claims. In summary, Carboodle says that it promoted...
Nimble one cent loan could be setting you up to fail
A recent report looking at use of short-term cash loans showed half of borrowers interviewed had taken out more than ten loans in the previous two years, and three quarters of this group had taken out...
Submission: The exemption of retailers from the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009
Consumer Action has made a submission on Treasury's Discussion paper regarding the exemption of retailers from the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009. Briefly, this submission: supports o...
Consumer InterAction – Issue 2 of 2013
The second edition of Consumer InterAction for 2013 is now online. This edition includes information on: New Consumer Action CEO; Energy retailers end door-to-door sales; Review of Centrepay; Th...
Submission: Commonwealth Treasury consumer leases issues paper
Consumer Action has made a submission to the Commonwealth Treasury on regulation of consumer leases. The submission argues that the purpose of any reform of regulation of consumer leases should be to:...
New Report: Solving Problems – A Strategic Approach
This report is a joint project of the Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) and the Footscray Community Legal Centre (FCLC), who have asked Dr Liz Curran of the Australian National University t...
New CEO Appointment
The Board of Consumer Action Law Centre is very pleased to announce that Gerard Brody has been appointed CEO, following a rigorous recruitment process. Gerard has been the Director Policy and Campaig...
Submission: Exposure Drafts of the National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Credit Reform Phase 2) Bill 2012
The Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the opportunity to comment on the draft National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Credit Reform Phase 2) Bill 2012. Briefly, this submission: strongly s...
Submission: Federal Government’s independent review of Centrepay, Centrelink’s voluntary bill-paying service
The Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the opportunity to comment on the independent review of the Centrepay system. Consumer Action believes that Centrepay can be a valuable financial management too...
Submission: ASIC Consultation Paper on an online database for small amount lenders
Joint submission with Financial Counselling Australia and the Consumer Credit Legal Service (WA) to ASIC's Consultation Paper on an online database for small amount lenders. The Consumer Action Law Ce...
Media Release: AGL is second energy retailer in as many days to agree to blanket cessation of door-to-door sales – Consumer Action calls on others to follow their lead
Householders should soon notice a meaningful decrease in visits from unwanted energy hawkers, with the announcement by a second major energy retailer, AGL, that it too will cease all door-to-door sell...
Submission: Proposed variation to Numbering Plan – charges for calls to free-phone and local rate numbers
Consumer Action believes the Australian Communications and Media Authority's proposal of amending the numbering plan to make 1800 numbers free of charge and 13 and 1300 numbers (hereafter '13 numbers'...
Media release: EnergyAustralia leads industry in ending door-to-door sales
EnergyAustralia’s announcement that it will end door-to-door marketing will be warmly welcomed by Australian households. Last year the Consumer Action Law Centre surveyed consumers regarding their vie...
Submission: Essential Services Commission Victoria Harmonised Energy Retail Code
The signatories to this submission represent the interests of the majority of Victorian residential and small business energy consumers – being particularly cognizant of the special needs of low incom...
Submission: Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Fees Regulations
Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Department of Justice’s Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) for the proposed Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Fees Regulations. In...
Mr Rental enters into enforceable undertaking
Mr Rental Australia Pty Ltd, a household goods rental business, has entered into an enforceable undertaking with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) under which it will provide...
ASIC’s strong action against Zaam Rentals welcomed
Consumer Action is pleased to see ASIC take strong action against credit licence holder Zaam Rentals – the cancellation of Zaam Rentals’ credit licence should act as a warning to other credit provider...
Fair Work Ombudsman’s new report a welcome addition to work experience debate
Consumer Action welcomes the Fair Work Ombudsman’s new report into unpaid work experience and internships. Experience or Exploitation? The nature, prevalence and regulation of unpaid work experience,...
Submission: Limited merits review of decision-making in the electricity and gas regulatory frameworks
Consumer Action's submission to the Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement on the framework for limited merits review of decision-making in electricity and gas regulation argues that Option 3, Amend...
Revised Code of Banking Practice
Today marks the beginning of the revised Banking Code of Practice. The Code specifies how banks should treat their customers and represents a contract between the two parties, giving banking customers...
Submission: Water Price Review 2013-2018
Consumer Action and the Consumer Utility Advocacy Centre Ltd have made a joint submission to the Metropolitan and Regional Businesses Water Plans for 2013-2018. Our comments in this submission apply...
Submission: Taxi Industry Inquiry—Response to Final Report
Consumer Action has made a submission on the Taxi Industry Inquiry’s Final Report, Customers First—Service, Safety, Choice. This report is an important one. The taxi industry is one where consumers...
Media release: Proposed taxi overhaul receives strong backing from consumers
Victoria’s specialist independent consumer law and advocacy centre believes the recommendations of Professor Allan Fels' Taxi Industry Inquiry will significantly improve the industry if implemented co...
Consumer InterAction – Issue 1 of 2013
The first edition of Consumer InterAction for 2013 is now online. This edition features articles on: Proposed VCAT fees increases; Unfair contract terms extended to insurance industry; R...
Media release: Questions raised about students’ entitlement to refund of NAB loans
The Consumer Action Law Centre is urging consumers who took out loans with the National Australia Bank to pay for course fees with the College of Creative Arts and Technology, and who did not get to...
Media release: Internship company Borch Leeman consents to pay $2500 to unhappy customer
Internship company Borch Leeman has agreed to pay $2,500 to a disgruntled customer who claimed it had, amongst other things, imposed unfair contract terms and breached consumer guarantees in contraven...
Submission: Single pricing requirements – proposal to exempt restaurants and cafes
Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to comment on the proposed amendments to the Australian Consumer Law in Schedule 2 of the Competition and Consumer Act 2012 (Cth). Precedent of exemptions wit...
Amendments to privacy legislation
Amendments to privacy legislation regulating credit reporting passed Federal Parliament late last year. While the reforms won't come into effect until March 2014, lenders can already begin collecting...
Keeping Food on the Table – training and support to Victorian Community Legal Centres
Consumer Action has received funding from the Legal Service Board to provide training and support to Victorian Community Legal Centres. The project aims to build the capacity of the Community Legal C...
January 2013
Water price rises may slow as report urges desal payback delay Herald Sun, 31 January 2013, Karen Collier How to cure Christmas credit hangover Herald Sun, 13 January 2013, Karina Barrymore Victoria...
Media Release: Consumer group welcomes extension of unfair terms protections to insurance contracts
Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the announcement from Assistant Treasurer David Bradbury that unfair contract term laws will be extended to general insurance contracts. Protections against unf...
Submission: Consumer Affairs Victoria’s review of section 32 of the Sale of Land Act
Consumer Action’s submission to Consumer Affairs Victoria's review of section 32 of the Sale of Land Act makes the following general points: we support efforts to reduce regulatory burden, but cutti...
Media release: ASIC asked to investigate Radio Rentals and its ‘rent try $1 buy’ offer
The Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the release of the Australian Securities & Investments Commission's (ASIC) updated Good Practice Guidance for Credit and Financial Service Advertising a...
Consumer Action’s 2011/2012 Annual Report
Consumer Action’s 2011/2012 Annual Report is now available and features information about our: Legal practice; policy team; MoneyHelp financial counselling service; Volunteer program; and Outrea...
Media release: Review of energy retailers’ customer service is damning
The Essential Services Commission’s (ESC) annual review of Energy retailers’ customer service performance is damning of the industry’s ability to assist struggling households. The Consumer Action Law...
Accessing free insurance advice
The Financial Rights Legal Centre provides a range of self help kits on insurance matters. The Australian Financial Complaints Authority also offers insurance fact sheets on: Life Insuranc...
Consumer Action supports improved regulation of unsupervised finance and debenture companies
Consumer Action has voiced its support for improved regulation of unsupervised finance and debenture companies. The Centre believes the recent collapse of Banksia in regional Victoria has highlighted...
December 2012
Companies too quick to disconnect utilities: report ABC News, 11 December 2012 Big increase in gas, electricity disconnections ABC News, 10 December 2012 12 days of Christmas on the cards Syd...
Media release: Victorian Building Authority a chance to recast fundamentally flawed consumer protection system
Consumer Action has welcomed the Victorian Government plan to establish a new body to oversee and enforce regulation in the domestic building industry. Consumer Action believes the creation of the Vic...
Submission: Electricity network regulatory frameworks—Productivity Commission draft report
Consumer Action has responded to the Productivity Commission's Draft Report on Electricity Network Regulatory Frameworks. We have found the Commission‘s review of the Electricity Network Regulatory F...
Media release: Consumer Group hits out at Energy Retail Code
The Energy Retail Code, which allows energy retailers to increase the price of electricity multiple times during the term of a contract, has come under fire from the Consumer Action Law Centre. In a l...
Media release: New consumer report makes practical recommendations on energy market reform
A new report from the Consumer Action Law Centre, A Policy Trilemma: creating an affordable, secure and sustainable energy market, authored by former UK EnergyWatch CEO and former Commonwealth Ombudsm...
Policy report: A Policy Trilemma: creating an affordable, secure and sustainable energy market
A new report from the Consumer Action Law Centre, A Policy Trilemma: creating an affordable, secure and sustainable energy market, authored by former UK EnergyWatch CEO and former Commonwealth Ombudsm...
Consumer Action welcomes the Victorian Government’s plan to establish a Fire Services Monitor
Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the Victorian Government’s plan to establish a Fire Services Monitor to protect consumer interests as changes are made to the way the fire services levy is admi...