New consumer guide released: common problems in private colleges and training institutions

Common themes emerging in consumer complaints about some private colleges and training institutions has prompted the Consumer Action to publish a guide about common problems, how to avoid them and whe...

March 12, 2012

Debt collection – I’m being hassled by a debt collector, what should I do?

Use this fact sheet if you: are being hassled by a debt collector; or think that a debt collector or a creditor might be acting unfairly or unlawfully What do I do if I am being hassled b...

March 8, 2012

Debt collection – What can I do if a debt collector calls?

Use this fact sheet if: a creditor or debt collector has contacted you demanding that you pay a consumer debt; and legal proceedings have not been issued. If your problem relates to Centrel...

March 8, 2012

Policy Position on Water Pricing for Sustainable Household Consumption

Consumer Action has released a policy position paper on water pricing. While recognising the difficulties of rising water prices, the paper argues that over-reliance on water pricing as a demand manag...

March 8, 2012

Media release: Consumer group says Cash Converters’ process need formal investigation

The Consumer Action Law Centre has asked the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) to undertake a formal investigation into the internal dispute resolution processes of Cash Converter...

March 8, 2012

Joint consumer submission: EDR jurisdiction where debt collection commenced (ASIC)

Joint consumer submission in response to ASIC consultation paper 172: jurisdiction of External Dispute Resolution schemes to hear complaints against financial services providers who have started debt...

March 7, 2012

Ombudsman asked to consider lending practices of payday loan provider

Consumer Action is lodging another dispute against a high profile payday loan provider. The most recent dispute, being lodged on behalf of Ms Jane Bowyer with the Credit Ombudsman Service, alleges The...

March 6, 2012

Media release: Ombudsman asked to consider lending practices of payday loan provider

Consumer Action is lodging another dispute against a high profile payday loan provider. The most recent dispute, being lodged on behalf of Ms Jane Bowyer with the Credit Ombudsman Service, alleges The...

March 6, 2012

Submission: Gift cards in the Australian market (CCAAC)

Submission to the Commonwealth Consumer Affairs Advisory Council in response to its Issues Paper: Gift Cards in the Australian Market. To read our submission, please click: Issues paper- gift cards i...

March 2, 2012

Policy Report: Door-to-door sales – consumer attitudes

The Consumer Action Law Centre recently commissioned research into consumer attitudes toward door-to-door selling. Key findings are: 77% dislike door-to-door sales Only 3% have a generally positive...

March 1, 2012

Submission: Unfair terms in insurance contract (Treasury)

Submission to the latest round of Federal Government consultation on unfair terms in insurance contracts. To read our submission, please click here: Unfair terms in Insurance contract...

February 20, 2012

Submission: A variation to surcharging standard (Reserve Bank of Australia)

Submission to the Reserve Bank of Australia regarding proposed changes to prevent traders charging excessive surcharges for credit card transactions. To read our submission, please click: A Variation...

February 9, 2012

Debt collection

Consumer Action regularly receives complaints from consumers that are persistently contacted by debt collectors. In our experience, most debtors that contact our services have a genuine desire to repa...

February 4, 2012

You wont sleep well after these sleep seminars

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February 4, 2012

Submission: Interest free disclosure method (Treasury)

Submission to Commonwealth Treasury regarding proposed regulation on proper disclosure of ‘interest free’ credit card offers. To read our submission, please click: Interest Free Disclosure Method...

January 23, 2012

VCAT cases will put Victoria’s new debt collection laws to the test

Both cases will test the law which commenced at the start of 2011 which requires debt collectors to stop contacting a debtor once the debtor has requested in writing that it do so, unless the contact...

January 20, 2012

Media release: Consumers the losers as competition tribunal sides with power companies – yet again

Victorian households are staring down the barrel of yet another electricity price hike after the Australian Competition Tribunal (ACT) overturned significant aspects of the ruling of the energy indust...

January 20, 2012

Consumers the losers as competition tribunal sides with power companies – yet again.

Victorian households are staring down the barrel of yet another electricity price hike after the Australian Competition Tribunal (ACT) overturned significant aspects of the ruling of the energy indust...

January 17, 2012

Media release: VCAT cases will put Victoria’s new debt collection laws to the test

In what are believed to be two of the first cases to test Victoria's new ‘prohibited debt collection practices’, the Consumer Action Law Centre is helping two clients pursue legal cases against debt c...

January 17, 2012

Exploitative credit— payday loans and consumer leases

Financial inclusion is not only about access to financial services, but protection from exploitative products that are inappropriate to consumers' needs. Over the last three years, we have campaigned...

January 16, 2012

Do Not Knock—stopping unwanted door-to-door salespeople

Door-to-door salespeople often use high-pressure tactics to get people to buy products they don’t want, don’t need, and can’t afford. We’ve heard of cases where people have been deliberately misled, a...

January 16, 2012

Contracting competition in the energy retail market results in lacklustre performance

A new report showing three leading energy retailers control almost 75 percent of market share is bad news for Victorian households which are missing out on the financial benefits and service improveme...

January 11, 2012

Submission: Review of the Insurance Contract Amendment (Parliament)

Submission supporting the draft Insurance Contracts Amendment Bill 2011, which will introduce a standard definition of flood and key facts sheets for consumer insurance contracts. To read our submiss...

January 11, 2012

Your right to return goods bought online

In January 2011, the Australian Government introduced legal protections for consumers buying goods or services called ‘consumer guarantees’. Consumer Guarantees ensure that you can get a refund, repla...

January 4, 2012

Policy report: A scan of the return policies of online retailers in Australia

In January 2011, the Australian Government introduced legal protections for consumers buying goods or services called ‘consumer guarantees’. Consumer Guarantees ensure that you can get a refund, repla...

January 1, 2012

Getting the most out of the new Australian Consumer Law

The Australian Consumer Law came into effect on 1 January 2011. It harmonises consumer protection and fair trading legislation nationally, and introduces new national unfair contract terms protections...

January 1, 2012

Community lawyers claim The Cash Store’s holiday marketing is irresponsible

A new advertisement from one of Australia’s leading payday loan brokers, The Cash Store, has raised the ire of two community legal centres, who fear the advert may result in many Victorian’s entering...

December 21, 2011

Media release: Community lawyers claim The Cash Store’s holiday marketing is irresponsible

A new advertisement from one of Australia’s leading payday loan brokers, The Cash Store, has raised the ire of two community legal centres, who fear the advert may result in many Victorian’s entering...

December 21, 2011

Media release: Hire car insurance is not what it seems, in fact, it’s often not insurance at all

As many Victorians head off on holidays, the Consumer Action Law Centre is warning consumers that hire car 'insurance' is not what seems. Indeed, it’s often not insurance at all but, rather, an indemn...

December 20, 2011

Submission: Retirement villages contract and information disclosure reports (Consumer Affairs Victoria)

Submission on Consumer Affairs Victoria's discussion paper Retirement Villages: Contracts and Information Disclosure reports. To read the submission, please click here....

December 19, 2011

Media release: Contracting competition in the energy retail market results in lacklustre performance

A new report showing three leading energy retailers control almost 75 per cent of market share is bad news for Victorian households which are missing out on the financial benefits and service improvem...

December 19, 2011

Media release: Public education the key to realising the benefits of Victoria’s smart meter rollout

Households can look forward to the long promised but often delayed benefits of smart meters following the Victorian Government’s decision to go ahead with the rollout, due to be completed by the end o...

December 16, 2011

Submission: Debt collection harmonisation (Consumer Affairs Victoria)

Submission to Consumer Affairs Victoria supporting harmonisation of Australian debt collection laws, and calling for stricter regulation of the debt collection industry. To read our submission, pleas...

December 14, 2011

Submission: National electricity amendment (Australian Energy Market Commission)

Submission on the Australian Energy Market Commission's Consultation Paper; National Electricity Amendment (Economic Regulation of Network Service Providers) Rule 2011. To read our submission, please...

December 9, 2011

Media release: National unfair contract terms and consumer guarantees to be under the spotlight

The Australian Consumer Law’s unfair contract terms provisions are set to be tested in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) after the Consumer Action Law Centre issued proceedings ag...

December 8, 2011

Media release: Committee’s report shows responsible lending laws aren’t enough

The Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the finding from a parliamentary committee of inquiry that Australia’s responsible lending laws don’t sufficiently protect consumers from harmful payday loa...

December 2, 2011

Joint Submission: Future of financial advice reforms (Parliamentary Joint Committee)

Joint consumer submission to a Parliamentary Joint Committee inquiry on the Future of Financial Advice reforms. To read the joint submission, please click here. [PDF]...

November 29, 2011

Media release: Door-to-door salespeople meeting a sticky end

A national Do Not Knock campaign, aiming to put a stop to unwelcome, dishonest and intimidating door-to-door salespeople, has begun with the Consumer Action Law Centre launching a new interactive webs...

November 28, 2011

Submission: Supporting ‘Calls to Freephone’ proposal (Australian Communications and Media Authority)

Consumer Action has supported a proposal by the Australian Communications and Media Authority to make 1800 numbers free from mobiles and 13 numbers the cost of a local call. To read our submission, p...

November 28, 2011

Submission: Telecommunication consumer protection code (Communications Alliance)

Submission to Communications Alliance on its draft Telecommunications Consumer Protection Code. To read our submission, please click here....

November 25, 2011

Media release: Energy rules must change—consumers and big business agree

Consumer groups from around Australia have joined the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) and some of the nation’s biggest businesses in calling for reform to the process that sets electricity network p...

November 23, 2011

Media release: ASIC payday lending report reveals fundamental non-compliance—a cap is needed

The Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the Australian Securities and Investment Commission’s (ASIC) report, Review of micro lenders' responsible lending conduct and disclosure obligations. Catrio...

November 23, 2011

Media release: Time for the Federal Opposition to show its hand on payday lending reforms

A coalition of consumer groups has called on the Federal Opposition to back the Government’s proposed national credit reforms, which are designed to protect payday loan borrowers from effective intere...

November 18, 2011

Media release: Consumer Action welcomes ASIC investigation into broker responsible lending conduct

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the release of the Australian Securities and Investment Commission's (ASIC) investigation into mortgage brokers' responsible lending conduct, focusing on ‘low d...

November 18, 2011

Media release: Stronger response needed to ensure consumers are protected in times of disaster

The Consumer Action Law Centre has expressed disappointment with the Government’s initial response to the National Disaster Insurance Review (NDIR) Panel's report which it labelled as 'indecisive'. Wh...

November 15, 2011

Submission: Energy price and products disclosure (Essential Services Commission)

Consumer Action's comments to the Essential Services Commission in relation to proposed amendments to Guideline 19 - Energy Price and Products Disclosure. To read our submission, please click here....

November 15, 2011

Media release: Government warned that new credit card regulation may require running repairs

The Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the Federal Government’s ban on credit providers making unsolicited credit card limit increase offers to customers, but believes that ambiguity in the regul...

November 11, 2011

Media release: Is eBay selling consumers short?

The Consumer Action Law Centre has taken its concerns about outdated and potentially misleading information on eBay.com.au to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) after eBay Inter...

November 4, 2011

Submission: Advertising financial products (ASIC)

Consumer Action has welcomed draft advertising guidelines for financial products and advice services prepared by ASIC. To read our submission, please click here....

October 31, 2011

Submission: Recent consumer credit reforms (Treasury)

Consumer Action has provided comment on two short discussion papers on the operation of recent consumer credit reforms. To read our submission, please click here....

October 28, 2011