News - Consumer Action Law Centre

Media release: Business loopholes in new consumer lending laws could spell disaster for vulnerable borrowers

Consumer Action is warning consumers to avoid unregistered or unlicensed brokers and lenders now that new national consumer lending laws are coming into force. Consumer Action has started legal actio...

Submission: Unfair terms in insurance contracts – options paper

Consumer Action thanks the Government for seeking stakeholder input on addressing unfair terms in insurance contracts, facilitated by the publication of the Unfair terms in insurance contracts - Optio...

Media release: Debt collector complaints too small-fry for consumer watchdog ASIC

Consumer Action Law Centre has issued proceedings in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal against both the debt collection company ACM and the National Australia Bank (NAB) on behalf of a c...

Media release: Victorians deserve a better deal on rental housing

Minimum standards to ensure all Victorian rental properties are safe, healthy and affordable to live in are urgently needed, said Victoria’s state-wide telephone and web financial counselling service,...

Media release: ‘Shonky’ brokers stopped from slipping through the cracks

Consumer Action has welcomed the efforts of the Coalition and Greens in working with the Victorian Government to make amendments to a Bill to ensure consumers won’t fall victim to ‘shonky’ brokers bec...

Media release: Insurance industry tells B.R.C disaster relief is bad for business

More than a year after the Black Saturday bushfires devastated Victoria, a submission to the Bushfires Royal Commission on behalf of the Insurance Council of Australia has complained that post-disaste...

Media release: Parents need to learn more before they sign up for educational software

We all think we could resist the slick spiel of the in-home salesman, so why is it that so many people end up saying ‘yes’. Now researchers, lead by Dr Paul Harrison from Deakin University, have answe...

Submission: Financial Services Working Group – Corporations Amendment Regulations 2009

Consumer Action is a strong supporter of the objectives of the Financial Services Working Group in endeavouring to make financial services product disclosure simpler and more meaningful for consumers,...

Policy report: An analysis of the psychology of in-home sales of educational software

Consumer Action in conjunction with Dr Paul Harrison, Centre for Sustainable and Responsible Organisations, Deakin University, Marta Massi, School of Marketing and Communication, Lumsa University (Rom...

Media release: Legitimacy of private car park ‘fines’ could finally be decided

Consumer Action Law Centre has sought leave to add new claims of unconscionable conduct and harassment to its test case against private car park operator Care Park on behalf of its client, Mitchell Da...

Media release: Distributors ask to add average 14% to consumers’ electricity bills

Consumer Action Law Centre has made a submission to the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) after Victoria’s five electricity distributors provided forecasts estimating they would need Victorian custome...

Submission: Exposure draft – Review of initial distribution network service providers’ proposals for the 2011 – 2015 regulatory period.

Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to make a submission to the Australian Energy Regulator's review of initial Distribution Network Service Providers' Proposals for the 2011 - 2015 Regulatory Pe...

Media release: Fire insurance debate reignites as anniversary approaches

Almost a year after the Black Saturday bushfires devastated Victoria, consumer groups have hit back at the insurance industry’s attempts to pressure the Government into eliminating the fire services l...

Media release: Consumer Action Law Centre warns the public about telephone scam falsely using its name

Consumer Action Law Centre warns the public that scammers are continuing to contact people falsely claiming to be an employee or representative of Consumer Action. Carolyn Bond, Consumer Action co-CE...

Submission: Action against fraudulent phoenix activity – Commonwealth Government proposals paper

Whilst Consumer Action generally agrees with the proposition in the Proposals Paper – that the underlying distinction between illegitimate, or phoenix activity and a legitimate use of the corporate fo...

Media release: Collection Point misleads client and sues his lawyers

Consumer Action Law Centre has succeeded in a Victorian Civil Administration Tribunal (VCAT) action against money retrieval agency, Collection Point, and recovered the sum of $1,108.85 for one of its...

Submission: Response to the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission’s Fire Services Levy and Insurance Discussion Paper

We welcome the opportunity to provide comment to the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission in response to its Discussion Paper on the fire services levy and insurance. This submission is made joi...

Submission: Unconscionable Conduct Issues Paper

Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to provide comment to the inquiry process established by the Government to examine options for clarifying the unconscionable conduct provisions of the Trade Pr...

Submission: Review of Victoria’s wrongful disconnection payment

Consumer Action remains strongly supportive of the Victorian wrongful disconnection payment legislative obligation. It continues to fulfill its role as an incentive on retailers to guard against non-c...

Submission: Inquiry into State Government Taxation and Debt

Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to make a submission to the Economic Development and Infrastructure Committee‘s Inquiry into State Government Taxation and Debt. The Inquiry terms of referenc...

Media release: Consumer win sets up precedent for others burnt by Kleenmaid collapse

Consumer Action Law Centre has successfully represented a couple who sought to recover thousands of dollars from a linked credit provider who financed their purchase of kitchen goods from Kleenmaid Pt...

Media release: New credit reporting – silver lining masks big grey cloud

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed aspects of the Government's proposed reforms to credit reporting in Australia. However we question whether the steps forward for consumers on complaint handling...

Media release: Consumer Action Law Centre warns the public about telephone scam falsely using its name

Consumer Action Law Centre warns the public that scammers are contacting people falsely claiming to be an employee or representative of Consumer Action. Carolyn Bond, Consumer Action co-CEO, said tha...

Media release: Regulator’s report opens door to private operators in Victorian water sector

Consumer groups warn that the delivery of water services in Victoria could be radically changed, following the release of a report from the Essential Services Commission (ESC) today. The State Govern...

Submission: CCAAC Consumer rights – statutory implied conditions and warranties issues paper

Consumer Action supports national harmonisation and clarification of Australia’s laws on statutory conditions and warranties, so long as harmonisation does not weaken protections for consumers. Howev...

Media release: Australian Institute of Fitness gives young woman a financial workout

A young school leaver is defending a legal claim by the Australian Institute of Fitness to pay $7,416 for a training course she never started. Her legal defence asserts that the Institute has sued des...

Media release: Landmark case – Consumer Action to represent customer stung by Kleenmaid collapse

Consumer Action Law Centre is representing a couple who lost over nine thousand dollars in the high profile collapse of Kleenmaid Pty Ltd earlier this year, against the loan company that financed the...

Media release: TLC continues to break Victorian hearts and the bank

Consumer Action Law Centre has today launched a legal action on behalf of a vulnerable Victorian man against TLC Consulting Services Pty Ltd (TLC), an introduction agent permanently restrained from ca...

Media release: Company collects unclaimed money for consumer and keeps it for itself

Consumer Action Law Centre is representing a man who is suing Collection Point Pty Ltd, a company that offers ‘money retrieval’ services, for retaining 25% of the unclaimed superannuation funds he was...

Media release: Ordinary Melbourne households at risk from huge water price rises

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) and the Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre (CUAC) today said the Essential Services Commission’s final decision to allow steep price rises for Melbourn...

Media release: Small debt in a big pond – pensioner to lose home in bankruptcy over a $1000 Telstra internet bill

Consumer Action Law Centre has begun acting for a 60 year old pensioner who has sought help after being bankrupted for what started as a Telstra Internet services bill for less than $1,000. Nicole Ri...

Submission: National Human Rights Consultation

We welcome the opportunity to provide these comments on the National Human Rights Consultation to the Australian Government. We further commend the government on its action to ensure this important is...

Media release: Combined financial pain – finance broker stitches up low-income client

Consumer Action Law Centre has launched legal action against finance broking firm Combined Financial Services Australia Pty Ltd (Combined Financial) on behalf of a low income client alleging she was u...

Media release: Very Long Odds – elderly pensioner pressured by horse race tipsters

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) has warned Victorians to be wary of services offering horserace betting tips, after launching legal action against two companies involved in selling a bett...

Media release: Rogue broker not so affordable

Consumer Action Law Centre has launched legal action against finance broker Affordable Home Loans and Mortgage Advice Pty Ltd (Affordable Home Loans) and its director, William Curry, on behalf of a cl...

Submission: Australian Consumer Law – draft unfair contract terms provisions

Consumer Action strongly supports national unfair contract terms regulation. We consider that the draft legislation in the Paper largely reflects the policy intent previously communicated by the Minis...

Media release: $1 billion bank penalty fee income stream finally revealed

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the release of today’s annual banking fee bulletin by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), which reveals for the first time that Australian banks reaped over $1...

Media release: Debt collector to bankrupt consumer over NAB credit card debt

Consumer Action Law Centre is defending a client against an attempt to send her bankrupt over a small National Australia Bank (NAB) credit card debt which the NAB sold to a debt collector. Nicole Ric...

Joint submission: Metropolitan Melbourne Water Price Review 2008-09 – draft decision

This submission is put forward by the Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre Ltd and the Consumer Action Law Centre in response to the Draft Decision released by the Victorian Essential Services Commissio...

Media release: National energy retail laws released today ‘light on’ for Victorian household protections

Consumer Action Law Centre has warned that Victorians will be the biggest losers out of the new national energy laws released today. Janine Rayner, Senior Policy Officer at Consumer Action, said the...

Media release: National consumer credit laws welcome but loopholes must be closed

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed today’s release of the proposed national consumer credit laws by the Federal Government, but has warned that while the intention behind the laws is good, there...

Media release: All you need is love…and $22,000. Love Search Intros accused of swindling diabetic pensioner

Consumer Action Law Centre has issued legal action against R & H Consulting, trading as Love Search Intros, an introduction agency, on behalf of a 73 year old client whose diabetes medication caus...

Media release: NAB fails to assist client despite banks agreeing to help people in financial hardship

Consumer Action Law Centre has taken legal action against the National Australia Bank (NAB) on behalf of a consumer in financial difficulties alleging the bank ignored all approaches to try to resolve...

Media release: Water bills price reprieve welcomed by consumer group

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) and the Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre (CUAC) today welcomed the Essential Services Commission’s draft decision to cut the price rises for Melbourn...

Media release: Car buyers warned to say no to Motor Finance Wizard tricks

Consumer Action Law Centre has today again issued legal proceedings against motor car trader, DGTV1 which trades as Motor Finance Wizard, and its related finance arm, Kwik Finance, on behalf of a cons...

Media release: Education service provider has ‘Mental Blank’ when offering VCE success course

Consumer Action Law Centre has issued legal proceedings against education course provider, Mental Blank Pty. Ltd., on behalf of a client, Ms Ahlin Chen. It is alleged that Mental Blank failed to deli...

Policy report: Reclaiming community legal centres

Nicole Rich, Director – Policy & Campaigns, was awarded the Victoria Law Foundation’s 2007/08 Community Legal Centre Fellowship. This is the final report of her Fellowship project.The report discu...

Media release: Debt collector ACMS sued for harassment and coercion

Consumer Action Law Centre has issued a legal action on behalf of a client seeking compensation, punitive damages and an order restraining debt collector Accounts Control Management Services (ACMS) fr...

Briefing Paper: Ensuring access to justice with the implementation of a national consumer credit law (March 2009)

This briefing paper, prepared by the Consumers’ Federation of Australia with CHOICE, Consumer Action Law Centre and Consumer Credit Legal Centre NSW, outlines consumer concerns to ensure that viable a...

Media release: Bushfire victims have rights when dealing with lenders

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the response of many banks and other lenders to the plight of Victorian bushfire victims, but has advised that people affected by the fires may also have additi...

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