Consumer Action Law Centre has publicly released a report asserting that Victorian water businesses are not talking to their customers. The report, Water Reform in Victoria: Independent pricing regula...
Part VII of the Trade Practices Act 1974 acknowledges that there are circumstances in which anti-competitive conduct will be permissible - where the detriment caused by the conduct is outweighed by ot...
This project, undertaken by the now disbanded Micah Law Centre, was initiated in response to an increasing number of consumers presenting to financial counselling services because of problems experien...
Consumer Action is very appreciative of the Commission’s early and informal consultation undertaken in preparation for the review. The Commission’s willingness to consult directly with consumer repres...
Consumer Action has made a submission to the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Australia’s Consumer Policy Framework. To read our submission, click here: Productivity Commission Inquiry into Aus...
Financial institutions are bracing themselves for a customer backlash against unfair penalty fees, after a nationwide campaign was launched today by CHOICE and Consumer Action Law Centre. Thousands...
Consumer Action Law Centre has written to the Australian Bankers Association (ABA) and Abacus Australian Mutuals demanding that banks, credit unions and building societies put a stop to penalty fees t...
This report examines Victoria’s first independent review of water prices, undertaken by the Essential Services Commission in 2004 and 2005. The report concludes that there was a lack of community cons...
Over recent years, vendor terms mortgages have emerged as a way of marketing overpriced homes to predominately low-income consumers. Such mortgages can be particularly harmful as they often involve po...
This paper provides an overview of current consumer protections applying to the provision of energy to small-end residential users and argues that continued energy-specific consumer protections are ne...
A research report that examines the implementation of residential hardship policies by Victorian water businesses. To read the report, please click here....
A joint research report with the Centre for the Study of Privatisation and Public Accountability at Monash University. To read the report, please click here ...
This Issues Paper considers ways in which to protect consumers’ access to water as a human right, while at the same time ensuring water is returned to the environment. To read, please click here....
An examination of the commercialisation of the administration of debt agreements entered into under Part IX of the Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth). To read our report, please click here....
The Report argues that poor consumers pay more for their banking, credit cards, telephone, internet, gas, electricity, water and other household goods and services. To read the report, please click h...
The Report reveals that Australian banks are charging consumers hundreds of millions of dollars in fees that could be unlawful. To read the report, please click here...
This Report examines the impact on Victorian households of disconnection or restriction from electricity, gas or water services. The Report comprises the findings of a project undertaken by CLCV an...
The report examines the national and international developments in payday lending and the scale, operation and regulation of the payday lending industry in Australia and, in particular, Victoria. To...
An examination of the experience of unrepresented debtors in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court. The report found that many debtors are forced to ‘negotiate’ with debt collectors when appearing for a su...