Banks can do more to stop scams say consumer advocates
Australia’s banks can do much more to stop the plague of scams that is destroying families and costing the economy more than $2 billion annually. That’s the message from consumer advocates in response...
Consumer advocates praise court decision against Cigno loans
Consumer advocates have welcomed a Full Federal Court decision striking down a credit law avoidance strategy used by Cigno Pty Ltd and BHF Solutions. For years, fringe lender Cigno has preyed upon...
Commit to a lemon car ombudsman in November election say consumer advocates
Consumer Action Law Centre and WEstJustice Western Community Legal Centre are calling on the Victorian Government to make a solid commitment, ahead of the upcoming Victorian election in November, to i...
Government’s commitment to regulate buy now pay later products welcomed
Key consumer and community groups are welcoming comments by the new Minister for Financial Services, Stephen Jones, that the Government will move to regulate buy now pay later (BNPL). Minister Jone...
ASIC litigation against payday lender: new Federal Government must deliver overdue reform
Consumer Action has welcomed the Australian Securities and Investment Commission’s (ASIC) announcement that it is suing Sunshine Loans for breaches of the National Credit Code for charging unlawful fe...
Electricity disconnections on the rise as gaps in support for families revealed
Amidst worrying reports of rising energy prices, Consumer Action is calling for energy retailers to do more to help families and people who fall into difficultly with their bill payments, leading to d...
Crypto: As risky as gambling and a haven for scams that demands action
Consumer Action is calling for meaningful protections from scams to apply to businesses operating in the crypto sector. The call comes in a submission to the Treasury’s consultation paper Crypto as...
Telcos are an essential service and must step up to help customers in need
Consumer Action has welcomed the Statement of Expectations today from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) setting out clarity for telcos on assisting customers experiencing vulner...
Youpla collapse to fuel ‘trauma and intergenerational debt’ for Indigenous families across Australia
A coalition of over 125 organisations has released an open letter to both major parties calling for urgent action to prevent more than ten thousand Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families from...
ASIC litigation against fictitious high-cost ‘leases’ protects against exploitation
Consumer Action has welcomed the Australian Securities and Investment Commission’s (ASIC) announcement that it has sued Rent4Keeps and Layaway Depot for breaches of the National Credit Code involving...
Water is an essential service and must remain affordable for everyone
Consumer Action Law Centre has written to the Chairs and Managing Directors of the Victorian water corporations about the impending 2023 Water Price Review, urging them to prioritise affordability so...
US Government urged NOT to follow Australia’s lead with self-regulation of buy now pay later products
Australian consumer groups have warned the USA’s chief consumer regulator, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), about major flaws in the self-regulation of buy now pay later (BNPL) product...
Failure in Government policy sees First Nations peoples lose millions in funeral fund collapse
A coalition of community organisations which work with First Nations consumers and consumer groups are calling on the Australian Government to step in to assist policyholders who have been devastated...
More than $2billion lost as redress system fails scammed Aussies
Today is World Consumer Rights Day, which this year focuses on the need for fairer digital finance for all, including better protection from online scammers. New analysis from Consumer Action reveals...
Punish companies when they fail to give a repair, replacement or refund
Consumer Action, CHOICE, CCLSWA and WEstjustice are backing Treasury’s recent proposal to penalise businesses who don’t provide a repair, replacement or refund to a consumer when one is due. Fining bu...
Calls for stripping Sumo Power’s energy licence & compensation for those wrongly disconnected
Consumer groups* have written to the Essential Services Commission (ESC) calling for Sumo Power’s (Sumo) licence to operate in Victoria to be investigated and monetary compensation for those wrongfull...
Inhumane energy disconnections must end: $500K Sumo Power fine
Consumer Action has welcomed the Essential Services Commission (ESC) imposing $500,000 in penalties on energy retailer Sumo Power Pty Ltd for wrongfully disconnecting hundreds of families in the lead...
Hayne Royal Commission findings on conflicted remuneration forgotten by Federal Government in long-awaited review
Consumer Advocates are calling for an urgent rewrite of the Federal Government’s Draft Terms of Reference (Draft TOR) for the Quality of Financial Advice Review (Advice Review). “This review is sup...
Time to finally end the harm done by Cigno loans
Consumer groups and financial counsellors are urging the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) to act now to put an end to the use of harmful lending models used to charge excessive...
Australian consumer groups warn UK Government against industry “self-regulation” of Buy Now Pay Later
Financial Counselling Australia and the Consumer Action Law Centre have shared Australia’s experience of weak consumer safeguards for Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL), as part of the UK Government’s consultat...
Tougher consumer protections at core of payments reform welcomed
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s announcement today that the Government intends to reform Australia’s payment systems is a real opportunity to improve consumer protection, according to Consumer Action Law...
“The time is now”: Consumer groups urge banks to implement key code review recommendations
The final report of the triennial independent review of the Australian Banking Association’s (ABA) Banking Code of Practice released today makes over 100 recommendations aimed at improving people’s ex...
Consumer advocates welcome recommendation for stricter controls of credit funded gambling online
Financial Counselling Australia (FCA), Financial Rights Legal Centre and the Consumer Action Law Centre welcome the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services’ recommendation...
Consumer groups call for new ombudsman to ‘prune’ lemon cars
Consumer advocates are calling on the Victorian Government to commit to a free and effective dispute resolution service for Victorians who are sold ‘lemon’ cars by car dealers in next year’s Budget....
