VET Sector needs a national ombudsman: Consumer Action

Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes reforms announced today by the Federal Government for the vocational education and training (VET) sector and calls for the establishment of a national ombudsman sch...
December 1, 2015

Lawyering for change

Providing our clients with access to free legal services does not necessarily mean we provide them with justice. With 156,854 clients turned away from community legal centres (CLCs) in 2014,1 it is cl...
November 11, 2015

November 2015

Read, watch and listen to media featuring Consumer Action from November 2015. Suncorp reports spike in smash repairers car-napping vehicles and holding owners to ransom https://www.google.com/url...
November 8, 2015

Consumer Complaints Register – Joint Submission

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) and Financial Rights Legal Centre (Financial Rights) welcome the opportunity to comment on the Consumer Complaints Register described in the Discussion...
November 6, 2015

Accident Towing Regulation – Joint submission

Consumer Action has partnered with Western Community Legal Centre to provide a submission to the Essential Services Commission on its Draft Report on Accident Towing. The submission welcomes the focus...
October 29, 2015

Acquiring a long list of complaints on privacy

The privacy commissioner has been called in to investigate allegations that the Privacy Act is being flaunted by an education company targeting job-seekers to sell vocational courses. Consumer Acti...
October 28, 2015

Retirement living parliamentary event

Consumer Action hosted a morning tea at Parliament House on 9 October 2015 which brought together over 70 retirement housing residents with their local parliamentarians. It was a hugely successful d...
October 21, 2015

Payday loans: Julie’s Story

Julie is a single mother who subsists on Centrelink payments. She was recently involved in a family breakdown and suffers from mental health issues. She has had her Centrelink reduced and as a result...
October 21, 2015

Payday loans: James’ Story

James says he has had approximately 8 to 12 payday loans from a payday lender (that also operates as a pawnbroker) in the last 12 to 18 months, but he's lost count. James says that he was recently pro...
October 21, 2015

The common car product you might get a refund for

Australians are demanding better from the products sold with used cars and winning. Sarah from Melbourne’s south east thought she had to buy an extended warranty in order to get a loan. Consumer Ac...
October 20, 2015

Payday loans: Laura’s Story

Laura lives in public housing and receives a Centrelink pension. She has a mild intellectual disability and suffers from mental illness. Laura has two young children one of which has a mild intellectu...
October 19, 2015

Used car warranties: Phil’s story

Phil* bought a used car as a gift for his granddaughter in October 2014. He also bought a motor vehicle warranty from National Warranty Company. Phil paid $4500 for the car and $295 for the warranty....
October 19, 2015

Add-on insurance – watch out!

Consumer Action has helped a client take on one of Australia's biggest finance companies about add-on insurance and a high-cost loan. In April 2013, our elderly client asked for a loan of $10,000 to...
October 16, 2015

Senate inquiry backs VET Industry Ombudsman

Consumer Action Law Centre reiterates its call for the establishment of an Industry Ombudsman in the vocational education sector as recommended in a Senate report released today. The release of "Th...
October 16, 2015

Submission to the Energy Hardship Inquiry Draft Report

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the Essential Services Commission's (the Commission) Inquiry into the financial hardship arrangements of ene...
October 12, 2015

A weaker ASIC helps no one: consumer groups

A proposed funding model for corporate regulator ASIC has come under fire by consumer groups who say the model could lead to a weaker and less effective regulator. In a submission to Treasury, the...
October 12, 2015

Unable to open the letterbox – money and mental health

Money is a major cause of distress for many Australians and for some Australians with mental health problems, there are times when being financially responsible for yourself simply isn’t possible. Man...
October 9, 2015

October 2015

Read, watch and listen to media featuring Consumer Action from October 2015. Consumer groups call for overhaul of power market controls https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=http://www....
October 8, 2015

Used car warranties: Christian’s story

Christian (name changed) bought a second hand car in late 2014. He had had gearbox trouble with a previous car which cost him a lot of money, so when he noticed advertising for National Warranty Compa...
October 1, 2015

Energy disconnections: Rod’s story

When his electricity was disconnected in late 2014, Rod lived with his wife and four of his seven children in Melbourne’s north. The disconnection lasted four days. Rod says the automatic payments he’...
October 1, 2015

Energy disconnections: Lyn’s story

Lyn is 58 years old. She lives with her daughter in Melbourne’s north, and they have experienced several energy disconnections. Lyn is a survivor of domestic violence, and her financial problems stem...
September 28, 2015

We’re hiring – Senior Policy Officer – Vendor Terms

We are undertaking an exciting project with the aim to bring up to date current consumer sector knowledge of unconventional home sales arrangements known as “Rent to Buy” or “vendor terms” for sellers...
September 25, 2015

Energy disconnections: Sarah’s story

Sarah is a writer in her forties. She lives by herself in an inner Melbourne apartment, which she rents privately. With a tertiary degree and regular work, Sarah had always been able to manage her fin...
September 23, 2015

Taking action against a credit repair company

There are easy options for seeking a refund or compensation from a credit repair company. Many Victorians have experienced problems with credit repair companies. If you are one of these people, and yo...
September 21, 2015

Rent-to-buy products must be kicked off Centrepay

Leading consumer groups are calling for the Australian Parliament to support moves by the Senate to protect the integrity of Centrelink’s budgeting tool for essentials, Centrepay, by excluding rent-to...
September 10, 2015

Energy disconnections: Emira’s story

Emira lives in public housing in regional Victoria with her young son, Jack. At 27, she has faced significant challenges in her life: she left a violent family home at 14, and has since found herself...
September 10, 2015

AEMC Multiple Trading Relationships Consultation Paper

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the AEMC's consultation paper on Multiple Tradition Relationships (MTR) in the National Electricity Mark...
September 9, 2015

September 2015

Read, watch and listen to media featuring Consumer Action from September 2015. Mental glitch that's making us spend https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=http://www.news.com.au/financ...
September 8, 2015

Energy disconnections: Julie’s story

Julie is 48 years old and lives alone in a public housing unit. In the past Julie has struggled with alcohol addiction, and has recently escaped a violent partner. She suffers from post-traumatic stre...
September 4, 2015

Energy disconnections: Karen’s story

Karen is a single mother of four children living in public housing. Her gas and electricity were disconnected for about a week in October 2014. At that time Karen was a victim of domestic violence. He...
September 1, 2015