Joint Submission: Getting the Victorian Default Offer right
This submission represents the shared view of leading Victorian community sector organisations and energy consumer advocates. Our submission identifies where there remains work to be done, and Victori...
Regulating Digital Asset Platforms: Crypto
Through our frontline services, we see widespread harm in the crypto market, and the urgent need for intervention. In this submission, we are responding to Treasury’s proposal paper Regulating Digi...
Inquiry into insurers’ responses to 2022 major floods claims
Consumer Action Law Centre has responded to the Federal Parliament's Standing Committee on Economics inquiry into insurers' responses to the major flood claims arising from 2022’s ‘disaster year’ with...
2024-25 Victorian Default Offer: Request for comment paper
Consumer Action reaffirms the importance of the policy intent underpinning the Victorian Default Offer (VDO) to provide a simple, trusted and reasonably priced electricity option that safeguards consu...
The National Legal Assistance Partnership Review
The community legal sector’s work would not be possible without stable, indexed NLAP funding. This is a critical part of specialist community legal centres’ (CLC) baseline resourcing, now and into the...
Personal insolvency discussion paper 2023
Consumer Action Law Centre provides financial counselling assistance and legal advice to people at all stages of the insolvency process. We regularly speak to people who end up in unnecessary and cost...
AFCA’s responsible lending approach consultation
This submission is made on behalf of: • Consumer Action Law Centre • Financial Rights Legal Centre • Consumer Credit Legal Service (CCLS) • Financial Counselling Australia. Supporting and rep...
Response to consultation paper 371 – Product intervention orders in credit
This is a joint submission made on behalf of Consumer Action Law Centre, Financial Rights Legal Centre, Financial Counselling Australia, Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network, WEstjustice, The Salvat...
Australian Banking Association application for authorisation AA1000645
Consumer Action, Financial Rights and CHOICE are calling on the banking industry to do more to prevent scams, as increasing losses are having a devastating impact on individuals and the Australian eco...
Financial services legislation inquiry – Interim Report C
Consumer Action Law Centre, Consumers' Federation of Australia and Financial Rights Legal Centre have provided feedback on the proposals in the Australian Law Reform Commission’s (ALRC) Interim Repor...
Banning telemarketing under the Victorian Energy Upgrades program
We strongly support the Minister’s intention to introduce a ban on telemarketing within the VEU program. We have long advocated for bans on telemarketing (as well as doorknocking) as inherently probl...
Submission to the NDIS Review
As part of Consumer Action’s NDIS project, we prioritise data collection and analysis for clients calling our advice lines with NDIS related matters. Concerningly, our casework reveals that NDIS parti...
AFCA Rules and Operational Guidelines – Proposed Amendments
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to the proposed amendments to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority’s (AFCA) complaint resolution scheme rules (Rules) and Operational Guidelines (Guid...
Feedback on standard draft decisions: 2023 Water Price Review
Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the standard draft decisions released by the Essential Services Commission (ESC) as part of the 2023 Water Price Rev...
AFCA’s approach to claims for non-financial loss
Consumer Action is responding to the proposed amendments to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority’s (AFCA) approach to non-financial loss claims (Amended Approach). We generally support the go...
Victorian Default Offer 2023-24 Draft Decision: We need a meaningful reduction to the proposed 31% increase
To date, we believe that the Victorian Default Offer (VDO) has been successful in achieving the policy objective of providing consumers unable or unwilling to engage in the market with a simple, trust...
Token crypto mapping consultation paper and the need for adequate protections and safeguards
The crypto marketplace currently poses significant risk to consumers and there is a pressing need for adequate protections and safeguards. Consumer Action applauds the Government for its commitment...
Exposure draft – consumer credit regulations
Consumer Action, and the various organisations from the Stop the Debt Trap Alliance, routinely advise and assist people who have multiple payday loans and/or consumer leases that they took on due to t...
Anti-avoidance provisions for credit product intervention orders
This is a joint submission made on behalf of: • Consumer Action Law Centre • Financial Rights Legal Centre • Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network • Financial Counselling Australia • WEstjusti...
Submission Select Committee on Cost of Living
In responding the cost of living crisis, consumers are contacting our services for advice and assistance. In 2022, there were 6,494 contacts to our financial counsellors via the National Debt Helpline...
Australian Securities and Investments Commission – inquiry into investigation and enforcement conduct
Effective enforcement action is a critical task of consumer protection regulators and essential to a well-functioning consumer market. In recent years, ASIC has completed a significant amount of meani...
A Strategic Plan for the Payments System
We consider the safety and resilience of the payments system to require urgent attention and intervention and outline the reasons for this in our joint submission with Financial Rights Legal Centre....
Inquiry into the extent and nature of poverty in Australia
Consumer Action’s financial counsellors and lawyers advise and assist people experiencing financial hardship and poverty on a daily basis. The data Consumer Action collects, as well as the reflections...
Code Governance Committee’s monitoring and compliance program for 2023-24 consultation
We are grateful for the opportunity to provide input to the Code Governance Committee’s (CGC) monitoring and compliance program for the 2023-24 financial year. In our submission we recommend that t...
