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...
Victorian Default Offer 2023-24: Consultation Paper
Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Essential Services Commission’s (ESC) Consultation Paper on the review of the Victorian Default Offer (VDO) for 2023-24. On bal...
Submission to the Department of Treasury and Finance ahead of the 2023-24 Victorian Budget
Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action), WEstjustice, Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service (VALS), Hume Riverina Community Legal Service, Barwon Community Legal Service and Eastern Community Legal...
Treasury Options Paper, Regulating Buy Now Pay Later in Australia
Consumer Action has joined with 22 other organisations as part of the "Close Lending Loopholes Alliance" to make a submission to Treasury on its Options Paper, Regulating Buy Now Pay Later in Australi...
Review of the Australian Finance Industry Association (AFIA) Buy Now Pay Later Code of Practice
Consumer Credit Legal Services (WA) Inc. (CCLSWA) has drafted these submissions on behalf of the Consumers’ Federation of Australia (CFA) and its members. CFA is the peak body for consumer organisatio...
Draft Telecommunications (Infringement Notice Penalties) Determination 2022
We welcome the opportunity to comment on the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (the Department) consultation on the draft Telecommunications (I...
Financial Counselling Industry Funding Model
Consumer Action Law Centre and Financial Rights Legal Centre have made a joint submission to the Department of Social Services Discussion Paper on the proposed Financial Counselling Industry Funding M...
Robodebt Royal Commission: refer debt collection misconduct to the ACCC
Consumer Action has partnered with Financial Counselling Australia and Economic Justice Australia to make a submission to the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme. The submission asks the Roya...
Initial feedback: 2023-28 Water Price Review
Access to water is a basic human right recognised by the United Nations and the Australian Government as fundamental to health, wellbeing, and an adequate standard of living. Critical to upholding thi...
Financial Services Legislation Inquiry –Interim Report B
Consumer Action has joined with Financial Rights Legal Centre and Redfern Legal Centre to make a submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission in response to its Financial Services Legislation In...
Retirement Villages Amendment Bill 2022 Exposure Draft
Retirement living is an important option for many older Victorians. The proposed Retirement Villages Amendment Act includes some positive measures that will improve consumer protection standards. O...
Quality of Advice Review
People who seek financial advice, including in relation to insurance, deserve to have confidence that it will be high-quality and free from conflict of interest. Despite this, conflicts of interest co...
Protecting consumers of distributed energy resources
With Victorians wanting to play their part in carbon reduction, consumer protections for new energy products and services need to be enhanced. This submission to the Department of Environment Land...
Financial Sector Reform Bill 2022 – Compensation Scheme of Last Resort and Financial Accountability Regime
Consumer groups strongly support the passage of a well-designed Compensation Scheme of Last Resort (‘CSLR’) and Financial Accountability Regime (‘FAR’). These reforms are landmark recommendations of t...
Submission to Senate Economics Committee: Financial Sector Reform Bill 2022 – consumer credit reforms
The submission, on behalf of 20 community organisations, recommends that the consumer credit reforms in the Finance Sector Reform Bill (FSR Bill) relating to small amount credit contracts and consumer...
