Australian Consumer Law - Consumer Action Law Centre

Revamped Koorihelp website and Facebook page launched for community

Consumer Action has launched a revamped Koorihelp website and new Facebook page focused on providing the latest information about pressing consumer issues and services to Victoria’s Aboriginal and Tor...

Government-led Senate Committee backs strengthening consumer protections for predatory payday loans and high-cost leases

A Senate Committee has handed down its final report on proposed reforms to payday loans and consumer leases in the National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Small Amount Credit Contract and Consu...

Consumer groups welcome South Australian crackdown on predatory lenders

Consumer groups have applauded the South Australian government’s plans to crackdown on payday lenders and consumer lease providers. The government’s proposed laws would introduce important consumer pr...

Extension of bankruptcy threshold protections should be made permanent

Consumer groups have welcomed the Government’s extension of bankruptcy threshold protections until the end of the year because of the COVID emergency and are calling for the changes to be made permane...

Report misses the mark on buy now pay later regulation

The Senate Select Committee on Financial Technology and Regulatory Technology has published its Interim Report. Consumer groups say the Interim Report has missed the mark on its recommendation encoura...

Submission to the Parliamentary Joint Committee’s Class Action Inquiry

Class actions provide Australians a valuable mechanism for accessing justice where systematic or repetitive conduct by the same party has caused similar harm to numerous individuals. Class actions als...

Victorian Government’s class action changes promote corporate accountability

The Victorian Government’s proposed changes to class action rules should enable greater access to justice and promote corporate accountability, according to Consumer Action Law Centre. The Justice...

Submission: Telecommunications Consumer Safeguards Review Part A – Consumer Redress and Complaints Handling

The norm of fairness must be recognised

Our existing consumer protection framework has failed to prevent unfairness from becoming embedded in business practices. From unclear marketing, subscriptions that make cancellation difficult, to...

Unconscionable conduct: Divided High Court confirms need for change to the law

In its response to the High Court finding that a ‘book-up’ credit scheme operated in the remote Aboriginal community of Mintabie in the South Australian APY lands was not unconscionable, Consumer Acti...

Clarification of consumer guarantees is essential, but making information accessible must be a focus

Clarification of consumer guarantees is essential according to Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action), but making information accessible must be a focus in newly proposed guidance about ‘unsafe’...

Prohibition will strengthen the consumer law and allow regulators to deal with practices that cause consumer detriment

Consumer Action has made a submission to the ACCC Digital Platforms Inquiry Preliminary Report. The submission focuses primarily on the proposal to develop a general prohibition against unfair practic...

Submission: draft Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code

Consumer Action Law Centre together with WEstjustice made a submission to the CommsAlliance on the Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code Draft (DR C628:2018) (draft Code), which has been produc...

Submission: Easy and Transparent Trading Consultation Paper

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Easy and Transparent Trading Consultation Paper (the Consultation Paper). We have limited our comments to Se...

Submission to the Australian Consumer Law Review – Clarification, simplification and modernisation of the consumer guarantee framework

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action), WEstjustice, National Association of Community Legal Centres (NACLC) and Federation of Community Legal Centres (Victoria) Inc welcome the opportunity...

An agenda for ageing in Victoria

Currently, there is no plan for the increased longevity and diversity of Victoria’s population. The result is a fragmented approach to policy and programs relating to older people between the ages of...

Victorian State Budget Submission 2018-19

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) has made a submission to Victoria's Department of Treasury and Finance during the 2018-19 Pre-Budget period. Consumer Action has focused this submission on...

Knock it off

Download the full report here [PDF] https://youtu.be/j43zE3HBoFk...

Supplementary Submission: ACCC New Car Inquiry

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to make a supplementary submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) New Car Retailing Inquiry. Our sup...

Inquiry into the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card) Bill 2017: Submission

Consumer Action joins with FamilyCare Shepparton to make this submission. Shepparton is the only Victorian community that is currently subject to income management, a policy similar to the Cashless De...

Submission: New Car Retailing Industry ACCC Draft Report

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to make this submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) new car retail industry market study draft report (the Draf...

Review of the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Review of the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 (NVETR Act). Consumer Action ha...

Submission: Black Economy Taskforce Interim Report

Contributors to this submission have supported and represented thousands of consumers over many years. We support the overall intention of the Taskforce, which is to develop an ‘innovative, forward-lo...

Budget 2017: Increased financial penalties for breach of the Australian Consumer Law

As part of the budget, the Federal Government has proposed increasing penalties for breach of the Australian Consumer Law. “Increasing maximum penalties will help to ensure that fines for breaking...

Response: Australian Consumer Law Review Final Response

Today the Australian Consumer Law Review Final Report was released, and consumer advocates say there are some great wins for Australians. Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Gerard Brody said that some im...

Productivity Commission Draft Report – Consumer Law Enforcement and Administration

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to provide comment in response to the Productivity Commission Draft Report – Consumer Law Enforcement and Administration (Draft Report)....

Australian Consumer Law Review: Interim Report

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Australian Consumer Law Review—Interim Report (Interim Report). While we are engaged with the process, we...

Cooling off doesn’t work: New research

Australians have been told for decades that “cooling off” periods will protect them from predatory salespeople, but new research shows dodgy salespeople still have the upper hand. Dr Paul Harrison,...

Productivity Commission Issues Paper – Consumer Law Enforcement and Administration

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to provide comment in response to the Productivity Commission Issues Paper – Consumer Law Enforcement and Administration (Issues Paper)....

Legal action against Get Qualified Australia

Consumer Action has assisted a 34 year old migrant to take legal action against Get Qualified Australia. GQA claims to assist people with the process of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). RPL is an...

Australian Consumer Law Review – submission

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Australian Consumer Law Review—Issues Paper (Issues Paper). The Review is highly anticipated and offers a...

Inquiry into the causes and consequences of the collapse of listed retailers in Australia

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Inquiry into the causes and consequences of the collapse of listed retailers in Australia (Inquiry). View...

Why an unfairness test might be a better way to tackle big business bullies

Eileen Webb, University of Western Australia Unconscionable conduct proceedings against Woolworths by the corporate regulator announced this week are a (yet another) brave attempt to crack down on an...

Solar sale burns buyer

A Melbourne couple are fighting to get their money back after being sold solar panels that they say were trouble from the moment they were installed. The couple, Michael and Amanda Cousins, assist...

Facebook makes it easier to buy and sell, but what are your rights?

You may have noticed this option pop up in your Facebook groups. It looks like Facebook is on a mission to make it easier to sell and buy items through their network, but what are your rights? I...

Submission: Financial System Inquiry – Improving Consumer Disclosure

The Financial System Inquiry Interim Report notes that the current disclosure regime for retail financial products and services is not always effective in meeting its objective. It produces complex an...

Media Release: Making home insurance fair and simple – Consumer Action welcomes new report findings

A new report by the Office of the Fire Services Levy Monitor has lifted the veil on Australia’s home insurance industry, exposing high profits, poor product and price disclosure, and a severe lack of...

Media Release: Inquiry recommends changes to ASIC

Consumer Action welcomes much of the findings of the Senate Standing Committees on Economics Inquiry into the Performance of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), and commends A...

Media release: Dozo car sales ordered to pay $2,150 after breaching consumer guarantees

Dozo Car Sales has been ordered to pay $2,150 to a vulnerable consumer after it refused, within a reasonable time, to provide a refund on a defective car and, instead, bought it back at a reduced pric...

Submission: Consumer Credit Regulations

Consumer Action and the Consumer Credit Legal Centre NSW have made a joint submission to Treasury on exposure draft consumer credit regulations affecting payday lenders. In summary, we are supportive...

Submission: Access to Justice Arrangements

Consumer Action has provided a submission to the Productivity Commission on its Issues Paper, Access to Justice Arrangements. The key points and recommendations made in this submission are: The inq...

Joint submission: Independent Review of the Financial Ombudsman Service

Consumer Action and Consumer Credit Legal Centre (NSW) have coordinated and written a consumer submission to the independent review of the Financial Ombudsman Service. The submission contains contribu...

Consumer Action Law Centre Policy and Campaigns Plan 2013-14

Consumer Action is a not-for-profit, independent community organisation, focused on advancing the interests of consumers. We advocate for more equitable outcomes for consumers, particularly those who...

Timeshare schemes

Key messages carefully consider what you are getting before you purchase an interest in a timeshare scheme; or there are a number of protections that may assist you if you think you have got a ba...

Consumer InterAction – Issue 3 of 2013

The third edition of Consumer InterAction for 2013 is now online. This edition includes information on: New Director of Policy & Campaigns announced; New tool to stop door knockers; Regulator...

Media Release: $1.5 million fine for AGL as the costs of door-to-door marketing misconduct start to add up for energy retailers

The Consumer Action Law Centre, the organisation behind the successful Do Not Knock sticker and campaign, has welcomed a Federal Court decision that AGL Sales Pty Ltd and AGL South Australia Pty Ltd p...

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