What if I have been sued for a debt?
Key message Act quickly to get advice if you have been sued for a debt in the Magistrate’s Court of Victoria. The Magistrates Court Process If the amount owed is $100,000 or less, a creditor...
Submission: Inquiry into the post-GFC banking sector
This submission makes the following brief points: that the development of an independent measure of the cost of bank funding (including offshore wholesale funding, and deposits), regularly reported...
Submission: Inquiry into the post-GFC banking sector
Rather than responding to each point of the Committee's terms of reference, this submission makes the following brief points: that the development of an independent measure of the cost of bank fundi...
Credit limit offers in the spotlight
We've all seen letters or messages from banks trying to entice us to increase our credit card limits. They come in a range or forms from Congratulations, you’ve been pre-approved, to Increase your cre...
Submission: Productivity Commission’s Regulatory Impact Assessment benchmarking study
This submission argues that the Regulatory Impact Assessment process could be improved if government agencies had more guidance on how to assess the benefits of regulation and the less tangible impact...
May 2012
VicRoads ordered to court in parking case ABC Online, 30 May 2012, Sarah Farnsworth Credit limit offers in the spotlight Briefed: The Law Blog, Herald Sun, 28 May 2012, Gerard Brody Short-chan...
Media release: Linked credit case could cast doubt on more NAB student loans
The Consumer Action Law Centre has lodged a complaint with the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) against the National Australia Bank (NAB) and is seeking to have its client’s NAB student loan terminat...
Submission: Proposed amendments to the Consumer Credit and Corporations Legislation Amendment (Enhancements) Bill 2011
In brief, this submission recommends: With regards to hardship variations that Government consider providing detailed guidance to credit providers, perhaps through ASIC, to assist them to better a...
Media release: Retirement village contracts confusing for consumers, says consumer group
The Consumer Action Law Centre says a case in which it is assisting an elderly retirement village resident with her dispute before the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) demonstrates t...
Policy report: A scan of the return policies of online retailers in Australia
In January 2011, the Australian Government introduced legal protections for consumers buying goods or services called ‘consumer guarantees’. Consumer Guarantees ensure that you can get a refund, repla...
Getting the most out of the new Australian Consumer Law
The Australian Consumer Law came into effect on 1 January 2011. It harmonises consumer protection and fair trading legislation nationally, and introduces new national unfair contract terms protections...
Submission: Unconscionable Conduct Issues Paper
Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to provide comment to the inquiry process established by the Government to examine options for clarifying the unconscionable conduct provisions of the Trade Pr...
Submission: Australian Consumer Law – draft unfair contract terms provisions
Consumer Action strongly supports national unfair contract terms regulation. We consider that the draft legislation in the Paper largely reflects the policy intent previously communicated by the Minis...
Submission: Trade Practices – Unconscionable Conduct
Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to provide this submission to the Senate Economics Committee’s Inquiry into the need to develop a clear statutory definition of unconscionable conduct for the...
Submission: Productivity Commission Inquiry into Australia’s Consumer Policy Framework
Consumer Action has made a submission to the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Australia’s Consumer Policy Framework. To read our submission, click here: Productivity Commission Inquiry into Aus...