Cost of living - Consumer Action Law Centre

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‘Advance long-awaited reforms’ Consumer Action congratulates new Assistant Treasurer

Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Stephanie Tonkin has congratulated Dr Daniel Mulino on his appointment to the positions of Assistant Treasurer and Financial Services Minister in the new Albanese Govern...

AFCA scam complaints ‘off the charts’ while banks fail to reimburse customers

The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) received a record number of complaints in 2023-24 after disputes to the ombudsman service increased 9 per cent to more than 105,000 for the year. C...

Minimum Standards for Rental Properties and Rooming Houses

Consumer Action Law Centre, with Financial Counselling Victoria, the Federation of Community Legal Centres (FCLC), Anika Legal, Westjustice and Community Information & Support Victoria (CISVic),...

POLLING: Big majority of Australians say banks should do their job and take responsibility for keeping our money safe

Banks victim-shaming approach ‘immoral’- Tonkin New polling by Essential Media is unequivocal: the vast majority (75%) of Australians expect banks to keep their money safe from criminal scammers, a...

REPORT: At the front line of the cost-of-living crisis

Interest rates have gone up thirteen times since May 2022. Inflation calculators, which look at purchasing power over time, show that since 2022 there has been a ten percent decrease in the purchasing...

Senate Inquiry: Cost-of-Living crisis highlights the need for supermarket prices to be fair and transparent say consumer advocates

Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Stephanie Tonkin and Acting Director of Financial Counselling Practice Claire Tacon will be giving evidence today at the Senate Select Committee hearing into supermarket...

Senate Select Committee on supermarket prices

Our submission to the Senate Select Committee on supermarket prices aims to provide insight into the broader context and impacts of rising costs of living for Australians. Rising costs and poor ind...

Complaints about financial firms to AFCA skyrocket as thousands of Australians left behind

The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) has revealed that consumers in dispute with financial firms lodged a record 96,987 complaints in the past 12 months, an unprecedented rise of 34 pe...

Energy Assistance Report 3rd Edition

Understanding the experience of Victorians dealing with energy hardship Access to affordable, reliable energy is one of the key challenges facing governments, the energy sector, and consumers in 20...

REPORT: More support needed to help Victorians households manage power bills

A new report released today by Consumer Action Law Centre has found that while Victoria’s energy retailers continue to improve their support for people in financial hardship, many Victorians continue...

Now is the time to make positive reforms to bankruptcy laws say consumer advocates

Consumer advocates around Australia have welcomed moves by Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus KC MP to reform bankruptcy laws. Last month, consumer advocates attended a Ministerial Roundtable on Perso...

OPINION: Banks must use their windfall profits to tackle the scam crisis 

By Stephanie Tonkin, CEO, Consumer Action Law Centre  The big four banks are tipped to make record profits this financial year, with some analysts suggesting they will collectively rake in more th...

Energy price hikes a further blow to families during cost-of-living crisis

Energy price hikes announced today of more than 30 per cent in the Victorian Default Offer (VDO) draft determination, are yet another blow to families during the worst cost of-living crisis in a gener...

Consumer Action calling on banks to block payments to scammers and reimburse victims

Australia’s banks should quickly introduce measures to stop scams, make their systems safer and reimburse victims or be made by Government to do so, says Consumer Action CEO Stephanie Tonkin. Ms Tonk...

Regulate Buy Now, Pay Later like other credit products to boost customer safeguards, consumer groups say

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) late fees and charges would be capped, and providers would be licensed and banned from making unsolicited offers of credit, under recommendations for proper regulation of the...

Energy price caps welcomed, but bill relief needs to reach those doing it toughest in cost-of-living crisis

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed today’s passing of the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Gas Prices) Bill 2022, which will cap gas prices and deliver bill relief, as well as plans to support...

Water prices a welcome relief but hardship concerns remain

Consumer Action has welcomed the price proposals from Victorian water businesses for the period 2023-28 in a submission to the Essential Services Commissions Initial Feedback: 2023-28 Water Price Revi...

Wholesale energy upheaval should not push default electricity prices higher

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) has written to Kate Symons, Chairperson of the Essential Services Commission (ESC), urging caution before accepting electricity retailer arguments to r...

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