Ensuring energy contracts are clear and fair, ESC Issues Paper

Deregulation in Victoria’s energy retail market has not delivered fair outcomes for all households accessing their essential energy services. The State Government has taken a number of steps to hel...

July 1, 2019

Banks should recognise that anyone can become vulnerable: Submission to ABA Guideline on Customer Vulnerability

There are any number of reasons why a person would be unable to unwilling to speak up when they are struggling with their financial situation. Who among us hasn’t faced a financial issue at one poi...

June 13, 2019

National Consumer Congress Keynote Address: How to deliver better outcomes for vulnerable consumers in regulated markets

The following keynote speech was delivered by Consumer Action CEO, Gerard Brody at the National Consumer Congress 2019 on Thursday, 14 March 2019 in Melbourne.   Today I want to ask whether w...

March 18, 2019

The justice system could better respond to the needs of people affected by misconduct in the finance sector

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) has recommended that financial service providers be required to improve their approach to dispute resolution in its comments to the Senate Legal and Consti...

March 6, 2019

National Energy Retail Amendment (Strengthening Protections for Customers in Hardship) Rule 2018 Draft Rule Determination

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the National Energy Retail Amendment (Strengthening Protections for Customers in Hardship) Rule 2018 Draft Rule...

October 15, 2018

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...

September 5, 2018

Energy Retail Code obligations for exempt sellers under the General Exemption Order 2017: Draft Decision

Consumer Action has made this joint submission alongside VCOSS. Embedded networks have presented serious difficulties for energy consumers for far too long, and the General Exemption Order 2017 is...

August 10, 2018

National Energy Guarantee Draft Detailed Design Consultation Paper – Commonwealth Elements

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the National Energy Guarantee (Guarantee) Draft Detailed Design Consultation Paper for Commonwealth Elements (Co...

July 6, 2018

National Energy Retail Amendment (Strengthening protections for customers in hardship) Rule 2018 consultation paper

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the National Energy Retail Amendment (Strengthening protections for customers in hardship) Rule 2018 Consultatio...

July 3, 2018

Joint submission: Attorney-General’s Department Review of Financial Hardship Arrangements

Consumer advocates consider that any additional information permitted to be shared or held as part of the credit reporting system is inherently a further privacy intrusion and must be justified to be...

June 28, 2018

Review into the Australian Taxation Office’s use of Garnishee Notices

We reject the legal status quo which enables garnishee orders issued prior to bankruptcy to continue to garnish the wages of bankrupted individuals post-bankruptcy. As we understand it, garnishee ord...

June 28, 2018

Payment difficulty framework amendments to the Compliance and Performance Reporting Guideline draft decision

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the payment difficulty framework amendments to the Compliance and Performance Reporting Guideline draft decision...

June 19, 2018

Are we there yet? (the mysterious case of the vanishing SACC Bill)

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June 19, 2018

Submission: 2018 Water Price Review standard draft decisions

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Essential Service Commission’s (ESC) standard draft decisions in the 2018 Water Price Review for Barwon Wate...

May 14, 2018

Submission: 2018 Water Price Review early draft decisions

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Essential Service Commission’s (ESC) early draft decisions in the 2018 Water Price Review for East Gippsland...

March 14, 2018

Drought legal assistance scoping project – Final report

Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) contracted Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) to undertake a detailed scoping and service model development project for Drought Legal Assistance for Victoria. This...

February 16, 2018

Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Finance Sector – Consumer Action submission part 2

Consumer Action Law Centre has published part 2 of its submission to the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Finance Sector today. The submission draws on the experienc...

February 5, 2018

ESC draft audit guideline for energy businesses

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide comment on the Essential Services Commission’s (ESC) draft audit guideline for energy businesses (the draft guideline)....

January 31, 2018

ESC draft charter of consultation and regulatory practice

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide comment on the Essential Services Commission’s (ESC) Draft Charter of Consultation and Regulatory Practice. It is im...

January 29, 2018

Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Finance Sector – Consumer Action submission part 1

Consumer Action Law Centre has published part 1 of its initial submission to the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Finance Sector today. The submission draws on the e...

January 22, 2018

Submission: Paper Billing Consultation Paper

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to make this submission in response to the Paper Billing Consultation Paper (Consultation Paper). Consumer Action supports Option 2 in the Co...

December 20, 2017

Submission in response to the Draft Guidance Note – Payment difficulty and disconnection

We acknowledge the significant work the Essential Services Commission has undertaken in drafting a comprehensive Guidance Note focused on customer outcomes. With expansion and redrafting in some areas...

November 16, 2017

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...

October 6, 2017

EDR Review Supplementary Issues Paper – Last resort compensation for victims of financial misconduct

A series of financial scandals have left many Australians out of pocket and in some cases, resulted in the loss of the family home or a secure retirement. Scandals have not just occurred in relation t...

July 5, 2017

EDR Review – Treasury Laws Amendment (External Dispute Resolution) Bill and Regulations 2017 exposure draft

Consumer advocates welcome the move to a one-stop shop external dispute resolution (EDR) scheme for all disputes in the financial system. Read the full submission here [PDF]...

June 22, 2017

Submission: ESC’s Payment Difficulty Framework Draft Decision

Consumer Action and the Financial and Consumer Rights Council welcome the opportunity to comment on the Essential Services ESC Victoria’s (ESC) new draft decision for its Payment Difficulties Framewor...

June 19, 2017

Submission: General Insurance Code of Practice 2017 Review

The Code is an important piece of self-regulation, setting out the best practice expected of the industry. Recent inquiries and reviews have ventilated a number of persistent, systemic problems for ge...

May 3, 2017

Design, scope, cost-benefit analysis, contracts awarded and implementation associated with the Better Management of the Social Welfare System initiative

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to provide a submission to the Inquiry on the Design, scope, cost-benefit analysis, contracts awarded and implementation associated with the...

April 11, 2017

Consumer protection in the banking, insurance and financial sector

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to provide a submission to the Senate Inquiry into consumer protection in the banking, insurance and financial sector. Read the full subm...

March 16, 2017

Productivity Commission’s Issues Paper Human Services – Identifying sectors for reform (Issues Paper).

Consumer Action Law Centre is pleased to provide this submission to the Productivity Commission’s Issues Paper Human Services – Identifying sectors for reform (Issues Paper). This submission provides...

August 2, 2016

Improving bankruptcy and insolvency laws – Proposals paper

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide input to proposed changes to Australia’s bankruptcy and insolvency laws. To read a PDF of the submission online,...

May 27, 2016

Review of the Small Amount Credit Contract Laws – Final Report

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) is pleased to comment on the Review of the Small Amount Credit Contract Laws – Final Report as part of The Treasury's review of the Small Amount Credit Con...

May 17, 2016

Review of the Warehousemen’s Liens Act 1958 (VIC)

Consumer Action Law Centre has provided comment on the review of the Warehousemen’s Liens Act 1958 (Vic) (“Act”). Read our full submission here [PDF]...

March 4, 2016

Submission: SACC Review Interim Report

Consumer Action has made its submission in response to the SACC Review Interim Report. We continue to push for tighter regulation on payday loans and consumer leases, which have been shown to cause si...

January 22, 2016

Submission to the Inquiry into the financial hardship arrangements of energy retailers

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the Essential Services Commission's (the Commission) Inquiry into the financial hardship arrangements of ene...

May 11, 2015

Submission to the Inquiry into the financial hardship arrangements of energy retailers

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the Essential Services Commission's (the Commission) Inquiry into the financial hardship arrangements of ene...

May 6, 2015

Submission: Proposed Principles of Reciprocity and Data Exchange

The Consumer Action Law Centre, Financial Rights Legal Centre and Financial Counselling Australia have made a joint submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on the likel...

April 1, 2015

Submission: The Forrest Review and the Healthy Welfare Card

Consumer Choice We have concerns that forcing welfare recipients to receive and spend their benefits on a certain card will adversely affect their consumer choice. By limiting their ability to pay wit...

September 19, 2014

Submission: Senate Inquiry into the extent of income inequality in Australia

Consumer Action has provided comment on the extent of, and impact of, income inequality in Australia. We are concerned by the signals of distress from the most vulnerable in our community and their i...

September 1, 2014

Media release: New report calls on energy retailers to improve support for struggling households

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July 31, 2014

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...

March 5, 2014

Submission: Financial System Inquiry—Draft Terms of Reference

Consumer Action welcomes the opportunity to comment on the draft terms of reference for the Financial System Inquiry. In summary, we recommend that: the overall objective for the Inquiry could be e...

December 2, 2013

Submission: Credit hardship obligations—outstanding issues

Consumer Action, Consumer Credit Legal Centre NSW, and Financial Counselling Australia have made a joint submission on Australian Securities and Investments Commission's discussion paper Credit Hardsh...

August 30, 2013

Financial hardship: What can I do if I am having difficulty paying my loan or lease payments?

[box type="note" icon="none"] Key points: if you cannot pay your loan or lease because you are in financial difficulty (hardship) you may have the right to have your payments reduced, or changed in...

July 3, 2013

Joint Submission: Changes to Disclosure Requirements under the National Consumer Protection Act 2009

Consumer Action and the Consumer Credit Legal Centre welcomes Treasury's approach of basing revised disclosure on the findings made by the Uniquest report. Uniquest was commissioned by the Standing Co...

May 17, 2013

Submission: Federal Government’s independent review of Centrepay, Centrelink’s voluntary bill-paying service

The Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the opportunity to comment on the independent review of the Centrepay system. Consumer Action believes that Centrepay can be a valuable financial management too...

March 4, 2013

Submission: ATM fees in selected very remote Indigenous communities

Consumer Action has supported the ACCC's draft determination on the Australian Bankers' Association (ABA) proposal to reduce ATM fees in selected very remote Indigenous communities. Financial Counsel...

October 1, 2012

Joint submission: Allowance payments for jobseekers

Consumer Action and the Consumer Credit Legal Centre NSW welcomes the opportunity to comment on the inquiry into the adequacy of the allowance payment system and related issues. This submission respo...

August 13, 2012

Media release: New report offers a snapshot of debt collection practices in the Victorian energy sector

A new report from the Consumer Action Law Centre gives an insight into the experiences of a number of Victorian energy consumers who had their energy debts passed onto external debt collectors. The pu...

July 16, 2012

Submission: Inquiry into the Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Bill 2012

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to comment on Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Bill 2012. Our submission concerns the changes relating to cre...

July 10, 2012