Access to Justice - Consumer Action Law Centre

“Disappointing”: Our response to ESC decision on Greater Western Water

Consumer Action Law Centre acknowledges the Essential Services Commission’s (ESC) decision today to accept an enforceable undertaking from Greater Western Water (GWW) and the significant $130 million...

Fair Call Coalition: ‘Deficient’ industry code must be replaced with proper protections

The members of the Fair Call Coalition, an alliance of 23 consumer organisations, is calling on the Minister for Communications, Anika Wells, to exercise her powers and direct the Australian Communica...

Proposed billing exception approval for Greater Western Water

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback on the Essential Services Commission’s (ESC) proposed billing exception for Greater Western Water (GWW). We...

OPINION: The lessons of the Banking Royal Commission must not be forgotten

Published in the Herald Sun, 16 September, 2025. Opinion by Stephanie Tonkin, CEP Consumer Action Law Centre The Banking Royal Commission was a watershed moment for Australians. It shattered pub...

The attack on Camp Sovereignty was an attack on all Victorians

Consumer Action stands in solidarity with Camp Sovereignty and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities impacted by the egregious and racist attacks on Camp Sovereignty on 31 August. Consu...

Treaty welcomed as Victoria takes huge step towards meaningful reconciliation

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the tabling of the Treaty Bill in the Victorian Parliament yesterday. “Consumer Action celebrates this historic milestone with our First Nations colleagues,...

Court Finds Money3 Breached Responsible Lending Laws: Consumer Advocates Welcome Outcome

In a decision handed down on Friday, the Federal Courthas found that car lender Money3 breached responsible lending laws. The case, brought by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (...

Centrepay will no longer be a vehicle for financial abuse

Consumer advocates welcome reforms to Government payment service The Financial Rights Legal Centre, Mob Strong Debt Help, Consumer Action Law Centre, CHOICE, Anglicare NT and Economic Justice Austral...

Draft Determination AA1000683 – Application by the Australian Banking Association

This is a joint submission from Consumer Action Law Centre, Mob Strong Debt Help, Financial Rights Legal Centre, and Financial Counselling Australia. Basic bank accounts (BBAs) are incredibly valua...

OPINION: The evil reach of the ‘recovery’ scam as victims robbed again

First published in the Herald Sun, Sunday27 July 2025 The scams crisis is still raging, and some statistical indicators reveal this problem, which costs Australians billions of dollars every year,...

Rogue lender Cigno and its Directors lose appeal to the Full Federal Court

Cigno Australia Pty Ltd and its directors’ appeal to the Full Federal Court has been dismissed today and costs awarded to the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC). Consumer Action...

Second AUSTRAC Consultation on new AML/CTF Rules

This is a joint submission made on behalf of: • Consumer Action Law Centre • Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network • Super Consumers Australia • Financial Counselling Australia • Mob Strong Debt...

Minimum disconnection amount draft decision

In this submission, we discuss the significance of energy affordability in determining a disconnection amount, the risks with setting a threshold to disconnect a person or household from an essential...

ACCC’s decision on first super complaint ‘shows the system works’ says Consumer Action

Consumer Action Law Centre CEO, Stephanie Tonkin says she is thrilled by the decision of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to launch a detailed review into the national impact and har...

Stop the harms! Regulate wage advance products now say consumer advocates

Consumer advocates from across Australia are calling on the Albanese Government to urgently regulate the proliferation of ‘wage advance’ products that are making the cost-of-living crisis worse for th...

Better Energy Customer Experiences consultation

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) supports the prioritisation of a strong energy consumer protection framework for Australian energy customers, particularly as we transition to renewable en...

Insurance code enforceability welcomed but delays and watering down protections a concern

Consumer groups including the Financial Rights Legal Centre, Financial Counselling Australia and the Consumer Action Law Centre, have welcomed the Insurance Council’s announcement that they will inclu...

Cost-of-living measures in State Budget will make a positive difference

Consumer Action Law Centre CEO, Stephanie Tonkin has welcomed the cost-of-living measures announced in the Victorian State Budget saying they will make a ‘positive difference’ in the lives of many peo...

Essential Services Commission draft decision will help thousands in energy hardship

Consumer Action Law Centre strongly supports today’s draft decision from the Essential Services Commission (ESC) on stage one of its reforms to Victoria’s retail energy market, which will help the in...

Victorian Default Offer 2025-26 Request for comment

The cost-of-living crisis has deepened the urgency of ensuring an affordable energy price for Victorians. On Consumer Action’s frontlines, we hear from Victorians every day who are struggling to meet...

ASIC sues HSBC Bank for failure to protect customers from scams

The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) has taken strong enforcement action, announcing today that it is suing HSBC Bank for its ‘widespread failures to act honestly, efficiently an...

Much-needed Centrepay reforms the result of a decades-long campaign: Tonkin

Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Stephanie Tonkin said she was absolutely delighted that Minister Bill Shorten has announced consumer protections and reforms to Centrepay that restore it to its original...

Consumer advocates welcome proposed reforms to Government payment service

The Financial Rights Legal Centre, Mob Strong Debt Help, and Consumer Action Law Centre welcome the proposed reforms to Centrepay announced by Minister Bill Shorten this morning. These reforms include...

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Consumer groups welcome passing of buy now, pay later regulations

Key loophole in credit laws will be closed Consumer groups have welcomed the passing of the Treasury Laws Amendment (Responsible Buy Now Pay Later and Other Measures) Bill 2024 (BNPL Bill) through...

Energy Consumer Reforms Consultation

Consumer Action supports the objectives of the Essential Services Commission (ESC’s) proposed reforms to ensure people experiencing payment difficulty are receiving the best price for energy from thei...

Concerning the ABA’s application to remove conditions from basic bank account conduct

Our response to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission on this issue is supported by the Financial Rights Legal Centre and CHOICE. We are interested parties in the application by the Au...

Our impact 2023-24: Fighting for a fairer marketplace in a cost-of-living crisis

We are delighted to publish our Impact Report 2023-24 which highlights what we’ve been doing over the past year working alongside consumers, national advocates and cross-sector stakeholders. The co...

AUSTRAC: Guidance on assisting customers who don’t have identification

This is a joint submission made on behalf of: •Consumer Action Law Centre •Financial Counselling Australia •Financial Rights Legal Centre •Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network •Mob Strong Deb...

Stronger consumer protections needed to make our marketplace fairer

The two major consumer protections announced today -the ban on unfair trading and consultation on penalties for breaches by traders and service providers of the consumer guarantees under the Australia...

Government’s Scams Prevention Framework only goes halfway – we need a presumption of reimbursement say consumer advocates

A broad coalition of consumer advocates is calling for the Albanese Government to make one fundamental change to the proposed Scams Prevention Framework (SPF) and put reimbursement at its core, warnin...

Image of wind turbines denoting a submission about energy

Network Outage Review

As extreme weather events continue to increase, it is imperative that Victorians’ access to essential services is protected and prioritised by Government, regulators and industry. Consumer Action L...

Consumer groups welcome reforms addressing harms caused by a bankruptcy system not fit for purpose

Consumer advocates have been calling for urgent reform for some time and last year outlined key pressure points during a round-table discussion organised by the Federal Attorney General, Mark Dreyfus...

Consultation: Designated complaints determination

With our undersigned sector colleagues, we affirm our previous support for the designated complaints function, and our previous comments about the design and structure of the legislation in our joint...

Joint Submission: Getting the Victorian Default Offer right

This submission represents the shared view of leading Victorian community sector organisations and energy consumer advocates. Our submission identifies where there remains work to be done, and Victori...

Regulating Digital Asset Platforms: Crypto

Through our frontline services, we see widespread harm in the crypto market, and the urgent need for intervention. In this submission, we are responding to Treasury’s proposal paper Regulating Digi...

2024-25 Victorian Default Offer: Request for comment paper

Consumer Action reaffirms the importance of the policy intent underpinning the Victorian Default Offer (VDO) to provide a simple, trusted and reasonably priced electricity option that safeguards consu...

Scams: Mandatory regulation outline promising but more clarity needed on standards and consumers’ rights to reimbursement

The mandatory Code for Scams consultation paper announced by the Federal Treasury today sets out some proposals to tackle the scams crisis, however the final regulation must land on clearer stipulated...

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