Access to Justice - Consumer Action Law Centre

Victorians need better access to quick, fair and free justice in 2018

Consumer Action has launched our latest election platform for this November's Victorian State Election which calls on our state politicians to make access to justice fairer and more affordable for all...

Oversight of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority: Update to ASIC Regulatory Guide 139

In Australia, everyone should be able to easily access a free, fair, fast and effective service to resolve complaints against financial firms. The establishment of the Australian Financial Complaints...

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...

A new one-stop shop for financial disputes

Today, the legislation establishing a new one-stop shop for financial and superannuation complaints passed the Federal Parliament. The new Australian Financial Complaints Authority will replace the Fi...

Submission: Retirement Living Council Retirement Living Code of Conduct

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action), Residents of Retirement Villages Victoria (RRVV), Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG) and COTA Victoria (COTA Vic) have made a joint submission in re...

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...

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...

2018-19 Pre-Budget Submission

Every year, The Australian Treasury calls for ideas to feed into the budget process. We have focussed our submission for the 2018/19 Budget on three areas where budget action could make an immediate a...

Submission – Proposed amendments to retirement village fact sheets

Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed amendments to retirement village fact sheets. Consumer Action, RRVV, HAAG and COTA Vic do not oppose the proposed amendments to the f...

Joint submission: Establishment of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority

Seven consumer groups made a joint submission to Treasury's consultation on the Establishment of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). Consumer advocates are very supportive of the...

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...

Litigation Funding and Group Proceedings: Consultation Paper

Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Victorian Law Reform Commission’s Consultation Paper on Litigation Funding and Group Proceedings. This is an important and broad...

Treasury Laws Amendment (Putting Consumers First—Establishment of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority) Bill 2017

Consumer advocates are very supportive of the move to a one-stop shop external dispute resolution (EDR) scheme that implements the considered recommendations of the Review of the Financial System Exte...

Proposed changes to TIO Terms of Reference

ACCAN and Consumer Action Law Centre made a joint submission to the consultation on proposed changes to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) terms of reference. We are pleased that the TIO...

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: Internal Dispute Resolution in Retirement Villages

We welcome Consumer Affairs Victoria’s interest in improving internal dispute resolution processes in retirement villages, and believe that the reforms suggested will likely result in some improvement...

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...

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]...

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...

Victoria Legal Aid, Means Test Review, Options Paper – submission

Consumer Action has made a submission to the Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) Means Test Review. The submission strongly supports the introduction of a public interest exemption to the VLA means test. To be...

Fair justice for Victorians going to VCAT a step closer

The Victorian and Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) should be easier and fairer for Victorians following the announcement of new funding and changes to modernise the tribunal. “Victoria is a...

Budget 2017: New Australian Financial Complaints Authority

The new 'one-stop shop' financial complaints authority announced in the Federal Budget will help Australians get free, fair and fast dispute resolution against financial institutions. "Australians...

Community Legal Centres face funding cut from July 1

UPDATE: The Federal Government has announced a reversal of the planned cuts. However, Community Legal Centres are still facing a surge in community need that the Productivity Commission estimates requ...

Australians need a one-stop-shop ombudsman to deal with banking & finance complaints

Getting problems with your bank, insurance or finance company solved fairly and quickly is too hard and Australia needs a one-stop-shop ombudsman for financial service problems, say leading consumer a...

Victims of financial scandals need simple justice – response to Ramsay EDR Review

Following the slew of financial scandals Australians have faced in recent years, consumer advocates say that Australians need simple and accessible justice with reformed Ombudsman services. The Rev...

Consumer Action takes Commonwealth Bank to Ombudsman over alleged irresponsible lending

Consumer Action has lodged a complaint against the CBA with the Financial Ombudsman Service. A 57 year old Melbourne woman living with a disability alleges alleges that the bank has not met its legal...

Research report: Review of Tenants’ and Consumers’ Experience of VCAT

There are “very substantial barriers” that inhibit people from accessing justice at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), according to a new research report. Consumer Action Law C...

Federal Circuit Court Financial Counselling Project Evaluation

Since September 2014, the Federal Circuit Court (FCC) in Melbourne has provided direct financial counselling services to self-represented debtors in the FCC’s Bankruptcy Lists. This pilot service, imp...

Lawyers and Referrer Conflict—an underrated risk

The risk of a conflict of interest can arise in some arrangements where lawyers have a relationship with a party from which they receive regular client referrals. The extent of this conflict of intere...

Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (Fees) Regulations 2016

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide input to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (Fees) Regulations (VCAT Fees) Review. Read our full su...

“Because you need an interpreter should not disadvantage you and you should not be punished for it”

Funding for the Telephone Interpreter Service must be restored. Email EO@FCRC.org.au to find out more....

Access to Justice Review

The Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) welcomes the opportunity to provide input to the Access to Justice Review. We have provided responses to specific relevant questions raised under each...

Don’t give up! Dick Smith customers still have options.

Following the news that electronics retailer Dick Smith has gone into administration – don’t assume you’ve lost your rights. Sarah has recently advised us that she purchased a mobile phone from Dick...

Training Provider Open Colleges sued for breach of consumer law

As the crisis in Vocational Education deepens, another student is fighting back by taking on education provider Open Colleges in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Tanea Ferris (a 52...

Unable to open the letterbox – money and mental health

Money is a major cause of distress for many Australians and for some Australians with mental health problems, there are times when being financially responsible for yourself simply isn’t possible. Man...

Students will be better off with new VET complaints body

The Victorian Government’s decision to establish a new body with the power to resolve vocational education disputes is a win for students, according to the Consumer Action Law Centre. The dispute r...

Too many Australians have suffered at the hands of financial advisers

Consumer Action Law Centre welcomes reports that independent Senator Nick Xenophon MP and Labor Senator Sam Dastyari have called for a last resort compensation scheme for financial services...

Submission: Law Council of Australia’s consultation on Uniform Rules

Consumer Action and Financial Rights Legal Centre have made a joint submission to the Law Council of Australia's current consultation on the proposed Legal Practice Rules (Solicitors) and Legal Profes...

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...

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...

Joint submission: Financial Ombudsman Service proposed Terms of Reference Changes

Consumer Action and Financial Rights Legal Centre have provided comment on the Financial Ombudsman Service's proposed Terms of Reference changes. The consultation paper notes that operational guideli...

Are Private Car Parks “Fines” Legitimate?

One of the most common questions asked of our legal practice is about the legitimacy of private car park payment notices and how to challenge them. A number of car parks are operated by private compa...

Media release: Single mother of four appeals VCAT second-hand car decision to Supreme Court

A Victorian mother of four has requested leave to appeal a Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) decision in the Supreme Court. She took M&G Motors to VCAT in January 2014, seeking a...

Joint submission: Productivity Commission’s Access to Justice draft report

Consumer Action and Consumer Credit Legal Centre NSW have made an extensive submission to the Productivity Commission's Access to Justice draft report. A summary of our submission is below or you can...

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: Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria independent review issues paper

This submission is the result of a collaboration between the Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre, the Victorian Council of Social Services, Consumer Action Law Centre and the Financial and Consumer Rig...

Media release: High cost of car cases in VCAT putting justice out of reach

A Victorian couple has successfully used the Australian Consumer Law to claim $17,495 from Melbourne Street Cars after it sold her a faulty 2003 Nissan X Trail. But while the victory in the Victorian...

Submission: Changes to Credit Ombudsman Scheme Rules

Consumer Action had provided comment on the Credit Ombudsman Service’s proposes changes to COSL Rules: 9th Edition. We commend the Credit Ombudsman Service on its drafting of the proposed changes, mo...

Why improved consumer protections for default judgment cases are needed

A recent report from the Consumer Action called for changes to Magistrates Court procedures to protect consumers from inaccurate law suits and inappropriate judgments. Each year 30,000 to 40,000 Victo...

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