Response to ASIC’s update to internal dispute resolution requirements for financial firms (RG165)

It is critical that the process to make and resolve complaints with a bank, insurer, or super fund is timely, fair, and accessible, including for people experiencing vulnerability and disadvantage.  O...

August 26, 2019

Protecting guarantors from financial abuse

In our feedback to the Banking Code Compliance Committee (BCCC) inquiry into banks’ compliance when accepting and enforcing guarantees, Consumer Action discusses our concerns with guarantee provision...

August 19, 2019

Victorian Default Offer to apply from 1 January 2020 Issues Paper

The Victorian Default Offer (VDO) was designed to re-regulate electricity pricing to ensure that more Victorian households receive a fair price on their electricity service. Since the VDO’s establishm...

August 12, 2019

Consumer Action supports ASIC use of new powers to tackle predatory credit agents such as Cigno

Businesses such as Cigno Pty Ltd, which facilitate access to predatory and unregulated payday loans by exploiting loopholes in the law, are on notice as the Australian Securities and Investment Commis...

July 9, 2019

Unconscionable conduct: Divided High Court confirms need for change to the law

In its response to the High Court finding that a ‘book-up’ credit scheme operated in the remote Aboriginal community of Mintabie in the South Australian APY lands was not unconscionable, Consumer Acti...

June 13, 2019

ASIC handed new powers to tackle harmful financial products

Newly enacted laws about the fairness of financial products and services can work to prevent harm in banking and finance if the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) takes immediate...

April 3, 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

2019-20 Pre-Budget Submission

Consumer Action has made a submission to The Australian Government Treasury’s 2019-20 Pre-Budget Submission process. We have focused this submission on two areas where budget action could make an imme...

January 31, 2019

Submission: Inquiry into credit and financial services targeted at Australians at risk of financial hardship

This Senate Inquiry is a crucial opportunity to close the regulatory loopholes exploited by fringe lenders and ‘debt help’ companies. These companies can entrench disadvantage for some of the most vul...

November 12, 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

Submission: Telecommunications Consumer Safeguards Review Part A – Consumer Redress and Complaints Handling

Consumer protection mechanisms in the telecommunications market are failing Australians. The Telecommunications Consumer Safeguards Review is an important and timely opportunity to move from self-regu...

September 5, 2018

Class Actions and Third-Party Litigation Funders: ALRC Inquiry

Consumer Action Law Centre made a submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission's Inquiry into Class Action Proceedings and Third-Party Litigation Funders (Discussion Paper 85, June 2018) (ALRC I...

August 20, 2018

Submission: Retirement Living Revised Code of Conduct

The Consumer Action Law Centre, Residents of Retirement Villages Victoria, Housing for the Aged Action Group and COTA Victoria welcome the opportunity to comment on the most recent Draft Retirement Li...

August 8, 2018

Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Finance Sector – Submission on Round 3 Hearings

This written submission is provided by Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) following the conclusion of the Round 3 hearings on loans to small and medium enterprises. Misconduct and conduct...

July 4, 2018

Joint submission: Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) Draft Rules

In Australia, everyone should be able to easily access a free, fair, fast and effective service to resolve complaints against their lender, insurer or superannuation fund. To ensure that the Australia...

July 3, 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

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...

April 26, 2018

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...

April 16, 2018

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...

March 27, 2018

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...

February 27, 2018

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...

February 14, 2018

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...

February 13, 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

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

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...

December 15, 2017

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...

December 7, 2017

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...

November 29, 2017

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...

October 23, 2017

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...

October 6, 2017

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...

October 5, 2017

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...

September 11, 2017

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...

September 1, 2017

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...

August 2, 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

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...

June 14, 2017

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...

May 23, 2017

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...

May 10, 2017

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...

March 30, 2017

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...

February 3, 2017

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...

December 6, 2016

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...

September 22, 2016

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...

August 16, 2016

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...

July 14, 2016

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...

May 30, 2016

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...

May 10, 2016

“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....

March 4, 2016

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...

March 1, 2016

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...

January 7, 2016