Unconscionable - Consumer Action Law Centre

Consumer Action welcomes ASIC review into ‘lead generators’ – a focus of our designated complaint

Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Stephanie Tonkin has warmly welcomed moves by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) to review and investigate financial advice licensees using lead...

Consumer groups welcome consultation on reforms to stop unfair trading and strengthen consumer guarantees

Consumer groups have welcomed the release of Exposure Draft Legislation on Unfair Trading Practices, including two specific prohibitions targeting subscription traps and drip pricing. Consumer Acti...

A surge in scams while our ‘world leading’ Scam Prevention Framework missing in action

New scam data released today from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) reveals that Australians lost nearly $260 million in scams in the first nine months of 2025, a 16% increase...

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...

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 (...

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,...

OPINION: Will our ‘super complaint’ stop the scourge of door-knock selling?

First published in the Herald-Sun, 29 June 2025 By Stephanie Tonkin CEO Consumer Action Law Centre On 17 June, the nation’s economy-wide regulator, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commis...

Proposed AFCA Rules changes to expand jurisdiction over receiving banks in scams

We welcomed this year’s Federal Government announcement and Authorisation to expand AFCA’s jurisdiction to enable AFCA to consider complaints against banks for scam matters where an AFCA complainant d...

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...

Insurers once again shown to be failing customers, not meeting expectations

Consumer groups including Financial Rights Legal Centre, Financial Counselling Australia and Consumer Action Law Centre, have backed calls from the insurance regulator the Australian Securities and In...

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...

OPINION: Why unsolicited selling should be banned

An edited version was first published in the Herald Sun on Sunday, 14 April 2025 Christine clicked on a Facebook site promising a solar deal with government rebates she could not refuse. Then a sal...

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...

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...

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...

Banking industry announcement a big first step in addressing scams

Consumer Action Law Centre has welcomed the scams safe accord announced by the Australian Banking Association (ABA) and Customer Owned Banking Association (COBA) which has involved, for the first time...

REPORT: Our Impact 2022-23 fighting for a fairer marketplace especially for those needing help

We are delighted to publish our Impact Report 2022-23 which highlights our organisation’s achievements over the past year working for and with the people we help. Read about the many successes we h...

Consumer Action statement on the referendum result

The referendum result is incredibly tough for our First Nations staff, stakeholders and First Nations people across the country. Consumer Action feels deep disappointment and concern about the message...

Telcos still not connecting with Aussies -especially those most impacted by the cost-of-living crisis

The latest figures released in the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman’s (TIO) 2023 Annual report show that the nation’s telcos are still not providing an acceptable standard of service in many key...

Personal insolvency discussion paper 2023

Consumer Action Law Centre provides financial counselling assistance and legal advice to people at all stages of the insolvency process. We regularly speak to people who end up in unnecessary and cost...

ASIC’s strong action against discredited loan-shark Cigno, BSF Solutions and its directors applauded

Consumer Action Law Centre and Financial Counselling Australia say they hope the Australian Securities and Investment Commission’s (ASIC) court action announced today against Cigno and BSF Solutions a...

Repeat offender Alinta Energy fined $380,000 for failing to help Victorians in dire need

Consumer Action has welcomed the Essential Services Commission (ESC) imposing $380,000 in penalties on energy retailer Alinta Energy Retail Sales Pty Ltd (Alinta Energy) for failing to provide adequat...

High Court dismisses last ditch appeal by rogue lender

Consumer advocates have welcomed the dismissal by the High Court of a special leave application by Cigno Pty Ltd (Cigno) and BHF Solutions Pty Ltd (BHFS) against the Full Federal Court’s finding in en...

ASIC lending model ban on rogue lender Cigno applauded

Consumer Action welcomed today’s announcement from the corporate regulator Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) that it will use its product intervention power to ban the excessivel...

“Devastating cultural and financial impact”: First Nations communities in crisis after Youpla collapse

New data reveals the local communities hit hardest by predatory insurer as calls grow for urgent Federal Government action “The collapse of the predatory funeral fund Youpla (ACBF) is having a deva...

Consumer advocates praise court decision against Cigno loans

Consumer advocates have welcomed a Full Federal Court decision striking down a credit law avoidance strategy used by Cigno Pty Ltd and BHF Solutions. For years, fringe lender Cigno has preyed upon...

OPINION: That lemon car sour taste just keeps getting worse

Opinion piece by Gerard Brody, CEO Consumer Action Law Centre A version of this opinion piece appeared in the Herald Sun today The pandemic has helped drive second-hand car prices up 50 percent...

Calls for stripping Sumo Power’s energy licence & compensation for those wrongly disconnected

Consumer groups* have written to the Essential Services Commission (ESC) calling for Sumo Power’s (Sumo) licence to operate in Victoria to be investigated and monetary compensation for those wrongfull...

Improving the effectiveness of the consumer guarantee and supplier indemnification provisions under the Australian Consumer Law

Consumers expect to purchase products that work, and when they don’t work people should be easily able to enforce their consumer guarantee rights. We welcome the opportunity to provide comments to...

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