Vulnerability - Consumer Action Law Centre

Preparing vulnerable Victorians for electricity outages

Consumers rely on energy distribution businesses to ensure a consistent supply of their essential electricity services. It is important that these businesses are regulated effectively so that consist...

Keeping comprehensive credit reporting fair for those who have previously experienced hardship

Leading consumer advocacy bodies are concerned that customers who experience financial difficulty repaying loans will be unfairly penalised by credit reporting reforms proposed by the National Consume...

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

The norm of fairness must be recognised

Our existing consumer protection framework has failed to prevent unfairness from becoming embedded in business practices. From unclear marketing, subscriptions that make cancellation difficult, to...

Closing the ‘unfair contract terms’ loophole for insurance – Exposure draft legislation

There is a big fairness problem in insurance. People often make insurance claims when they are at a low ebb, but they can face shocking outcomes when insurers rely on unfair terms in insurance contrac...

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...

Insurance pricing differences: New vs existing customers

Support for an independent review of the Customer Owned Banking Code of Practice

In our joint submission with Financial Rights Legal Centre, Consumer Credit Legal Service (WA), Financial Counselling Australia and the Financial & Consumer Rights Council, we support Cameron Ralp...

New Energy Tech Consumer Code must protect Australians from exploitative buy now pay later arrangements

Consumer Action regularly assists vulnerable and disadvantaged consumers in Victoria with legal and financial issues that arise due to new energy technology such as solar. . The New Energy Tech Consu...

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...

Opening statement: Public hearing on ASIC’s responsible lending guidance

The following is the opening statement from Consumer Action CEO, Gerard Brody at the public hearing on ASIC’s responsible lending guidance held in Melbourne on Monday, 19 August 2019. I’m G...

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...

NZ Select Committee on Credit Contracts Legislation Amendment Bill: Opening Remarks

The below statement was delivered on 31 July 2019 by Consumer Action Law Centre CEO, Gerard Brody to the New Zealand Select Committee on Credit Contracts Legislation Amendment Bill. High co...

Insurance in super: Putting Members’ Interests First Bill 2019

Consumer Action Law Centre and Financial Rights Legal Centre made a joint submission to the Senate Economics Legislation Committee’s inquiry into provisions of the Treasury Laws Amendment (Putting Mem...

Consumer Action lodges complaint to Commonwealth Ombudsman about the Department of Human Services’ poor administration of Centrepay

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) has made a formal complaint to the Commonwealth Ombudsman about the Department of Human Services (DHS). This complaint comes after the department failed o...

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...

Comment on the ACCC’s authorisation of amendments to the 2019 Banking Code of Practice

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action), the Financial Rights Legal Centre (Financial Rights) and Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) have provided comment on the Australian Banking Association...

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