Consumer Action Law Centre - Consumers' Federation of Australia

26 August , 2021

Banks can do better: Consumer groups make more than 100 recommendations to improve bank behaviour

A coalition of the country’s leading consumer organisations is calling on Australia’s major banks to make significant updates to their industry code to improve outcomes for customers. The Consumers’ Federation of Australia’s (CFA) submission of behalf of the coalition to the 2021 review of the Australian Banking Association (ABA) Banking Code of Practice (the Code)…

26 May , 2021

Tougher rules banning aggressive energy & solar sales a big win for all Victorians

Consumer Action has welcomed the Victorian Government’s announcement today that it is banning high-pressure sales tactics like unsolicited door-to-door sales and cold-calling to protect people from being taken advantage of by energy retailers. The Victorian Government has also announced plans to ban door-to-door sales of solar panels through the Solar Homes Program. This is a Consumer Action Law Centre media release, originally published on 25th…

19 May , 2021

CFA & ACCC Consumer Advocacy Showcase & Award Winners

On Monday 12 April, Consumers’ Federation Australia (CFA) and the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) co-hosted the Consumer Advocacy Showcase & Award, in the final online session for the 2021 ACCC National Consumer Congress. The Showcase celebrates effective and good practice within consumer advocacy. The joint-winners were Fiona Guthrie, with Who’s Making Australians Bankrupt?; and Matthias Oldham, with Junk Insurance…

25 September , 2020

Consumer groups slam move to remove responsible lending laws

Removing credit protections will cause harm to people and the economy CHOICE, Consumer Action Law Centre, Financial Counselling Australia and Financial Rights Legal Centre have responded to the Government’s announcement that it will remove credit protections for borrowers saying right now what people need is more income, not more debt. Government’s proposed reforms will remove bank responsibility…

11 March , 2020

Consumer Action releases Regulator Watch report

Consumer Action Law Centre has released its second edition of Regulator Watch: The enforcement performance of Australia’s consumer protection regulators. In 2013, Consumer Action published the first edition of ‘Regulator Watch’, which was written in response to the absence of a public mechanism to compare the enforcement work being done by Australia’s various consumer protection regulators. Since…

4 March , 2020

Consumer advocates comment on draft legislation that responds to over a quarter of Banking Royal Commission recommendations

Consumer Credit Legal Service (WA), CHOICE, Consumer Action Law Centre, Financial Counselling Australia, Financial Rights Legal Centre and Super Consumers Australia have published policy submissions that respond to 22 of the Royal Commission’s 76 recommendations. After the shocking scandals of the Royal Commission, consumer groups are supportive of the Treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s efforts to enact…

6 February , 2020

Consumer advocates welcome Act implementing three key Banking Royal Commission recommendations

Today the Government passed the first omnibus bill in the wake of the Banking Royal Commission, which consumer advocates say will help address long-standing problems with unfair insurance contracts, funeral expenses policies and mortgage broking. The Financial Sector Reform (Hayne Royal Commission Response—Protecting Consumers (2019 Measures) Act 2019 will address recommendations 4.7, 1.2 and 4.2…

11 July , 2019

Consumer advocates welcome ASIC intervention in Short Term Credit Market

Financial Rights Legal Centre (Financial Rights), Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) and Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) have welcomed the Australian Securities and Investment Commission’s (ASIC’s) announcement that it will consult on using new Product Intervention Powers to intervene in the short term credit industry. The new product intervention power allows ASIC to intervene where…

11 July , 2019

Regulator slams ‘junk insurance’ sold by banks as Aussies demand over $2 million in refunds

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) report released today confirms that consumer credit insurance, commonly tacked on when taking out a loan or credit card, is junk. This news comes as Australians demand over $2 million worth of refunds after being ripped off by junk insurance through Consumer Action’s DemandARefund tool. ASIC’s report…

3 July , 2019

Telecommunications Consumer Protection Code inadequately protects consumers: consumer groups

The revised Telecommunications Consumer Protection (TCP) Code fails to adequately protect telco consumers, according to consumer groups. Despite consultation with the telco industry and regulator, consumer groups including ACCAN, Consumer Action Law Centre, WEstjustice, Financial Counselling Australia, Financial and Consumer Rights Council, Financial Rights Legal Centre, Money Mob, and HK Training and Consultancy, consider that…

17 June , 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 Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) says that Australia needs an economy-wide prohibition on unfair trading. “Unconscionable conduct is a complex legal term, and it…

5 April , 2019

Sunny Side Up: Strengthening the consumer protection regime for solar panels in Victoria

Reliable, affordable, renewable energy has helped many Australians take back control of their power prices. Yet as the solar industry booms, consumer protection has not kept up. More needs to be done to protect householders, according to a comprehensive report released by Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action). Sunny Side Up: Strengthening the consumer protection…