The top Australian Consumer News Stories that have been prominent in the media this week include:
- According to The Age, Victoria Legal Aid will reverse cuts previously made by reinstating free legal help for family violence victims in child custody battles.
- The ABC reports that a class action by 40,000 people has been filed against Cash Converters, Australia’s largest pawn broking service. It is argued that customers were charged illegal levels of interest on their personal loans.
- Australian workers and consumers are alleged to be worse off as a result of the Federal Government’s decision to change superannuation contributions and repeal the mining tax. The ABC provides the full story.
- According to the West Australian, the ACCC is suing Valve, a US computer game distributor, after they allegedly mislead consumers about their rights and refused to refund in the event of a major product failure.
- And, as previously reported by CFA, the Federal Court has found that both The Cash Store, and loan funder Assistive Finance Australia breached consumer credit laws and engaged in unconscionable conduct in the sale of insurance. ASIC has called the finding “a landmark case for the consumer credit regime”.