Madison Newbery

Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) has welcomed the launch of a dedicated fusion cell by the National Anti-Scam Centre to target "scambling"- fake online gambling and casino platforms designed to deceive and exploit consumers.  The taskforce, announced today by the ACCC, brings together law enforcement, government agencies, regulators, digital platforms, banks, telecommunications providers, frontline community services along…

Demand for support via the National Debt Helpline hits all time high More than 183,000 people reached out for support via the National Debt Helpline (NDH) during the 2025-26 financial year, making it the free service’s biggest year ever. This represents an increase of 9% on the previous financial year…

Financial Counselling Australia and the Financial Rights Legal Centre are calling on insurers to stop penalising people who cannot afford to pay their insurance premiums annually. It follows the release of a new report which finds some insurers are not telling customers that fortnightly or monthly options cost more overall.…

Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) has welcomed the Federal Government’s new measures to reduce gambling harm and expand financial counselling support but warns the reforms do not go far enough to address the scale and drivers of harm.  FCA CEO Dr Domenique Meyrick said the package reflects what financial counsellors see every day:…

Media release February 11, 2026 Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) has welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement that funding for the Small Business Debt Helpline (SBDH) will be extended for a further 12 months, providing vital support for small business owners under increasing financial pressure. FCA CEO, Dr Domenique Meyrick, said the…

Case numbers For the 12 months ended 31 December 2025, the SBDH has provided 6,205 cases of assistance through phone and chat services. This is a 21% increase on the prior year. Since the service began in 2020 it has provided 18,533 cases of assistance to 16,254 unique businesses.  …

Demand for the Small Business Debt Helpline (SBDH) continues to rise sharply, highlighting the growing financial and personal strain facing small business owners across Australia. For the 12 months to 31 December 2025, the Helpline provided more than 6,000 cases of assistance, representing a 21% increase on the previous year.…

There has been a 66% increase in the number of cases the Small Business Debt Helpline (SBDH) has dealt with over the past 12 months. In 2024 SBDH financial counsellors had 5,135 cases compared with 3,091 in 2023. Case numbers continue to grow with more than 400 cases in January…