News

Consumer groups* have strongly welcomed the introduction of a Bill today in Parliament to prevent hard-sell tactics for insurance and other financial products. The Bill introduces some of the 76 long-awaited reforms to strengthen Australian’s consumers rights recommended by the Banking Royal Commission. “These reforms target hard-sell tactics for insurance after heart-wrenching stories were uncovered by the Banking Royal Commission,” said Gerard Brody, CEO of…

Financial Counselling Australia has joined Anti-Poverty Week, Sunday 11 – Saturday 17 October 2020, to highlight the devastating impacts of poverty in Australia and the importance of implementing lasting solutions.  Financial counsellors believe the most effective way to alleviate poverty is for the JobSeeker payment to be increased. “JobSeeker needs…

Financial Counselling Australia has welcomed two key announcements made last night as part of the Federal Budget. The first measure will secure the ongoing pay of financial counsellors employed by a number of financial counselling agencies and other community organisations. The Government will provide $132.6 million over three years to…

Media Release 16 September, 2020 Consumer groups welcome South Australian crackdown on predatory lenders Consumer groups have applauded the South Australian government’s plans to crackdown on payday lenders and consumer lease providers. The government’s proposed laws would introduce important consumer protections to help combat these high cost predatory lenders. “Taking this step during the COVID crisis is the…

Media Release 1 September, 2020 Beyond Blue and Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) are encouraging people to access free support services to cope with the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. The organisations have launched the Money on Your Mind campaign to support people experiencing financial stress and mental health issues.…

Media Release  29th July 2020 Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) has today apologised for some inaccurate information in its’ latest Rank the Banks (and other creditors) report. In some of the tables we incorrectly included the total number of financial counsellors who responded to the question, but these included people who…

Media Release 29 July, 2020 Consumer groups have welcomed a crackdown on debt vultures by National Australia Bank (NAB). In a statement today, NAB says it will no longer deal with unlicensed debt management providers. Consumer organisations commonly describe these businesses as “debt vultures” because of the harm they cause. Debt…

  Consumer groups are extremely disappointed in ASIC’s decision not to appeal the Full Federal Court’s decision in the Westpac case to the High Court of Australia.[1] The Financial Rights Legal Centre (Financial Rights), Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action), CHOICE and Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) had supported the view,…

  All of the State and Territory financial counselling associations,[1] together with Financial Counselling Australia, have joined the National Day of Action to Raise the Rate of the JobSeeker payment for good. The campaign has been coordinated by the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS). Financial counsellors across the country…