MEDIA RELEASE: Consumer rights in telecommunications, including mobile and broadband services, are so parlous that thousands of people are being left without access to essential services or meaningful redress when their suppliers fail them, according to consumer advocates. A group of leading consumer advocates today pointed to staggering complaint levels,…
Financial Counselling Australia's Representative Council - made up of the leaders of the financial counselling sector in Australia - is calling on governments around Australia to get tougher on businesses that rip people off. Businesses like payday lenders, rent-to-buy companies and for-profit debt management companies can cause enormous harm, with…
Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) is putting its support, loud and clear, behind the ACOSS-led campaign calling on the Government to stop demonising people on social welfare and reverse planned cuts to social security benefits. FCA is one of the many community organisations that signed a joint statement calling out the…
Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) welcomes amendments to the Interactive Gambling Bill (IGA) that passed through Parliament yesterday. "The online wagering companies will no longer be able to give people credit to gamble online. This was getting people into so much trouble" said Lauren Levin, Director Campaigns and Policy, FCA. "We're…
A quote attributed to Chinese philosopher Lau Tzu say "a leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves." This quote is apt to describe Fiona Guthrie's role in the consumer movement over 25 years.…
Commonwealth Bank has joined forces with Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) to enhance the skills of financial counsellors in identifying and understanding the impact of economic abuse in domestic and family violence. FCA announced this week at its national conference that Commonwealth Bank will provide $400,000 to train financial counsellors across…
Joint media release from Consumer Action Law Centre, Financial Rights Legal Centre and Financial Counselling Australia. The Australian Banker's Association (ABA) response to the Independent Review of the Code of Banking (Khoury Review) is a positive start, but consumer advocates say there are some missed opportunities for the banking industry.…
Joint media release from Financial Rights Legal Centre, Consumer Action Law Centre, CHOICE and Financial Counselling Australia. Consumer groups today welcomes the release of the Independent Khoury Review of the Australian Banking Association's Code of Banking Practice as an important step in the right direction of improving the way banks…
Financial counsellors welcome today’s commitment by the banking industry to better banking (www.betterbanking.net.au), including making financial hardship support programs more accessible and setting up a debt repayment service. But the big question remains: why is there still no funding for financial counselling? Most of the clients seen by financial counsellors have debts…
Financial Counselling Australia is delighted to announce the membership of its inaugural Board under its new constitution. The Board comprises four financial counselling directors and three appointed, external directors. The four financial counselling directors are: Carmel Franklin (Chair), Kay Dilger, John Harte and Rosalyn Williams. The three appointed directors are:…