CPRC (Consumer Policy Research Centre), CALC (Consumer Action Law Centre), CHOICE, FCA (Financial Counselling Australia) and FRLC (Financial Rights Legal Centre) have welcomed the Federal Government’s consultation to introduce an unfair trading law for Australia. The consultation brings Australia a step closer to introducing legislation that will stop business practices…
Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) has welcomed commitments by several industries to provide funding that will see more financial counsellors on the ground through a new industry funding model. The industries and companies that will be involved are: banking, insurance, energy retail, online wagering, Tabcorp, Telstra and Credit Corp. We are…
Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) has welcomed the start of Australia’s first online gambling exclusion register, while at the same time calling on governments to expand the facility to casinos, pokies and lotteries. FCA’s director of Policy and Campaigns Lauren Levin said it was a relief to finally see the arrival…
Urgent government action needed to make home and contents insurance accessible and affordable New research from a coalition of advocacy groups has found the home and contents insurance market is failing to protect people against extreme weather events, with customers struggling to access and afford the insurance they need. The…
Insurers must stop misusing “wear and tear” or lack of maintenance as a reason for denying property claims, Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) says. FCA, the peak body for financial counsellors, was responding to a report by the General Insurance Code Governance Committee (CGC) which found “too many insurers” were using…
Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) use has ballooned over the past year, with soaring numbers of people resorting to the unregulated credit for basics, such as food, fuel and energy, as Australians struggle with cost-of-living pressures. In a survey of more than 500 financial counsellors (around half the sector), 95…
The implementation of gambling self-exclusion register, BetStop, is a game-changer for people ready and willing to stop gambling online, according to Financial Counselling Australia (FCA). FCA’s director of Policy and Campaigns Lauren Levin said the move confirmed the nation was “on the cusp of a new era where Australians will…
Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) welcomes the recommendations made by a Government inquiry into online gambling harm, saying the committee has heard the concerns of financial counsellors and the community, and responded. FCA’s director of Policy and Campaigns Lauren Levin said: “The inquiry’s recommendations are a huge step forward and will…
Consumer groups and the financial counselling sector have welcomed the launch of a new customer code for the energy sector. The Knock to Stay Connected customer code requires network companies to visit people at risk of disconnection and encourages them to outline the support and referral services available if the customer…
Consumer groups and financial counsellors have said that the Government’s plans for regulation of the buy now, pay later (BNPL) sector announced today will need to include strong requirements for lenders to ensure that loans are safe and suitable regardless of the size of the loan in order to protect…