Consumer Action Law Centre

09/09/2026

DODGY AGAIN: The allegations of fraud and misconduct were contained in tip-offs sent to the federal watchdog overseeing the Albanese government's Cheaper Home Batteries Program.

Stephanie Tonkin, the CEO of the Consumer Action Law Centre, said if the claims of rorting were proven it would undermine the "policy goals and the trust in that system".

Almost 100 whistleblower tip-offs claim dodgy operators are rorting a multi-billion-dollar taxpayer-funded solar battery program by mocking up installs, forging signatures and using unlicensed tradies for cash jobs.

08/09/2026

INSURANCE: Don't accept a cash payout from your insurer before reading this first.
Meg Dalling gives advice about why accepting a cash payment after a disaster, may not be the best approach.

ASIC warns that cash insurance settlements may not cover the full cost of home repairs, potentially leaving homeowners out of pocket if expenses blow out.

08/09/2026

100% FAKE: 'Ghost stores' are flooding the internet and this classic -powered by Google Ads- is seen in many respectable online publications. Consumer Action Law Centre CEO, Stephanie Tonkin talks to ABC 774's Charlie Pickering about why these scams are so insidious.

https://soundcloud.com/user-476506243/stephanie-tonkin-on-774

07/09/2026

BENDIGO BANK vs Ray and Nola Holden, who had their life savings stolen in a 100 + transactions from an account they had never accessed. Bendigo Bank did nothing despite being alerted by the receiving bank. Now, the farming couple in their 80s fear they will lose their home.

A retired couple from regional Victoria are preparing to take legal...

04/09/2026

Request for information about consumer harm arising from a fire at Public Self Storage Scoresby (Public Self Storage) (located at 12 Koornang Rd, Scoresby) on 3 July 2026.

Consumer Action has raised concerns with Consumer Affairs Victoria about the fire, loss and damage of consumers’ goods caused by the fire, and broader consumer harm arising from the event. Consumer Affairs Victoria is the government body that oversees consumer law and consumer protections.

We have created this form to gather information about consumer concerns that will be passed on to Consumer Affairs Victoria. If you have any concerns about Public Self Storage that you would like us to pass on to Consumer Affairs Victoria, please fill out this form as soon as possible, ideally before 5pm on 9 September 2026.
Knox City Council Financial Counselling Australia

04/09/2026

Consumer Action Law Centre chief executive Stephanie Tonkin called on the banks to remove the fees she described as “a loyalty tax”.
“Why keep them only for their most loyal customers?” she said. “The Aussies who end up paying these fees may well be among the lowest income people in the community as they struggle to make ends meet each week, so this is a classic example of the poverty premium at play.”
Tonkin said switching products or institutions to avoid the fees “isn’t that easy, and this is the penalty for those people experiencing barriers”.
“To continue to charge is not in the spirit of the law, is a fundamental failure of the bank’s social licence and not in line with community expectations,” she said.

NAB has removed fees for customers who go over credit card limits, while ANZ has sharply curbed their use, but the other two big banks have not.

04/09/2026

SCAMDAL: Almost $100,000 was stolen from Ray and Nola Holden’s bank account over a whopping 104 transactions – despite their bank being alerted to the fraud halfway through the crime.
In total, $17,000 was siphoned out of the Queensland couple’s personal account and almost $83,000 from a line of credit they held with Bendigo Bank.
Yet the bank was only able to recover a measly $11.20.

Almost $100,000 was stolen from Ray and Nola Holden’s bank account over a whopping 104 transactions – despite their bank being alerted to the fraud halfway through the crime.

03/09/2026

SUBMISSION: Ensuring the Scam Prevention Framework works for First Nations consumers. It recommends targeted changes to ensure the SPF does not reproduce existing inequalities and that regulated entities are required to design their systems, support and dispute resolution pathways with and for First Nations consumers and communities.

This supplementary submission should be read alongside our main joint consumer submission on the Scams Prevention Framework (SPF), submitted on Friday 3 July 2026. This submission considers whether the SPF will provide effective, accessible and culturally safe protections for First Nations consumers...

02/09/2026

02/09/2026

“Customer Owned Banks often claim they are more community-focused. It’s about time
they genuinely put people at the heart of their businesses, particularly through supporting their First Nations customers and customers experiencing vulnerabilities.” said Meg Dalling, Assistant Director, Consumer Action Law Centre.