Consumer groups have cautioned policy makers not to fall for payday lending spin as new research from Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) shows the devastating impact of the industry on Australians struggling to make ends meet. Consumer Action Law Centre, Good Shepherd Microfinance and Financial Rights Legal Centre commissioned the report from DFA and found that nearly 30% of borrowers surveyed [ More ]

The poorest and most vulnerable Australians are paying grossly inflated prices for household goods via “rent-to-buy” or “consumer lease” deals, as shown by a new report from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) released today. The report found that people receiving Centrelink payments are being charged much higher prices than the prices advertised by consumer lease providers. For two [ More ]

Leading consumer groups are calling for the Australian Parliament to support moves by the Senate to protect the integrity of Centrelink’s budgeting tool for essentials Centrepay, by excluding rent-to-buy products. The intention of Centrepay is to help welfare recipients prioritise essentials such as rent and utility bills. Businesses providing “rent-to-buy” or “consumer lease” deals can access the payments of welfare [ More ]

Between August and October 2014, the Financial Rights Legal Centre, Consumer Action Law Centre, Financial Counselling Australia and the Australian Privacy Foundation lodged a series of complaints against Veda Advantage (Veda) to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (the Privacy Commissioner). Under new credit reporting laws that came into effect in March 2014, and the Privacy (Credit Reporting) Code [ More ]