In February 2020, CCLSWA was pleased to provide written submissions to the Senate Economics Legislation Committee Inquiry into the National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Small Amount Credit Contracts and Consumer Lease Reforms) Bill 2019 (No.2) (the Bill), with contributions and endorsement from the Financial Counsellors’ Association of Western Australia and the Western Australian Council of Social Services.

In March 2020, Managing Solicitor, Gemma Mitchell and Senior Solicitor, Roberta Grealish, attended the Committee’s public hearings via teleconference to answer further questions on our submissions and draw particular attention to the issues with SACC and consumer lease providers exploiting people experiencing vulnerability in remote WA.

CCLSWA has advocated for the introduction of the reforms in the Bill since the Government accepted the recommendations of an independent review of the law regulating SACCs and consumer leases in 2016.

We used this opportunity to highlight the most prevalent issues for our clients, which we consider are in the most critical need of reform.

Please click here to read our submission in full, including a number of anonymous case studies based on our clients’ experiences that demonstrate the detrimental practices prevalent amongst SACC and consumer lease providers, and the toll it takes on the most vulnerable members of our community.