The Rank the Banks and Other Creditors Survey 2023 is up and running. We are asking all financial counsellors to spare 20 minutes to complete it by 16 October. The survey link is https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RXSYQRF Your feedback about how banks and other credit providers respond to their customers experiencing financial hardship shines a light on good and bad practice, and drives change. Please stick with the survey until the end. There is a real opportunity to influence the secon...

We understand that financial counselling clients may have recently received notifications to register as a group member or to opt out for one of the Flex Commission Class Actions. These are three separate legal actions that relate to people who obtained a car loan arranged through a dealer with Westpac and St George Finance / Macquarie Leasing / Esanda during the following periods: Westpac and St George Finance between 1 March 2013 and 31 October 2018. The Deadline for re...

Issac* sends an email to his financial counsellor Vanessa reflecting on his journey from being a single, separated parent on casual wages to a thriving father of a little girl, with a career, free of debt and a home owner; and thanks her for the part she had to play.   Hello Vanessa (from Anglicare Australia),  " I'm not sure if you'll remember me, but my name is Issac*, I came in for some financial help a few years ago, once before I separated from my fian...

With two children, a small baby and $12,000 in escalating credit card debt, *Lien was extremely tired and “very, very stressed” when she was referred to a financial counsellor after multiple visits to emergency relief services for food assistance. Lien, a single mother, had managed to make ends meet by working as a casual cleaner and using her credit card, which she managed to pay off through careful budgeting. However, doing so gave her a good credit rating and an attractive cu...