Inaction on pay day loans ‘allowing lenders to exploit susceptible’

Consumer advocates urge government to fulfil promise to strengthen protections for consumers searching for payday loans

Kelly O’Dwyer said legislation will be introduced this season to bolster defenses for customers whom sign up for payday advances. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Kelly O’Dwyer stated legislation could be introduced in 2010 to strengthen protections for consumers who sign up for loans that are payday. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Last modified on Tue 13 Mar 2018 16.19 GMT

The government’s that is federal on pay day loans is allowing unscrupulous lenders to carry on to exploit vulnerable Australians, consumer advocates state.

The authorities last year dedicated to strengthening protections for customers from payday loans, a type of high-interest cash loan supplied by organizations such as for example Cash Converters.

The government’s dedication adopted a review that is independent of quantity credit agreement laws, which found payday advances were being inappropriately handed to low-income and susceptible Australians. Those individuals had been often unable to manage loan repayments and exorbitant fees, causing many to be caught in a debt cycle.

But, despite expected support that is bipartisan the federal government has still perhaps not acted on its promise.

The Consumer Law Advocacy Centre’s senior policy officer, Katherine Temple, stated the delays were enabling loan providers to carry on to focus on vulnerable Australians. “We can’t see any reasons why the federal government continues to be sitting on its hands,” she stated. [Read more...]