What Consumer Action Law Centre does

Consumer Action Law Centre is a non-profit, campaign-focused consumer advocacy organisation headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, founded in 2006. It delivers free, independent, and confidential legal advice and financial counselling to Victorians experiencing vulnerability and disadvantage, operating three primary service channels: a Legal Help advice line (1800 466 477), the National Debt Helpline (1800 007 007) delivered with Financial Counselling Australia and CARE Financial Counselling, and the Koori Help Line (1800 574 457) for Aboriginal and Torres-Strait Islander communities. Multilingual intake is provided in Vietnamese, Turkish, Macedonian, Italian, Hindi, and Greek. The Legal Practice consists of approximately a dozen lawyers and two legal assistants, supplemented by financial counsellors, policy staff, and a First Nations Project & Policy Manager.

The organisation's product surface extends beyond direct services to include digital self-help tools (such as a credit card debt letter generator), an online course catalogue on the Thinkific platform for community sector workers, and policy/campaign assets including the 'No More Gammin Cars' First Nations-led project on faulty used car sales, 'Lemon Cars' reform advocacy, 'Demand a Refund' (junk insurance), and 'Do Not Knock' (doorknock/telesales ban). Technology footprint is limited to a standard CMS website with accessibility tools; no APIs, AI/ML capabilities, or proprietary platforms are evident.

Revenue is generated almost exclusively through government grants, primarily from the Victorian Government via Consumer Affairs Victoria, funding the Financial Counselling Program workers advice service and a continuous professional development program. Services are provided free of charge to consumers. The organisation engages in systemic advocacy and litigation, including a Federal Court class action against pawnbroker Taylors Business and action against a mortgage broker over alleged responsible lending breaches, and provides frontline data and policy input to regulators including ASIC and the ACCC.

Name

Consumer Action Law Centre

Legal name

Consumer Action Law Centre

Website

https://consumeraction.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Consumer Action Law Centre is a Melbourne-based, non-profit consumer advocacy organisation that delivers free legal advice, financial counselling, and policy advocacy to vulnerable and disadvantaged Victorians, funded primarily by the Victorian Government via Consumer Affairs Victoria.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Legal Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Consumer Rights & Public Interest Advocacy (BPAGAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM), Consumer Credit Counseling & Budgeting (FSAEAFAA), Credit Education, Monitoring & Consumer Credit Management Tools (FSAKAKAJ)

Keywords

• Consumer legal aid
• Financial counselling services
• Community legal centre
• Debt advice helpline
• Consumer advocacy campaigns

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Primary revenue source is government funding from the Victorian Government via Consumer Affairs Victoria, which funds the Financial Counselling Program workers advice service and continuous professional development program. As a not-for-profit organization, services are provided free to consumers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Consumer Action Law Centre is a non-profit community legal centre that provides free, independent, and confidential legal advice and financial counselling to people experiencing vulnerability and disadvantage in Victoria, Australia. It also runs the National Debt Helpline, the Koori Help Line for First Nations communities, policy advocacy campaigns, and resources/toolkits for consumers and community sector workers.

Product overview

Consumer Action Law Centre is a campaign-focused consumer advocacy organization offering a portfolio of legal, financial counselling, and educational services for people experiencing vulnerability and disadvantage in Victoria, Australia. The core service offering includes a Legal Help advice line, the National Debt Helpline (financial counselling), and Koori Help (dedicated support for First Nations people). These are complemented by self-help digital tools such as a credit card debt letter generator, resource toolkits, and online courses delivered through Thinkific. The organization also runs targeted advocacy campaigns including No More Gammin Cars (addressing faulty used car sales to First Nations communities), Lemon Cars (consumer protection reforms), and Demand a Refund (warranties and junk insurance). Policy work includes reports, government submissions, and systemic advocacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• National Debt Helpline: Financial counselling service phone line (1800 007 007) providing free, confidential and independent financial advice
• Koori Help
• No More Gammin Cars
• Demand a Refund
• Do not knock

Products and services

• Legal Help

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 11,000 people assisted through National Debt Helpline annually (2018/19)

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• National Debt Helpline / Financial Counselling AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-responds to online chat enquiries through the ndh.org.au website run by Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) alongside CARE Financial Counselling. Shared information barrier protocols in place.
• Victorian Aboriginal Legal ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint publication of 'Money Yarns, Stronger Futures' report amplifying First Nations consumer voices. Co-development of First Nations consumer protection initiatives.
• ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing regulatory engagement including ASIC's Indigenous Outreach Program reviewing car loans. Consumer Action provides frontline data and policy input to ASIC enforcement.
• Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network (ICAN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint advocacy on car loan harms affecting First Nations consumers. ICAN provides Queensland frontline experience; Consumer Action provides Victorian perspective.
• CARE Financial CounsellingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeparate entity co-responding to online chat enquiries through Freshchat platform. Strict information barriers maintained between services.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT): Peak Aboriginal legal service in NSW/ACT; comparable to CALC's First Nations-focused work via the Koori Help line and No More Gammin Cars project, with a parallel cultural advocacy model.
• Tenants Victoria: Victorian peak body for renters offering legal advice, advocacy, and policy campaigns. Comparable community legal centre model in the same jurisdiction with parallel government funding and policy advocacy approach.

Direct peers

• Justice Connect: National not-for-profit connecting vulnerable people with pro bono legal services. Comparable mission of free legal assistance and systemic advocacy, though broader in practice areas.
• Financial Rights Legal Centre: Australia-wide community legal centre specialising in consumer credit, debt, and insurance law. Directly comparable to CALC in offering free legal advice, casework, and policy advocacy on consumer financial issues.
• Consumer Credit Legal Service (NSW): NSW-based community legal centre providing free legal advice and representation on consumer credit and debt matters. Mirrors CALC's service mix of legal help plus financial counselling.
• Financial Counselling Australia: National peak body for the financial counselling profession and operator of the ndh.org.au website. CALC co-responds to chat enquiries on this platform, making it a closely intertwined peer.
• Care Financial Counselling: Melbourne-based financial counselling service co-responding with CALC to National Debt Helpline online chat enquiries. Operates an overlapping frontline model for vulnerable Victorians experiencing debt.

Regional players

• Caxton Legal Centre: Queensland community legal centre offering free legal advice, casework, and policy advocacy on consumer and civil law issues. Comparable service mix but operates in a different jurisdiction to CALC's Victoria focus.

Others

• Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC): National consumer protection regulator. While not a peer service provider, ACCC is a key institutional counterparty that CALC engages with through submissions, complaints, and enforcement referrals in its systemic advocacy work.

Broad incumbents

• Victoria Legal Aid: Statutory Victorian legal aid provider with broader mandate across criminal, family, and civil law. Directly comparable funding model (Victorian Government) and overlapping consumer law practice.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@consumeractionlawcentre
• Xx.com/consumer_action
• Facebookfacebook.com/ConsumerActionLawCentre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Consumer Action Law Centre