❓ Ms Guise asks if the Consumer Credit Legal Service criticised the Gallop Government's payday lending regulations. Mr Kobelke clarifies the Service supports the regulations and received $100,000 to assist people needing legal representation.
AnsweredQoN 849Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the story on page 42 of The West Australian on Wednesday, 27 March headlined “Payday lending rules under fire”. Will the minister please advise whether the Gallop Government’s moves to regulate payday lenders have been criticised by the Consumer Credit Legal Service? Mr KOBELKE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for this question and an opportunity to correct what might have been a false impression from that newspaper article. The article reported on two people from very different perspectives. One perspective was that of a payday lender, who is critical of the Government’s action. The other perspective was that of the Consumer Credit Legal Service. The legal service did not criticise the Government; in fact, it has been a very strong supporter of the Government’s moves to ensure people involved in payday lending are protected. The Consumer Credit Legal Service was concerned about the ability of people to uphold their rights in the light of legal costs. The Gallop Government is conscious of the need for people in those organisations to be able to access some form of legal representation, so it has provided $100 000 this year to the budget of the Consumer Credit Legal Service to enable it to more adequately assist with these cases. A real need has arisen for people to not only get assistance through the regulations implemented to provide protection but also to gain access to legal representation when they feel their rights have been taken away. Recently a mentally ill person in New South Wales borrowed $10 000 from a pawnbroker at 120 per cent interest. That incurred monthly interest payments of $1 000 or more, which meant the person was likely to lose his house. He was able to take his case to court. Legislation has been implemented in this State that mirrors the New South Wales legislation because that State’s legislation is the same as the system that governs Australia. People can enforce their rights while difficulties prevent them from getting the legal representation they require. Anyone who thought the Consumer Credit Legal Service was criticising the Government misunderstood the article. The Consumer Credit Legal Service has strongly supported the Government’s moves to provide protection to people who become involved in payday lending.
Mr KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for this question and an opportunity to correct what might have been a false impression from that newspaper article. The article reported on two people from very different perspectives. One perspective was that of a payday lender, who is critical of the Government’s action. The other perspective was that of the Consumer Credit Legal Service. The legal service did not criticise the Government; in fact, it has been a very strong supporter of the Government’s moves to ensure people involved in payday lending are protected. The Consumer Credit Legal Service was concerned about the ability of people to uphold their rights in the light of legal costs. The Gallop Government is conscious of the need for people in those organisations to be able to access some form of legal representation, so it has provided $100 000 this year to the budget of the Consumer Credit Legal Service to enable it to more adequately assist with these cases. A real need has arisen for people to not only get assistance through the regulations implemented to provide protection but also to gain access to legal representation when they feel their rights have been taken away. Recently a mentally ill person in New South Wales borrowed $10 000 from a pawnbroker at 120 per cent interest. That incurred monthly interest payments of $1 000 or more, which meant the person was likely to lose his house. He was able to take his case to court. Legislation has been implemented in this State that mirrors the New South Wales legislation because that State’s legislation is the same as the system that governs Australia. People can enforce their rights while difficulties prevent them from getting the legal representation they require. Anyone who thought the Consumer Credit Legal Service was criticising the Government misunderstood the article. The Consumer Credit Legal Service has strongly supported the Government’s moves to provide protection to people who become involved in payday lending.
I thank the member for this question and an opportunity to correct what might have been a false impression from that newspaper article. The article reported on two people from very different perspectives. One perspective was that of a payday lender, who is critical of the Government’s action. The other perspective was that of the Consumer Credit Legal Service. The legal service did not criticise the Government; in fact, it has been a very strong supporter of the Government’s moves to ensure people involved in payday lending are protected. The Consumer Credit Legal Service was concerned about the ability of people to uphold their rights in the light of legal costs. The Gallop Government is conscious of the need for people in those organisations to be able to access some form of legal representation, so it has provided $100 000 this year to the budget of the Consumer Credit Legal Service to enable it to more adequately assist with these cases. A real need has arisen for people to not only get assistance through the regulations implemented to provide protection but also to gain access to legal representation when they feel their rights have been taken away. Recently a mentally ill person in New South Wales borrowed $10 000 from a pawnbroker at 120 per cent interest. That incurred monthly interest payments of $1 000 or more, which meant the person was likely to lose his house. He was able to take his case to court. Legislation has been implemented in this State that mirrors the New South Wales legislation because that State’s legislation is the same as the system that governs Australia. People can enforce their rights while difficulties prevent them from getting the legal representation they require. Anyone who thought the Consumer Credit Legal Service was criticising the Government misunderstood the article. The Consumer Credit Legal Service has strongly supported the Government’s moves to provide protection to people who become involved in payday lending.
Recently a mentally ill person in New South Wales borrowed $10 000 from a pawnbroker at 120 per cent interest. That incurred monthly interest payments of $1 000 or more, which meant the person was likely to lose his house. He was able to take his case to court. Legislation has been implemented in this State that mirrors the New South Wales legislation because that State’s legislation is the same as the system that governs Australia. People can enforce their rights while difficulties prevent them from getting the legal representation they require. Anyone who thought the Consumer Credit Legal Service was criticising the Government misunderstood the article. The Consumer Credit Legal Service has strongly supported the Government’s moves to provide protection to people who become involved in payday lending.
Anyone who thought the Consumer Credit Legal Service was criticising the Government misunderstood the article. The Consumer Credit Legal Service has strongly supported the Government’s moves to provide protection to people who become involved in payday lending.
Mr KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for this question and an opportunity to correct what might have been a false impression from that newspaper article. The article reported on two people from very different perspectives. One perspective was that of a payday lender, who is critical of the Government’s action. The other perspective was that of the Consumer Credit Legal Service. The legal service did not criticise the Government; in fact, it has been a very strong supporter of the Government’s moves to ensure people involved in payday lending are protected. The Consumer Credit Legal Service was concerned about the ability of people to uphold their rights in the light of legal costs. The Gallop Government is conscious of the need for people in those organisations to be able to access some form of legal representation, so it has provided $100 000 this year to the budget of the Consumer Credit Legal Service to enable it to more adequately assist with these cases. A real need has arisen for people to not only get assistance through the regulations implemented to provide protection but also to gain access to legal representation when they feel their rights have been taken away. Recently a mentally ill person in New South Wales borrowed $10 000 from a pawnbroker at 120 per cent interest. That incurred monthly interest payments of $1 000 or more, which meant the person was likely to lose his house. He was able to take his case to court. Legislation has been implemented in this State that mirrors the New South Wales legislation because that State’s legislation is the same as the system that governs Australia. People can enforce their rights while difficulties prevent them from getting the legal representation they require. Anyone who thought the Consumer Credit Legal Service was criticising the Government misunderstood the article. The Consumer Credit Legal Service has strongly supported the Government’s moves to provide protection to people who become involved in payday lending.
I thank the member for this question and an opportunity to correct what might have been a false impression from that newspaper article. The article reported on two people from very different perspectives. One perspective was that of a payday lender, who is critical of the Government’s action. The other perspective was that of the Consumer Credit Legal Service. The legal service did not criticise the Government; in fact, it has been a very strong supporter of the Government’s moves to ensure people involved in payday lending are protected. The Consumer Credit Legal Service was concerned about the ability of people to uphold their rights in the light of legal costs. The Gallop Government is conscious of the need for people in those organisations to be able to access some form of legal representation, so it has provided $100 000 this year to the budget of the Consumer Credit Legal Service to enable it to more adequately assist with these cases. A real need has arisen for people to not only get assistance through the regulations implemented to provide protection but also to gain access to legal representation when they feel their rights have been taken away. Recently a mentally ill person in New South Wales borrowed $10 000 from a pawnbroker at 120 per cent interest. That incurred monthly interest payments of $1 000 or more, which meant the person was likely to lose his house. He was able to take his case to court. Legislation has been implemented in this State that mirrors the New South Wales legislation because that State’s legislation is the same as the system that governs Australia. People can enforce their rights while difficulties prevent them from getting the legal representation they require. Anyone who thought the Consumer Credit Legal Service was criticising the Government misunderstood the article. The Consumer Credit Legal Service has strongly supported the Government’s moves to provide protection to people who become involved in payday lending.
Recently a mentally ill person in New South Wales borrowed $10 000 from a pawnbroker at 120 per cent interest. That incurred monthly interest payments of $1 000 or more, which meant the person was likely to lose his house. He was able to take his case to court. Legislation has been implemented in this State that mirrors the New South Wales legislation because that State’s legislation is the same as the system that governs Australia. People can enforce their rights while difficulties prevent them from getting the legal representation they require. Anyone who thought the Consumer Credit Legal Service was criticising the Government misunderstood the article. The Consumer Credit Legal Service has strongly supported the Government’s moves to provide protection to people who become involved in payday lending.
Anyone who thought the Consumer Credit Legal Service was criticising the Government misunderstood the article. The Consumer Credit Legal Service has strongly supported the Government’s moves to provide protection to people who become involved in payday lending.
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