FCVic

It's been great hearing from financial counsellor Shungu Patiska and our other panellists today at our 2024 Summit: The Changing Face of Hardship, and a treat having the @consumer_action team here! We are posting throughout the day over on our LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/fcvic

📣Great to be attending the @FCVic_org_au 2024 Summit: The Changing Face of Hardship, where our very own Rachna Bowman, Senior Practitioner of Financial Wellbeing, is the MC of the event. This special event delves into the challenges Victorians experiencing financial hardship.

This event is a great chance to learn about the changes in hardship that everyone is seeing. We'll talk about what has been done and what can still be done to help people facing hardship for the first time, as well as those experiencing long-term financial hardship.

The topics for the program are set with a lineup of panel discussions covering four important areas: - The cost of living – A new normal or short-term crisis - Climate Change and Hardship - Responding to the housing crisis - Complexity and Intersectionality

We are proud to share our upcoming event, the 2024 Summit: The Changing Face of Hardship. We hope you can join us at the Timber Yard in Port Melbourne on Wednesday, 20 March. More info and program here: fcvic.org.au/fcvic-2024-sum… Or click here to register: tickettailor.com/events/fcvic/1…

LISTEN: To Claire Tacon, our Assistant Director of Financial Counselling at Consumer Action explain what financial counselling is and how it can help you -for absolutely free! @FCAupdate @natdebthelpline @steph_tonkin sbs.com.au/news/podcast-e…

Read our full letter here: fcvic.org.au/media_release/…

We also shared details of our open letter to Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, which calls for an immediate increase in the number of financial counsellors, resources for workforce expansion, and a commitment to further growth over the next three years.

Earlier this week, we met with @WillFowlesMP, Member for Ringwood, to discuss increased funding for financial counselling. During the meeting with FCVic EO Zyl Hovenga-Wauchope and @AnglicareVic financial counsellor John Hastings, Mr Fowles showed a keen interest in our cause,

Additionally, the rising call volume is pushing financial counsellors to the brink of burnout. Zyl, Carly, and the Nationals members engaged in a detailed discussion concerning our open letter to Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan. Read our letter here: fcvic.org.au/wp-content/upl…

We highlighted how the current cost-of-living crisis is causing extended wait times for financial counselling services, leaving households susceptible to power disconnections, repossessions, homelessness, and severe health problems.

Yesterday, FCVic EO Zyl Hovenga-Wauchope (front left) and Geelong-based financial counsellor Carly Baker (second front left) had a productive meeting with @TheNationalsVic Party room, who showed interest in our urgent call for more funding in the financial counselling sector.

"Afterpay has exploited gaps in Australia's consumer laws over a number of years and the new product suggests they have no intention of changing course," - my latest article @choiceaustralia on Afterpay Plus. @FCAupdate @consumer_action choice.com.au/money/credit-c…

"We've been telling Afterpay for years that we are seeing people use their product to pay for essentials ... they have made this even easier with Afterpay Plus," says Tom Abourizk, Consumer Action Law Centre @FCAupdate @steph_tonkin

Why Afterpay's latest move to lure Aussie shoppers is a 'recipe for a debt disaster'. The last thing consumers need is more unregulated loans #buynowpaylater #closelendingloopholes @consumer_action @choiceaustralia @Fin_Rights_CLC choice.com.au/money/credit-c…