Five peak bodies in the financial counselling sector — Financial Counselling Australia, Financial Counsellors ACT, Financial Counsellors Association of Western Australia, Financial Counselling Victoria, and the South Australian Financial Counsellors Association (also covering the NT) — have made a joint submission to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) on its proposed principles for taxpayer relief. The submission welcomes the ATO’s review but calls for a significant rework of the draft principles to ensure they are fair, accessible, and trauma-informed. It highlights that current administrative and legislative settings are producing avoidable harm, and that the ATO’s framing of fairness, conditionality, and engagement is out of step with community expectations and international best practice.

The submission recommends alternative principles that better reflect the realities of people experiencing vulnerability, including clearer definitions, more flexible and compassionate processes, and a presumption of good faith. It urges the ATO to adopt the Tax Ombudsman’s principles of good tax administration and to advocate for legislative reform to enable sustainable outcomes. Case studies included in the submission illustrate how rigid processes and poor communication can exacerbate hardship. The sector calls for improved transparency, consistency, and stronger partnerships with community organisations to ensure taxpayer relief reaches those who need it most.

FCVic’s submission to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) joint consultation on life insurance Approaches highlights key concerns raised by Victorian financial counsellors, particularly those supporting clients through serious health events. The submission calls for clearer guidance on insurance held within superannuation, broader recognition of consumer vulnerability, improved procedural fairness, and stronger protections for victim-survivors of family violence. It also recommends changes to how AFCA handles evidence, communication, and fairness in cases involving policy avoidance, contract variations, and group life insurance.

FCVic strongly advocates for a centralised, government-operated life support register to ensure that Victorians who rely on life-sustaining medical equipment receive urgent and reliable support in emergencies. Our submission emphasises that the highest priority must be given to those with the greatest medical need, with clear, transparent processes for registration and prioritisation. We argue that current fragmented systems — managed separately by energy retailers and distributors — are inadequate and create unnecessary barriers for vulnerable consumers, especially when switching providers.

FCVic calls for streamlined registration processes that minimise the burden of proof on consumers, particularly those with chronic conditions or living in hardship. We recommend that medical evidence requirements be simplified, and that privacy safeguards be strengthened. Seamless recognition of life support status across energy providers is essential to ensure continuity of protection. Ultimately, our position is that life support protections should be built on the principles of simplicity, fairness, and safety, with a central register as the foundation for effective, dignified support for those most at risk.