Research studies

Consumer Affairs Victoria conducts research into a wide range of consumer and business-related issues.

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Building

• Domestic Building Dispute Resolution Victoria: demand estimates and dispute experiences (2016) Hall & Partners OpenMind (PDF, 4.2MB)

Business licensing and regulation

• Better business regulation (2008) (PDF, 288KB)
• A framework for considering the use of occupational licensing (2007) (PDF, 4.2MB)
• Choosing between general and specific regulation (2006) (PDF, 173KB)
• Using licensing to protect consumers' interests (2006) (PDF, 229KB)
• Stopping rogue traders (2006) (PDF, 239KB)

Consumer policy

• Consumer confidence and market experience study (2010-2011) (Word, 211KB)
• Consumer outlook: the baby-boomer generation's implications for consumer policy (2012) (Word, 196KB)
• Consumer outlook: understanding and planning for consumers' risk perceptions of new technologies: nanotechnology (2012) (Word, 524KB)
• Mandatory disclosure of information: costs and benefits of mandatory information policies to influence consumer choice (2012) (Word, 284KB)
• Consumer confidence and market experience study (2008) (PDF, 201KB)
• Institutional arrangements for consumer protection agencies (2008) (PDF, 971KB)
• Consumer detriment in Victoria: a survey of its nature, costs and implications (2006) (PDF, 188KB) | IPSOS consumer detriment survey (2006) (PDF, 906KB)
• Consumer advocacy in Victoria (2006) (PDF, 353KB)
• Designing quality rating schemes for service providers (2006) (PDF, 202KB)
• Social marketing and consumer policy (2006) (PDF, 194KB)
• Information provision and education strategies (2006) (PDF, 194KB)
• What do we mean by 'vulnerable' and 'disadvantaged' consumers? (2004) (PDF, 439KB)
• Consumer education in schools: background report (2003) (PDF, 473KB)

Credit

• Regulating the cost of credit (March 2006) (PDF, 196KB)

Research papers on credit issues funded by the Consumer Credit Fund

• A report on unsolicited credit card limit increase offers (2009) (PDF, 1.2MB)
• Business purpose declarations and the limits of formal statements of purpose (2008) Monash University (Word, 104KB)
• Exploring a prohibition on unfair contract terms in consumer credit contracts (2008) Monash University (Word, 161KB)
• What can a lender learn from a loan application? Asset-based lending on the security of the family home as unconscionable dealing (2008) Monash University (Word, 154KB).
• When are lenders tainted by the fraud of a finance broker? (2008) Monash University (Word, 100KB)
• Money, dignity and inclusion: the role of financial capability (2008) Good Shepherd Youth & Family Service (PDF, 2.8MB)
• Small amount lending inquiry (2008) (PDF, 1.1MB)
• Credit preferences and credit traps for older people (2007) COAG (Word, 806KB)
• The impact of credit card advertising on consumer decision-making and behaviour (2007) (PDF, 465KB)
• A loan in lease clothing: problems identified with instalment based rent/purchase contracts for household goods (2007) (PDF, 348KB)
• Payday loans: helping hand or quicksand? Examining the growth of high-cost short-term lending in Australia (2002) (PDF, 2.3MB)
• Attitudes to credit and debt of non-English speaking background groups in Victoria (1998) (Word, 320KB)

Digital economy

• Mobile commerce: opportunities and challenges for consumers, businesses and regulators (2010) (Word, 3.4MB)
• Digital TV switchover information paper (2007) (PDF, 64KB)
• Considering the implications of m-commerce - a consumer perspective (2004) (PDF, 1MB)
• Online shopping and consumer protection discussion paper (2004) (PDF, 714KB)
• E-commerce and the consumer credit code (2003) (PDF, 141KB)
• M-commerce (2002) (PDF, 174KB)
• Web seals of approval (2002) (PDF, 205KB)

Dispute resolution

• Alternative dispute resolution in Victoria: supply-side research project (2007) (PDF, 3.8MB)
• Alternative dispute resolution supplier survey 2006 (2007) (PDF, 3.3MB)
• Dispute resolution in Victoria - community survey (2007) (PDF, 3.4MB)
• Dispute resolution in Victoria - small business survey (2007) (PDF, 2.7MB)

Estate agents

• Residential property advertising in Victoria (June 2008) (PDF, 5.3MB)

Fair trading

• Options for fair early termination fees in consumer contracts (2010) (PDF, 702KB)
• Credence attributes: making honesty the best policy (2010) (PDF, 1.5MB)
• Cooling-off periods in Victoria: their use, nature, cost and implications (2009) (PDF, 854KB)
• National baseline study on warranties and refunds - National Education and Information Advisory Taskforce (NEIAT) (2009) (PDF, 4.7MB)
• Unfair contract terms in Victoria: research into their extent, nature, cost and implications (2007) (PDF, 295KB)
• Unfair contract terms (2004) (PDF, 2.2MB)
  Released by the Standing Committee of Officials of Consumer Affairs Unfair Contract Terms Working Party chaired by Victoria and Queensland.

Fundraising

• Review of Fundraising Appeals Act 1998 discussion paper (July 2004) (PDF, 787KB)

Funeral providers

• Victorian government response - inquiry into the regulation of the funeral industry (May 2006) (PDF, 67KB)

Incorporated associations

• Associations Incorporation Act 1891 review - interim report (2005) (PDF, 302KB)
• Review of the Associations Incorporation Act 1981 (2004) (PDF, 194KB)

National law reform

• A new approach to consumer policy strategy 2010-2012 - Ministerial Council on Consumer Affairs (2009) (PDF, 947KB)

Reducing the Regulatory Burden Initiative

• Changes to information obligations for second-hand dealers and pawnbrokers and motor car dealers - standard cost model report (2009) (Word, 665KB)
• Conveyancer Act 2006 - standard cost model report (2009) Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (PDF, 232KB)
• Conveyancer Act 2006 - standard cost model report (2009) VCEC assessment letter (PDF, 346KB)
• Motor Car Traders (Amendment) Regulations 2006 - standard cost model report (2007) (PDF, 584KB)

Residential tenancies

• Residential tenancy matters to CAV (PDF, 86KB)

Retirement villages

• Review of the Retirement Villages Act 1986: proposed legislative changes (2004) (PDF, 773KB)

Sex work

• Working in Victorian brothels: an independent report commissioned by Consumer Affairs Victoria into the Victorian brothel sector (2009) (PDF, 724KB)
• Government response to the PCAMAC report (2008) (PDF, 157KB)
  Government response to 'Improving the regulation of the sex industry and supporting sex workers who want to move on'
• Improving the regulation of the sex industry and supporting sex workers who want to move on (2007) (PDF, 545KB)
  Prostitution Control Act Ministerial Advisory Committee (PCAMAC) report