awareness of our free service, the number of applicants using Legal guardian 38 a fee-for-service agent (who charge consumers a fee for Policyholder 32 providing representation) fell 15%, following increases in the Member of Parliament 9 past three years. Total 7,428 Received disputes by type of representative * Consumer representatives Total Family member or friend 2,620 Disputes lodged by consumer representatives by state Business director/owner 1,449 Applicants used representatives most in Victoria (36%) and Consumer advocate private/paid 941 – NSW (28%). Solicitor private 651 – Business employee 303 Financial counsellor* 296 Disputes lodged by consumer representatives by product Insurance broker 218 line Financial advisor 182 Solicitor community/pro bono* 142 – Accountant 126 Consumer advocate community/unpaid* 112 – Power of Attorney 99 Disputes lodged by consumer representatives Executor 69 In a challenging environment where demand for consumer representatives continues to outstrip availability, we highly Other 68 value the support free, community-based services provide, Co-trustee 20 helping people to address financial problems. Trustee-affected party 53 Disputes lodged with a Disputes referred by a representative representative 296 868 14% Financial counsellor 1.5% from 2016-17 from 2016-17 142 915 14% Solicitor 3% – from 2016-17 community/pro bono from 2016-17 112 355 49% Consumer advocate 1% – from 2016-17 community/unpaid from 2016-17 just 10 organisations in 2017-18. Disputes lodged by top 10 community organisations More than one-third (36%) of the disputes lodged by consumer representatives on behalf of applicants came from The Salvation 40 Army Moneycare Organisation Total Legal Aid NSW 57
awareness of our free service, the number of applicants using a fee-for-service agent (who charge consumers a fee for providing representation) fell 15%, following increases in the past three years. Received disputes by type of representative Total Family member or friend 2,620 Business director/owner 1,449 Consumer advocate – private/paid 941 Solicitor – private 651 Business employee 303 Financial counsellor* 296 Insurance broker 218 Financial advisor 182 Solicitor – community/pro bono* 142 Accountant 126 Consumer advocate – community/unpaid* 112 Power of Attorney 99 Executor 69 Other 68 Co-trustee 20 Trustee-affected party 53 Legal guardian 38 Policyholder 32 Member of Parliament 9 Total 7,428 * Consumer representatives Disputes lodged by consumer representatives by state Applicants used representatives most in Victoria (36%) and NSW (28%). Disputes lodged by consumer representatives by product line Disputes lodged by consumer representatives In a challenging environment where demand for consumer representatives continues to outstrip availability, we highly value the support free, community-based services provide, helping people to address financial problems. Disputes lodged with a representative Disputes referred by a representative 296 14% from 2016-17 Financial counsellor 868 1.5% from 2016-17 142 14% from 2016-17 Solicitor – community/pro bono 915 3% from 2016-17 112 49% from 2016-17 Consumer advocate – community/unpaid 355 1% from 2016-17 Disputes lodged by top 10 community organisations More than one-third (36%) of the disputes lodged by consumer representatives on behalf of applicants came from just 10 organisations in 2017-18. Organisation Total Legal Aid NSW 57 The Salvation Army Moneycare 40