Consumer Credit Regulation and Rights-based Social Justice: Addressing financial exclusion and meeting the credit needs of low-income Australians

Abstract

A lack of access to safe and affordable small amount credit is experienced by approximately 15.6 per cent of Australians. Financial exclusion of this kind leads to social exclusion, and arises as a result of social inequity and economic discrimination in the consumer credit market. In this article I argue that it is a matter of rights-based social justice that this inequity be addressed through consumer credit regulation.