More banks dragged into class action

Law firm Maurice Blackburn Lawyers is filing a further claim in the Federal Court in Australia's largest series of class actions regarding unfair bank fees, bringing St George and BankSA into the fold.

St George

St George. (AAP)

Law firm Maurice Blackburn Lawyers is filing a further claim in the Federal Court in Australia's largest series of class actions regarding unfair bank fees.

Another class action has been launched against Westpac subsidiaries, bringing St George and BankSA into the fold.

Addressing the media, Paul Gillett from Law firm Maurice Blackburn alleged that the cost to the banks for certain offences, including being overdrawn and missing credit card payments, 'can not possibly be the $20 you're hit with in that circumstance.'

Across the board, $1.3b in these fees were demanded last year, Gillet says, with proceedings issued against seven banks.

"We say that the fees must represent a true cost to the bank of for example being late' (with payments."

Gillett said certain fees were 'unfair and unconscionable.'

The first target in 2010 was the ANZ bank, SMH.com's BusinessDay reports, widening to include the Comnmonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank, Westpac and Citi.





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