New legislation is set to significantly increase the maximum penalties under Australia’s competition and consumer laws, and also make unfair contract terms liable to financial penalties where at present no penalties can be imposed.
The ACCC has commenced proceedings in the Federal Court against Meta Platforms, Inc. and Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, alleging that these entities are liable for scam advertisements published by third parties on Facebook.
In line with the ACCC’s new enforcement priorities, Peters Ice Cream has been penalised $12 million after admitting to engaging in exclusive dealing with a major transport provider.
Australian businesses should note the New Zealand High Court’s recent finding that competitors entering agreements to minimise competition in relation to keyword advertising risk being penalised for cartel conduct.
One of Cooper Grace Ward’s founding partners, David Grace, is today celebrating 50 years as a practicing solicitor.
On 19 March 2021, the Federal Court handed down a decision that clarified the scope of section 21 of the Australian Consumer Law. The Court indicated that, while exploitation of some vulnerability or disadvantage will often be a feature of unconscionable conduct, it is not is not an essential element in establishing that a party has engaged in statutory unconscionable conduct.
Changes to the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) will soon allow more customers access to the ACL’s consumer guarantees when acquiring goods or services.
On 11 March 2020, the High Court handed down its decision in ASIC v King [2020] HCA 4, a decision that considers the scope of definition of company ‘officer’ in the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).
Section 51(3) of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (CCA) contained an exemption for transactions involving licensing or assignment of certain intellectual property rights from certain prohibitions against anti-competitive conduct.
David Grace, a founding partner of Cooper Grace Ward, has been featured in Financier Worldwide Magazine. The article, “Managing employee compliance training” delves into the
New ‘lemon laws’ will afford buyers of defective motor vehicles additional avenues of redress and protections from 1 September 2019.
The ACCC told us to expect further Competition and Consumer Law interventions in 2018, following a significant number of enforcement actions in 2017, and they were not kidding!