The Australian Consumer Law (ACL) is the national law for fair trading and consumer protection. The ACL commenced on 1 January 2011 and is a cooperative reform of the Australian Government and the States and Territories through the Legislative and Governance Forum on Consumer Affairs (CAF). The ACL is administered and enforced jointly by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the State and Territory consumer protection agencies, with the involvement of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) on relevant matters. This website contains information about the ACL and its enforcement, the CAF and consumer policy in Australia more generally.
Australian Consumer Law Review
On 12 June 2015 Consumer Affairs Ministers agreed Terms of Reference for the Australian Consumer Law Review. This review, undertaken by Consumer Affairs Australia and New Zealand, commenced in 2016 and will report to consumer affairs ministers by March 2017. For more information on the review, including how you can get involved, please visit the Australian Consumer Law Review page.
Country of origin labelling
On 31 March 2016, Commonwealth, state and territory ministers with responsibility for consumer affairs met and agreed to the Commonwealth’s preferred proposal for country of origin labelling reform, supported by a Decision Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS). See the Communique from the meeting.
Further information is available on the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science website.
Free range egg labelling
On 31 March 2016, Consumer Affairs Ministers agreed to the introduction of an information standard requiring eggs labelled as ‘free range’ to have been laid by hens with meaningful and regular access to the outdoors and with an outdoor stocking density of 10,000 hens per hectare or fewer. View further information about free range egg labelling.
Property spruikers and investment seminars
Property investment promoters, or spruikers, invite people to their ‘wealth creation’ seminars, often for free, with the promise of investment tips or opportunities. They typically promote a property investment system or market a specific property development.
Consumer protection agencies across Australia have found many property spruikers cannot substantiate the success stories and claims of profits they promote.
While the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) prohibits misleading, deceptive and unconscionable conduct, you should not rely on a property spruiker’s advice. View further information about property spruikers and investment seminars.
