InBrief

The Australian Government has introduced the Trade Practices Amendment (Australian Consumer Law) Bill (No. 2) 2010, which will eventually replace 17 state and territory laws with a new Australian Consumer Law.� The amendments will create national laws for consumer product safety and statutory consumer guarantees. View the explanatory memorandum and the minister's second reading speech. At the same time, the Senate passed other amendments to the Trade Practices Act that provide for fines of up to $1.1 million for companies that engage in unconscionable conduct or make false or misleading representations.

17 March 2010