The Australian Government (the Government) opened consultation on Australia’s proposed merger notification thresholds. The Consultation Paper proposes a notification regime that consists of four different thresholds—two based...more
In Brief - Following reforms to the unfair contract terms (UCT) regime on 9 November 2023, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) are...more
In a move that has long been advocated for by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the Australian government has announced sweeping reforms to Australia's competition law merger control regime....more
In Brief - The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has released its compliance and enforcement priorities for 2024-25, with ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb expanding on the Commission's key areas of focus in...more
In Brief - The High Court of Australia (the Court) has provided important guidance on the application of Australia’s unfair contract terms (UCT) regime to global standard form contracts, the validity of class action waiver...more
IN BRIEF - Following a year's 'grace' to allow businesses to be prepared, changes to the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (ASIC Act), which commenced on 9...more
IN BRIEF - The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has just issued its long anticipated guidance on the making of environmental and sustainability claims. The ACCC has set out eight principles which, in its...more
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Chair, Gina Cass-Gottlieb, has outlined the Commission's ambitious compliance and enforcement priorities for 2023-24....more
In brief - The ACCC has published the findings of its recent internet sweep of environmental and sustainability marketing claims made by businesses. Across 247 company websites, the ACCC found that 57% of businesses had made...more
In Brief - The Federal Court has declared 38 terms across 11 of Fujifilm's (being Fujifilm Business Innovation Australia or Fujifilm Leasing Australia) small business contracts to be unfair contract terms (UCT) and void under...more
In July, we outlined the new Government's Competition and Consumer Law policy initiatives. The Government has now moved forward with one of these initiatives, publishing for consultation a draft bill and related explanatory...more
As the new Parliament prepares to sit, it is useful to consider the new Labor Government’s key focus areas for competition policy. These changes are intended to further strengthen consumer and small business rights and deter...more
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has just published its compliance and enforcement priorities for FY 2022/23. For the first time, the ACCC has aligned its annual priorities to the financial year. It...more
IN BRIEF - The Australian Government has released the Exposure Draft legislation and Explanatory Materials for an anticipated suite of reforms to unfair contract terms (UCT) laws found in the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) and...more
In Brief - Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Chair, Rod Sims, has announced the ACCC's 2021 compliance and enforcement policy and priorities. The focus of the ACCC's 2021 priorities is reflective of its:...more
In Brief -
The repeal of the exemptions relating to the licensing and assignment of intellectual property (IP) rights from certain competition law provisions in Australia will soon take effect....more
In Brief - On 23 August 2018, Federal Parliament passed the Treasury Laws Amendment (2018 Measures No. 3) Bill 2018 (Bill) to substantially increase the maximum financial penalties for contraventions of the Australian...more
The Australian and New Zealand markets present a dilemma for manufacturers. Both are highly developed economies with wealthy, well-educated consumers who are amongst the world's most enthusiastic adopters of new technologies....more
In Brief - Rod Sims, Chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has said that companies must be fined more for breaching Australian competition and consumer laws. ...more
In Brief -
On 15 February 2018, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced that criminal charges had been laid against The Country Care Group Pty Ltd (Country Care), its Manager Director, Robert...more
On 18 October 2017, Australia's Parliament passed into law long-awaited legislation to amend Australia's competition laws.
The passing of the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Competition Policy Review) Bill 2017 and...more
On 6 September 2017, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) commenced proceedings against JJ Richards & Sons Pty Ltd (JJ Richards), one of Australia's largest privately-owned waste management companies.
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In Brief:
On 10 July 2017, the ACCC applied to the Federal Court for judicial review of the Australian Competition Tribunal (Tribunal)'s determination to grant authorisation to Tabcorp Holdings Limited's proposed...more
Welcome to the first edition of K&L Gates Australia, Patent and Plant Breeder’s Rights Year in Review in which we examine the significant judgments, developments and events effecting patents and plant breeder’s rights in...more
In brief:
- On 24 February, the ACCC unveiled its Enforcement and Compliance priorities for 2017.
- The ACCC's enforcement activities in 2017 will continue to target larger companies causing harm to consumers and...more