Consumer Protection Law & Lawyers

When you buy any goods or services your rights as a consumer are protected by consumer protection law. The main laws you should be aware of include two pieces of federal legislation:

(1) the Trade Practices Amendment (Australian Consumer Law) Act (No.1) 2010 (Cth) ("ACLA No.1"); and
(2) the Trade Practices Amendment (Australian Consumer Law) (No.2) Act 2010 (Cth) ("ACLA No.2")

These Acts amend the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) ("TPA") (which were renamed as the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth)) to establish a new Australian Consumer Law (ACL).

If you need legal help regarding consumer protection law, then please complete your free legal enquiry form on the right, or click here.

Much of the consumer protection law that is currently in force is designed to protect you when you enter into a contract to buy any goods or services from a supplier. Consumer protection law is also there to help you fight any scams that some criminals use such as selling counterfeit goods online. It is important to be aware of your basic rights when buying any goods or services either from a physical shop, or via the internet.

If you feel that your rights have been compromised, consumer protection law gives you the right to complain to the company that sold you the goods or services you bought. In some instances, using a consumer protection lawyer to make the complaint on your behalf can be more effective than making the complaint yourself. A consumer protection lawyer will be able to advise you about your particular case.

After you have made your initial complaint you should receive a response from the business that sold you the goods or services you purchased. If their response is not satisfactory, you can take your case to a court for a judgement.

The court will look at all the elements of the case and decide on a course of action. If you intend to take your case to court, the services of a lawyer are absolutely essential. By getting in contact with a qualified lawyer as early in your case as you can. This will give your case the maximum chance of a successful outcome.

If you need legal help regarding consumer protection law, then please complete your free legal enquiry form on the right, or click here.

Consumer protection lawyers advise clients on a wide range of issues such as the laws concerning:

• the sale of goods,
• the sale of services
• the sale of food products,
• warranties,
• misleading and deceptive advertising,
• product liability,
• food safety,
• unfair terms in consumer contracts,
• distance selling,
• electronic commerce and electronic transactions,
• electronic communications, storage and signatures,
• the legal framework concerning collective interests of consumers,
• sales promotions; and
• unfair trade practices.

If you need legal help regarding consumer protection law, then please complete your free legal enquiry form on the right, or click here.

There are two major benefits to the Competition and Consumer Act 2010, which replaces the Trade Practices Act as the main piece of legislation covering consumer rights and protection in Australia. Firstly, it incorporates a nationally-agreed set of consumer protections, the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), meaning there’s now consistency in consumer protection strategies across all Australian states. (That’s good news for businesses as well as consumers, as it means that there’s no need to keep abreast of different rules for interstate customers.) Secondly, it provides much more specific rules regarding perennial annoyances such as telemarketers.

If you need legal help regarding consumer protection law, then please complete your free legal enquiry form on the right, or click here.

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is an independent Australian Government statutory authority. It was formed in 1995 to administer the Trade Practices Act 1974 and the Prices Surveillance Act 1983. The ACCC promotes competition and fair trade in the market place to benefit consumers, business and the community. It also regulates national infrastructure services. Its primary responsibility is to ensure that individuals and businesses comply with the Commonwealth competition, fair trading and consumer protection laws. In fair trading and consumer protection its role complements that of the state and territory consumer affairs agencies which administer the mirror legislation of their jurisdictions, and the Competition and Consumer Policy Division of the Commonwealth Treasury.

If you need legal help regarding consumer protection law, then please complete your free legal enquiry form on the right, or click here.

The creation of Australian Consumer Law

As of 1 January 2011, Australia has a single, national consumer law: Australian Consumer Law (ACL). The ACL includes unfair contract terms law, law guaranteeing consumer rights when buying goods and services, product safety law, law for unsolicited consumer agreements, rules for lay-by agreements and new penalties, enforcement powers and consumer redress options. The ACL applies nationally and in all states and territories.

If you need legal help regarding consumer protection law, then please complete your free legal enquiry form on the right, or click here.

Further Resources - Consumer Protection Law & Lawyers