ACCC

We recently hosted secondees from the Vietnam Competition Commission. The theme of the secondment was working with other agencies and complaints handling. Many areas of the ACCC shared their experience over the two weeks and the secondees also had the opportunity to meet with CHOICE, the New South Wales Office of Fair Trading and LegalAid NSW. Secondments like these are possible thanks to the Vietnam-Australia Consumer Protection Partnership and our Consumer Affairs Program team.

We're working with the National Disability Insurance Agency and NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission to identify advertising which may be in breach of the Australian Consumer Law. We're putting businesses on notice we’re focusing on problematic adverts targeting NDIS participants. "The ACCC is concerned that many businesses continue to advertise goods or services that appear on the list of ineligible supports in a way that suggests NDIS funding can be used to purchase them. We are also concerned that many NDIS providers are claiming that certain products or services are 'NDIS approved', 'NDIS funded' or otherwise NDIS endorsed when this is not the case." - ACCC Deputy Chair, Catriona Lowe. https://bit.ly/3YKOCLJ

We’re looking for economists with strong analytical skills and practical experience to join our Economic and International Branch. In this role you’ll join our team of specialist in-house economists and provide economic expertise on best practice economic theory. You’ll apply your expertise to investigation work in competition law enforcement, merger assessment, the review of authorisation applications and notifications, economic regulation functions and market studies and inquiries. Applications close 17 November 2024. https://bit.ly/3O0Uewy

We won’t oppose the Sigma and Chemist Warehouse merger after accepting a court-enforceable undertaking. We found that, with the undertaking, the proposed merger is unlikely to substantially lessen competition. “We found that, with the undertaking, the proposed merger is unlikely to substantially lessen competition. There will continue to be effective competition at all levels of the pharmacy supply chain, capable of constraining a combined Sigma Chemist Warehouse.” – ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb. https://bit.ly/3AyitPB

Do you sell products containing lithium-ion batteries? ⚠🔋 It’s your responsibility to keep your customers safe and informed of the risks. Learn more about the ACCC’s lithium-ion battery safety recommendations here: https://lnkd.in/gsBiQrgr

This week marks a year since changes to the unfair contract terms laws came into effect. Proposing, using or relying on unfair contract terms in standard form contracts is banned and penalties for breaches apply. If your business needs a reminder on the unfair contract terms rules, we have a short education module available on our website: https://bit.ly/3CeAuTr

These talks were facilitated through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) we signed alongside the Vietnam Competition Commission (VCC) earlier this year. The aim of the MOU is to foster cooperation through even closer collaboration. 

Our Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb shared new data on uptake and use of the Consumer Data Right (CDR), in a speech at the Gilbert + Tobin Financial Services Forum in Sydney yesterday. “Usage and uptake of the Consumer Data Right is showing exciting potential to help consumers access new products and services, including better deals on a range of banking and financial products. Data sharing under the CDR is occurring on a daily basis and the underlying digital infrastructure of the CDR has handled increasingly heavy traffic while maintaining fast response times.” – Gina Cass-Gottlieb. We're also seeing continuing growth in the number of people who – having provided their consent to share data – are receiving CDR-related services from participants in the ecosystem. In the six months to June 2024, CDR participants reported to the ACCC that they received almost 390 million requests for consumer data. Read more: https://bit.ly/3YWvtIl

Catch up on our announcements from October 👇

We have multiple roles available for Lawyers to join our team providing legal services in relation to mergers, applications for authorisation and digital platform matters. In this role you'll provide legal advice on complex issues relating to the functions and powers of the ACCC under the Competition and Consumer Act. You'll also assist with the conduct of investigations and court and tribunal proceedings for the ACCC, including working closely with external lawyers. Applications close 10 November 2024. Apply here: https://bit.ly/3YMuB94