Business Law Library & Tracker
Consumer Law & Trading
Australian Consumer Law, unfair contract terms, refunds, advertising and online trading rules.
Sources last reviewed 8 June 2026
Main law guides
307
Acts, regulations and codes worth reading first
Topics
22
Plain-English clusters
Published case explainers
496
Selected cases with a business lesson
Tracked updates
110
New, amended & reviewed
Plain-English explainers, not legal advice. Check the linked official source before you rely on a specific section, and get advice for your situation.
Get legal helpMain laws
Competition and Consumer Act 2010
Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth)
Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth)
Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth)
Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)
Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)
Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth)
Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth)
Australian Consumer Law (Tasmania) Act 2010 (Tas)
Australian Consumer Law (Tasmania) Act 2010 (Tas)
Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Act 2012 (Vic)
Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Act 2012 (Vic)
Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth)
Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth)
Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading (Motor Vehicle Dealers) Regulations 1992 (NT)
Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading (Motor Vehicle Dealers) Regulations 1992 (NT)
Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading Act 1990 (NT)
Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading Act 1990 (NT)
Fair Trading (Australian Consumer Law) Act 1992 (ACT)
Fair Trading (Australian Consumer Law) Act 1992 (ACT)
Fair Trading Act 1987 (NSW)
Fair Trading Act 1987 (NSW)
Fair Trading Act 1987 (SA)
Fair Trading Act 1987 (SA)
Fair Trading Act 1989 (Qld)
Fair Trading Act 1989 (Qld)
Fair Trading Act 2010 (WA)
Fair Trading Act 2010 (WA)
Motor Car Traders Act 1986 (Vic)
Motor Car Traders Act 1986 (Vic)
Motor Dealers and Chattel Auctioneers Act 2014 (Qld)
Motor Dealers and Chattel Auctioneers Act 2014 (Qld)
Motor Dealers and Repairers Act 2013 (NSW)
Motor Dealers and Repairers Act 2013 (NSW)
Motor Vehicle Dealers Act 1973 (WA)
Motor Vehicle Dealers Act 1973 (WA)
Motor Vehicle Repairers Act 2003 (WA)
Motor Vehicle Repairers Act 2003 (WA)
Motor Vehicle Traders Act 2011 (Tas)
Motor Vehicle Traders Act 2011 (Tas)
Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018 (Cth)
Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018 (Cth)
Sale of Motor Vehicles Act 1977 (ACT)
Sale of Motor Vehicles Act 1977 (ACT)
Second-hand Vehicle Dealers Act 1995 (SA)
Second-hand Vehicle Dealers Act 1995 (SA)
Spam Act 2003
Spam Act 2003 (Cth)
Dangerous Goods (Road and Rail Transport) Act 2008 (NSW)
Dangerous Goods (Road and Rail Transport) Act 2008 (NSW)
Dangerous Goods (Road and Rail Transport) Act 2010 (Tas)
Dangerous Goods (Road and Rail Transport) Act 2010 (Tas)
Dangerous Goods Act 1985 (Vic)
Dangerous Goods Act 1985 (Vic)
Dangerous Goods Act 1998 (NT)
Dangerous Goods Act 1998 (NT)
Dangerous Goods Safety Act 2004 (WA)
Dangerous Goods Safety Act 2004 (WA)
Dangerous Substances Act 1979 (SA)
Dangerous Substances Act 1979 (SA)
Dangerous Substances Act 2004 (ACT)
Dangerous Substances Act 2004 (ACT)
Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld)
Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld)
Electrical Safety Act 2022 (NT)
Electrical Safety Act 2022 (NT)
Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act 2004 (NSW)
Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act 2004 (NSW)
Electricity Act 1945 (WA)
Electricity Act 1945 (WA)
Electricity Safety Act 1998 (Vic)
Electricity Safety Act 1998 (Vic)
Gas Safety Act 1997 (Vic)
Gas Safety Act 1997 (Vic)
Gas Standards Act 1972 (WA)
Gas Standards Act 1972 (WA)
National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 (Cth)
National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 (Cth)
Occupational Licensing Act 2005 (Tas)
Occupational Licensing Act 2005 (Tas)
Plumbers and Drainers Licensing Act 1983 (NT)
Plumbers and Drainers Licensing Act 1983 (NT)
Plumbers Licensing Act 1995 (WA)
Plumbers Licensing Act 1995 (WA)
Plumbers, Gas Fitters and Electricians Act 1995 (SA)
Plumbers, Gas Fitters and Electricians Act 1995 (SA)
Plumbing and Drainage Act 2011 (NSW)
Plumbing and Drainage Act 2011 (NSW)
Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018 (Qld)
Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018 (Qld)
Transport Operations (Road Use Management - Dangerous Goods) Regulation 2018 (Qld)
Transport Operations (Road Use Management - Dangerous Goods) Regulation 2018 (Qld)
Utilities (Technical Regulation) Act 2014 (ACT)
Utilities (Technical Regulation) Act 2014 (ACT)
Age Discrimination Act 2004 (Cth)
Age Discrimination Act 2004 (Cth)
Agents Act 2003 (ACT)
Agents Act 2003 (ACT)
Agents Licensing Act 1979 (NT)
Agents Licensing Act 1979 (NT)
Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code - Standard 3.2.2 - Food Safety Practices and General Requirements
Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code - Standard 3.2.2 - Food Safety Practices and General Requirements
Commercial Passenger (Road) Transport Act 1991 (NT)
Commercial Passenger (Road) Transport Act 1991 (NT)
Commercial Passenger Vehicle Industry Act 2017 (Vic)
Commercial Passenger Vehicle Industry Act 2017 (Vic)
Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (Cth)
Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (Cth)
Estate Agents Act 1980 (Vic)
Estate Agents Act 1980 (Vic)
Land Agents Act 1994 (SA)
Land Agents Act 1994 (SA)
National Measurement Act 1960 (Cth)
National Measurement Act 1960 (Cth)
Passenger Transport Act 1994 (SA)
Passenger Transport Act 1994 (SA)
Passenger Transport Services Act 2011 (Tas)
Passenger Transport Services Act 2011 (Tas)
Point to Point Transport (Taxis and Hire Vehicles) Act 2016 (NSW)
Point to Point Transport (Taxis and Hire Vehicles) Act 2016 (NSW)
Private Security Act 1995 (NT)
Private Security Act 1995 (NT)
Private Security Act 2004 (Vic)
Private Security Act 2004 (Vic)
Property Agents and Land Transactions Act 2016 (Tas)
Property Agents and Land Transactions Act 2016 (Tas)
Property and Stock Agents Act 2002 (NSW)
Property and Stock Agents Act 2002 (NSW)
Property Occupations Act 2014 (Qld)
Property Occupations Act 2014 (Qld)
Real Estate and Business Agents Act 1978 (WA)
Real Estate and Business Agents Act 1978 (WA)
Road Transport (Public Passenger Services) Act 2001 (ACT)
Road Transport (Public Passenger Services) Act 2001 (ACT)
Security and Investigation Industry Act 1995 (SA)
Security and Investigation Industry Act 1995 (SA)
Security and Investigations Agents Act 2002 (Tas)
Security and Investigations Agents Act 2002 (Tas)
Security and Related Activities (Control) Act 1996 (WA)
Security and Related Activities (Control) Act 1996 (WA)
Security Industry Act 1997 (NSW)
Security Industry Act 1997 (NSW)
Security Industry Act 2003 (ACT)
Security Industry Act 2003 (ACT)
Security Providers Act 1993 (Qld)
Security Providers Act 1993 (Qld)
Transport (Road Passenger Services) Act 2018 (WA)
Transport (Road Passenger Services) Act 2018 (WA)
Transport Operations (Passenger Transport) Act 1994 (Qld)
Transport Operations (Passenger Transport) Act 1994 (Qld)
Charitable Collections Act 1946 (WA)
Charitable Collections Act 1946 (WA)
Charitable Collections Act 2003 (ACT)
Charitable Collections Act 2003 (ACT)
Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 (NSW)
Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 (NSW)
Collections Act 1966 (Qld)
Collections Act 1966 (Qld)
Collections for Charitable Purposes Act 1939 (SA)
Collections for Charitable Purposes Act 1939 (SA)
Collections for Charities Act 2001 (Tas)
Collections for Charities Act 2001 (Tas)
Country of Origin Food Labelling Information Standard 2016
Country of Origin Food Labelling Information Standard 2016
Fundraising Act 1998 (Vic)
Fundraising Act 1998 (Vic)
Gaming Control Act 1993 (NT)
Gaming Control Act 1993 (NT)
National Trade Measurement Regulations 2009 (Cth)
National Trade Measurement Regulations 2009 (Cth)
Imported Food Control Act 1992 (Cth)
Imported Food Control Act 1992 (Cth)
Electronic Transactions Act 1999 (Cth)
Electronic Transactions Act 1999 (Cth)
Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 (Cth)
Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 (Cth)
Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (Cth)
Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (Cth)
Biosecurity Act 2015 (Cth)
Biosecurity Act 2015 (Cth)
Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW)
Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW)
Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (Qld)
Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (Qld)
Anti-Discrimination Act 1992 (NT)
Anti-Discrimination Act 1992 (NT)
Anti-Discrimination Act 1998 (Tas)
Anti-Discrimination Act 1998 (Tas)
Discrimination Act 1991 (ACT)
Discrimination Act 1991 (ACT)
Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (SA)
Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (SA)
Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (WA)
Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (WA)
Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic)
Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic)
Online Safety Act 2021 (Cth)
Online Safety Act 2021 (Cth)
Goods Act 1958 (Vic)
Goods Act 1958 (Vic)
National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 (Cth)
National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 (Cth)
Sale of Goods Act 1895 (SA)
Sale of Goods Act 1895 (SA)
Sale of Goods Act 1895 (WA)
Sale of Goods Act 1895 (WA)
Sale of Goods Act 1896 (Qld)
Sale of Goods Act 1896 (Qld)
Sale of Goods Act 1896 (Tas)
Sale of Goods Act 1896 (Tas)
Sale of Goods Act 1923 (NSW)
Sale of Goods Act 1923 (NSW)
Sale of Goods Act 1954 (ACT)
Sale of Goods Act 1954 (ACT)
Sale of Goods Act 1972 (NT)
Sale of Goods Act 1972 (NT)
Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994 (Cth)
Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994 (Cth)
Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Act 2014
Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Act 2014 (Cth)
Olympic Insignia Protection Act 1987
Olympic Insignia Protection Act 1987 (Cth)
Tracker
- New8 June 2026
Education, childcare and training provider laws added
The legislation library now covers education, childcare and training-provider regulation for Australian small businesses. New pages explain ASQA and RTO regulation, overseas student and CRICOS provider obligations, and education and care services laws across NSW, Queensland, Victoria, WA, SA, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory. This gives childcare operators, family day care providers, outside school hours care businesses, RTOs, private colleges, education startups, franchise groups and buyers a clearer place to understand approvals, registrations, responsible people, staffing, student records, education agents, incidents, regulator notices and acquisition due diligence.
Franchising & Regulated IndustriesBusiness Registration & OperationsEmployment & WorkplaceContracts & CommercialConsumer Law & TradingPrivacy & Data - New8 June 2026
Fundraising and charitable collections laws added
The legislation library now covers state and territory fundraising, charitable collections and community fundraising pathways across NSW, Queensland, Victoria, WA, SA, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory. This gives charities, social enterprises, clubs, ecommerce brands, event organisers, sponsors and businesses running charity-linked campaigns a clearer place to understand when public donation requests, use of charity names, paid fundraisers, records, receipts, collection licences, approvals, raffles, lotteries and regulator reporting need to be checked before launch.
Not-for-Profits & CharitiesConsumer Law & TradingDigital & EcommerceContracts & CommercialBusiness Registration & OperationsFranchising & Regulated Industries - New8 June 2026
Passenger transport and booking service laws added
The legislation library now covers passenger transport, point-to-point, taxi, hire vehicle, rideshare, shuttle, booking-service and road passenger service regimes across NSW, Queensland, Victoria, WA, SA, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory. This gives operators, booking platforms, tour providers, airport transfer businesses, community transport providers and businesses hiring transport a clearer place to understand authorisations, driver checks, vehicle standards, safety duties, fares, complaints, incidents and regulator pathways.
Franchising & Regulated IndustriesConsumer Law & TradingContracts & CommercialEmployment & WorkplaceBusiness Registration & OperationsDigital & Ecommerce - New8 June 2026
Dangerous goods and dangerous substances laws added
The legislation library now covers dangerous goods and dangerous substances regimes across NSW, Queensland, Victoria, WA, SA, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory. This gives warehouses, manufacturers, labs, farms, retailers, hospitality operators, builders, importers and logistics businesses a clearer place to understand classification, packaging, placarding, transport documents, emergency information, storage, handling, licences, notices and incident records.
Environment, Waste & PollutionConstruction & TradesFood & Product ComplianceEmployment & WorkplaceContracts & CommercialConsumer Law & Trading - New8 June 2026
Licensed trades and utility safety laws added
The legislation library now covers key licensed-trades and technical-safety regimes for electrical, plumbing, drainage, gasfitting and utility work across Australia. This gives trade contractors, builders, fitout teams, landlords, franchise groups and small businesses hiring contractors a clearer place to understand licence classes, certificates, inspections, incident records, regulator notices and handover evidence.
Construction & TradesPlanning, Building & Local ApprovalsEmployment & WorkplaceContracts & CommercialConsumer Law & TradingBusiness Registration & Operations - New8 June 2026
Security industry licensing laws added
The legislation library now covers private security and investigation licensing laws across NSW, Queensland, Victoria, WA, SA, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory. This gives security firms, venues, retailers, events, facilities managers and small businesses hiring guards a clearer place to understand licence classes, crowd control, investigations, monitoring, installers, subcontractor controls, incident records and regulator pathways.
Franchising & Regulated IndustriesEmployment & WorkplacePrivacy & DataConsumer Law & TradingContracts & CommercialBusiness Registration & Operations - New8 June 2026
Automotive trading and vehicle standards laws added
The legislation library now covers automotive trading, vehicle sale, repair and road-vehicle standards laws across the Commonwealth, NSW, Queensland, Victoria, WA, SA, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory. This gives dealers, repairers, importers, automotive franchise groups, fleet operators and small businesses buying or selling vehicles a clearer place to understand licensing, sale documents, warranties, repairs, PPSR checks and regulator pathways.
Consumer Law & TradingFranchising & Regulated IndustriesBusiness Registration & OperationsContracts & CommercialFinance, Payments & SecurityFood & Product Compliance - New8 June 2026
Property agency regulation laws added
The legislation library now covers property-agency regulation across every Australian state and territory. This gives real estate agencies, property managers, business brokers, franchisors and businesses appointing agents a clearer place to understand licensing, agency agreements, trust money, advertising, supervision and transaction records.
Commercial Leases & PropertyFranchising & Regulated IndustriesConsumer Law & TradingContracts & Commercial - Case8 June 2026
Current administration and security for costs cases added
This batch adds official Federal Court explainers for voluntary administration timing and security for costs in commercial litigation. The practical theme is cash-flow pressure under legal process: creditor meetings, prepaid customers, employee entitlements, possible business sales and litigation security can all become urgent commercial issues once a dispute or insolvency process starts.
Insolvency & RestructuringCompanies & StartupsEmployment & WorkplaceConsumer Law & TradingContracts & CommercialFinance, Payments & Security - Case8 June 2026
Current consumer and records search cases added
This batch adds official Federal Court explainers for consumer law jurisdiction, informal product supply, FOI search records, cyber incident records and judicial review limits. The practical theme is evidence discipline before a dispute escalates: handover records, product warnings, search logs and privacy response notes need to be clear enough to survive later scrutiny.
Consumer Law & TradingContracts & CommercialPrivacy & DataBusiness Registration & Operations - Case8 June 2026
Current schemes, patent and disclosure cases added
This batch adds official Federal Court explainers for shareholder schemes, re-domiciliation, patent opposition evidence, patent validity, liquidation recovery timing and listed-company disclosure. The practical theme is evidence before the event: deal disclosure, investor forecasts, patent specifications and related-party transaction records need to be good enough before a court or regulator tests them.
Companies & StartupsFinance, Payments & SecurityContracts & CommercialIP & Brand ProtectionInsolvency & RestructuringConsumer Law & Trading - Case8 June 2026
Current workplace, credit and marketing cases added
This batch adds official Federal Court explainers for SCHADS sleepover rostering, casual academic marking rates, Fair Work settlement-cost risk, business-purpose credit declarations, therapeutic goods marketing and personal guarantees on urgent finance. The practical theme is classification discipline: classify work, loans, claims, advertisements and guarantees correctly before a regulator, lender or court does it for you.
Employment & WorkplaceFinance, Payments & SecurityConsumer Law & TradingContracts & Commercial - Case8 June 2026
Current Federal Court governance and regulated product cases added
This batch adds official Federal Court explainers for derivative actions, confidential contracts in restructuring disputes, joint venture accounting, employment settlement releases, therapeutic goods compliance and product patents. The practical theme is governance before conflict: keep the authority trail clean, verify regulated claims, document revenue and settlement records, and make IP filings match the real product.
Companies & StartupsContracts & CommercialInsolvency & RestructuringCommercial Leases & PropertyEmployment & WorkplaceConsumer Law & TradingIP & Brand Protection - Case8 June 2026
Current dispute, insolvency and platform cases added
This batch adds official-source explainers for live Federal Court and Full Court decisions involving subcontract disputes, winding-up review steps, freezing orders, enterprise agreement approval challenges, voluntary administration trading, product marketing claims and regulated digital platforms. The business theme is control: keep records current, keep public claims matched to evidence, and get legal help before a dispute or regulator process becomes procedural damage control.
Contracts & CommercialCompanies & StartupsInsolvency & RestructuringEmployment & WorkplaceConsumer Law & TradingDigital & Ecommerce - Case7 June 2026
Current pricing, credit and deal cases added
This batch adds current official-source case explainers for pricing promotions, consumer credit, joint-venture documents, trade mark appeal procedure, schemes of arrangement and online dispute injunctions. For small businesses, the common thread is operational discipline: price claims need evidence, credit products need proper cost modelling, deal documents need a real chronology, IP litigation needs representation planning, acquisition schemes need clear disclosure and online disputes need controlled communications.
Consumer Law & TradingFinance, Payments & SecurityContracts & CommercialCompanies & StartupsIP & Brand ProtectionDigital & Ecommerce - Case7 June 2026
Current regulator, platform and greenwashing cases added
The selected cases section now includes a further official-source batch for cartel penalties, crypto wallet licensing, AML/CTF reporting, online safety notices, carbon-registry controls, financial advice referral models, greenwashing claims and enterprise-agreement dispute scope. Each page explains the actual court story, the limits of what was decided and the practical checks a business should run.
Finance, Payments & SecurityDigital & EcommerceEnvironment, Waste & PollutionConsumer Law & TradingEmployment & Workplace - Case7 June 2026
Current company, IP and finance cases added
The selected cases section now adds six further Federal Court explainers for shareholder oppression, family company control, shareholder loans, product lookalikes, trade mark generic use and director guarantees in trade finance. These pages focus on practical business stories: what went wrong, what documents mattered, what the Court decided and what operators should tighten before a dispute starts.
Companies & StartupsIP & Brand ProtectionFinance, Payments & SecurityContracts & CommercialConsumer Law & Trading - Case7 June 2026
Current deal, IP and security cases added
The selected-case spine now covers more practical current disputes for businesses: commercial tenders and future forecasts, trade credit and PPSR enforcement, brand clearance, confidential product drawings, customer order mistakes and urgent online reputation disputes. The pages are intended as operator-friendly case stories, with official court source links and concrete checks rather than thin metadata summaries.
Contracts & CommercialConsumer Law & TradingIP & Brand ProtectionFinance, Payments & Security - Case7 June 2026
Current business case explainers expanded
The selected cases section now has deeper current coverage across adviser and fund disputes, business asset consumer guarantees, credit hardship systems, cybersecurity controls, internal dispute resolution and credit model penalties. These pages are written as practical case stories for operators, not bare legal notes: each one links to an official court or regulator source and translates the decision into concrete checks for business owners, founders, directors, regulated providers and finance teams.
Finance, Payments & SecurityConsumer Law & TradingPrivacy & DataContracts & Commercial - Amendment7 June 2026
Victorian fuel retailer amendment tracked
This is targeted at fuel retailers rather than every small business. Operators selling fuel in Victoria should check current price-board, price-reporting, code and infringement settings against the official regulation and regulator guidance before changing store processes, signage, reporting routines or staff instructions.
Consumer Law & TradingFranchising & Regulated IndustriesFood & Product Compliance - Reviewed7 June 2026
Universal outdoor mobile obligation Bill tracked
This is mainly a telecommunications-sector and regional-connectivity update, but it matters to small businesses that provide telco services, resell communications products, depend on remote field teams or operate in areas where outdoor mobile coverage is a key operational risk. The Bill should be tracked as a service-continuity and customer-communications issue, not just a telco policy story.
Digital & EcommerceConsumer Law & Trading - New7 June 2026
IP and brand protection coverage expanded
Businesses can now browse a stronger IP and brand protection cluster covering trade mark process, copyright permissions, design filing, patent procedure, plant breeder rights, circuit layouts and major-event branding risk. The pages focus on ownership, filing timing, clearance, licences, contractor-created IP, product launches, merchandise and when to get legal help before public release.
IP & Brand ProtectionBusiness Registration & OperationsConsumer Law & Trading - New7 June 2026
Product and import compliance coverage added
Product, food and import-heavy small businesses now have a federal compliance cluster covering imported food, country-of-origin food labels, trade measurement, therapeutic goods, biosecurity and agvet chemical products.
Food & Product ComplianceConsumer Law & TradingDigital & Ecommerce - New7 June 2026
Commonwealth discrimination coverage added
Small businesses can now browse federal discrimination and complaint-process laws together, including practical guidance on hiring, harassment, disability access, age-based rules, racial complaints and AHRC conciliation.
Discrimination & AccessibilityEmployment & WorkplaceConsumer Law & Trading - Case7 June 2026
Current product, governance and restructuring cases added
Business owners now have richer selected-case explainers for product safety claims, restricted-purpose funding, company reinstatement, restructuring deeds, shareholder litigation planning, director duties, construction contracts, misleading loan promises, fuel advertising and consumer guarantee claims after resale.
Consumer Law & TradingCompanies & StartupsContracts & CommercialConstruction & TradesFinance, Payments & SecurityInsolvency & Restructuring - Case7 June 2026
Current commercial and compliance cases added
Business owners now have richer selected-case explainers for joint ventures, confidential supplier information, Fair Work compliance notices, market disclosure, price guides and consumer credit pricing.
Contracts & CommercialEmployment & WorkplaceConsumer Law & TradingFinance, Payments & Security - Case7 June 2026
Current pricing and credit cases added
Business owners now have richer selected-case explainers for pricing claims, online discounting and responsible lending checks, based on current Federal Court judgments rather than metadata summaries.
Consumer Law & TradingDigital & Ecommerce - Case1 June 2026
Digital consumer law cases added
Digital, ecommerce and marketplace businesses now have selected cases for pricing interfaces, search ads, data disclosures and small-business unfair terms.
Consumer Law & TradingPrivacy & Data - Reviewed1 Apr 2026
Unfair trading practices Bill added to tracker
This is one of the biggest live consumer-law watch items for small businesses. If it passes, subscription sellers, marketplaces, ecommerce brands, SaaS operators, booking platforms and retailers may need cleaner fee disclosure, easier cancellation flows and stronger review of sales practices that feel unfair even when a narrow term is technically disclosed.
Consumer Law & TradingDigital & EcommerceContracts & Commercial - Amendment28 Mar 2026
ACCC penalty increase added to Competition and Consumer history
The maximum penalty risk for serious competition and consumer law breaches has become sharper. For small businesses, the practical point is not that ordinary mistakes suddenly attract the highest penalty. It is that misleading claims, cartel risk, unfair market conduct and weak approval controls now need stronger review before campaigns, pricing changes, competitor contact, sales scripts or platform terms go live.
Consumer Law & TradingContracts & CommercialDigital & Ecommerce - Amendment10 Mar 2026
Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading (Code of Practice for Fuel Retailers) Regulations 2025 history added
This belongs in the Victorian fair trading history because fuel price display and reporting rules sit under the same consumer-law operating environment. It is not relevant to every small business, but Victorian fuel retailers should treat price boards, price-reporting routines, staff instructions and regulator notices as live compliance controls rather than one-off signage tasks.
Consumer Law & TradingFranchising & Regulated IndustriesFood & Product Compliance - Amendment10 Mar 2026
Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading (Infringements) Regulations 2018 history added
This is useful for businesses that may receive or respond to Victorian fair trading infringement notices. It does not change the national Australian Consumer Law story by itself, but it helps explain why local enforcement documents, payment deadlines, internal escalation and evidence retention matter when a regulator raises a consumer-law issue.
Consumer Law & TradingContracts & Commercial - Reviewed28 Feb 2026
Spam Act flagged for marketing compliance review
Businesses running email or SMS campaigns should confirm consent records, sender identification and working unsubscribe links.
Privacy & DataConsumer Law & Trading - Case15 Jan 2026
ACCC v Valve added as a selected consumer law case
Online businesses should review refund terms and consumer guarantee wording in light of this decision.
Consumer Law & Trading - Reviewed27 Nov 2025
WA Australian Consumer Law source added to history
WA businesses should treat the Australian Consumer Law as both a national consumer-law framework and a WA source-checking exercise. The consolidated WA page is useful for retailers, ecommerce businesses, service providers, franchisors and complaint teams because local enforcement, version history and official currency can matter when checking representations, refund terms, unfair terms or regulator correspondence.
Consumer Law & TradingDigital & Ecommerce - New5 Aug 2025
Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading (Code of Practice for Fuel Price Reporting) Regulations 2025 history added
This as-made source is useful history for Victorian fuel retailers because it records the 2025 rule package before later version changes. Businesses do not need a separate page for it, but operators reviewing old price-reporting processes, compliance correspondence or store instructions should know that the current in-force version may not look exactly like the original rule as made.
Consumer Law & TradingFranchising & Regulated IndustriesFood & Product Compliance - New27 June 2022
Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Regulations 2022 history added
This is the kind of subordinate regulation that should sit behind the parent Victorian fair trading page rather than become a thin standalone law page. For retailers, ecommerce sellers, service providers and complaint teams, it is a reminder that practical Victorian consumer-law work often involves checking the Act, the current regulations and Consumer Affairs Victoria guidance together.
Consumer Law & TradingDigital & Ecommerce - Amendment31 Mar 2022
Franchise Disclosure Register history added
This is important for franchise systems because disclosure is not only a pre-signing document bundle. The Franchise Disclosure Register changed the transparency settings around franchisor information and franchise-system visibility. Franchisors should treat register details, disclosure documents and renewal workflows as one compliance calendar.
Franchising & Regulated IndustriesConsumer Law & TradingContracts & Commercial - New2016 statutory rule
Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading (Code of Practice for Fuel Price Boards) Regulations 2016 history added
This is older fuel-retail history rather than a general small-business compliance page. It helps keep the parent Victorian fair trading guide honest by showing that fuel price-board obligations have their own source trail. Fuel retailers reviewing legacy signage, store operations or older regulator material should check the current rules before relying on older price-board wording.
Consumer Law & TradingFranchising & Regulated IndustriesFood & Product Compliance - Amendment12 Nov 2015
Small-business unfair contract terms history added
This is a major history point for small businesses using standard terms, SaaS terms, supply agreements, franchise documents, credit documents or online customer contracts. It is the reason small-business standard form contracts now sit inside the unfair contract terms conversation. Operators should treat this as part of the Competition and Consumer Act history, not as a separate Act to read in isolation.
Consumer Law & TradingContracts & CommercialDigital & Ecommerce - New30 Oct 2014
Franchising Code 2014 history added
This is a historical anchor for franchisors and franchisees. The 2014 Code is no longer the current Code, but it shaped years of disclosure, good faith, cooling-off, transfer, termination and dispute handling practice. Keeping it in the parent history helps readers understand why older franchise agreements and older cases may refer to the 2014 regulation even though the current page explains the 2024 Code.
Franchising & Regulated IndustriesConsumer Law & TradingContracts & Commercial - New2012 statutory rule
Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Regulations 2012 history added
This gives the Victorian fair trading page a cleaner historical trail without asking a business owner to read a separate thin page for old regulations. If a dispute, old contract, store policy or regulator document refers to the 2012 regulations, the practical move is to treat it as history and then check the current Victorian regulations and guidance before acting.
Consumer Law & TradingContracts & Commercial - New15 Dec 2009
National consumer credit transition history added
This is useful history for credit providers, brokers and businesses adjacent to consumer-credit activity. It supported the transition into the national consumer credit regime, so it helps explain why credit licensing, responsible lending, fees, transitional arrangements and ASIC oversight sit together in the NCCP Act ecosystem.
Consumer Law & TradingFinance, Payments & SecurityContracts & Commercial - Reviewed2006 statutory rule
Consumer Credit (Victoria) (Administration) Regulations 2006 history added
This later Victorian administration regulation is useful mainly as historical credit-law context. It should not distract a small business from current NCCP, credit licensing and responsible lending checks. It does help explain why older Victorian credit files, broker paperwork and archived regulator material may use state-regime language that no longer tells the whole story.
Finance, Payments & SecurityConsumer Law & Trading - Reviewed1999 Act
Competition Policy Reform (Northern Territory) Act 1999 history added
This Northern Territory competition reform source is background for the national competition-policy environment. It is not a separate small-business guide, but it helps explain older regulated-industry and competition-policy references. Current retailers, platforms, franchisors and suppliers should still start with the Competition and Consumer Act, Australian Consumer Law and ACCC guidance.
Consumer Law & TradingFranchising & Regulated Industries - Reviewed1998 Act
Consumer Credit (Finance Brokers) Act 1998 history added
This is older Victorian consumer-credit history rather than a current finance-broking playbook. It belongs under the national consumer credit page because brokers, lenders and businesses dealing with old contracts or disputes may see state credit-law references even though current licensing and consumer-credit obligations now sit mainly in the national NCCP framework.
Finance, Payments & SecurityConsumer Law & Trading - Reviewed1 Nov 1996
Consumer Credit (Northern Territory) Act 1995 history added
The Northern Territory consumer-credit source is useful transition history for businesses dealing with older credit documents, finance broking history or legacy enforcement material. It belongs with the national consumer credit page because the practical modern question is usually whether a credit activity needs an ACL, what NCCP duties apply and what ASIC expects now.
Finance, Payments & SecurityConsumer Law & Trading - Reviewed1996 statutory rule
Consumer Credit (Victoria) (Administration) Regulations 1996 history added
This is a source trail for Victoria's older credit administration rules. It is useful where a business, broker, lender or adviser is looking at legacy credit documents, old regulator correspondence or a dispute that refers back to the Victorian regime. For current work, the practical check is still the national credit law, ASIC guidance and the live licence position.
Finance, Payments & SecurityConsumer Law & Trading - Reviewed1995 Act
Consumer Credit (Victoria) Act 1995 history added
This is one of the older state sources behind consumer-credit work in Victoria. It is not the starting point for a modern small-business finance product, but it matters for historical contracts, archived broker files and transition questions. Current operators should use it as context, then check the NCCP Act, ASIC licensing settings and current credit-law guidance.
Finance, Payments & SecurityConsumer Law & Trading - Reviewed1995 Act
Competition Policy Reform (Victoria) Act 1995 history added
This is competition-policy background, not a modern consumer-law page for ordinary operators. It belongs under the Competition and Consumer Act because it helps explain older competition reform references that can appear in infrastructure, regulated-industry or government-facing documents. Current businesses should still begin with the CCA, Australian Consumer Law and ACCC guidance.
Consumer Law & TradingFranchising & Regulated Industries
Cases
Abboud and AM2PM Group v Oltoy
Consumer guarantee claims about vehicles, equipment or other business assets often turn on evidence. If the problem is technical, the expert report needs clear...
ACCC v Coles Supermarkets
Discount campaigns need to be genuine, not just technically lower than a recently increased price. If a business advertises a was/now or price-drop promotion, it...
ACCC v Emma Sleep
Online discounting needs discipline. If products are almost always advertised as discounted, or sale countdowns keep rolling, the business may be selling urgency...
ACCC v Jayco Corporation
Product marketing claims need to line up with the actual design, warranty terms and evidence about safe use. If a product is promoted for demanding conditions, the...
ACCC v Mobil Oil Australia
Marketing a product as having special features is risky if the supply chain does not actually deliver those features. Retailers, franchise systems and suppliers...
ACCC v Qteq
Cartel risk is not limited to signed price-fixing agreements. A failed attempt to divide work, limit a competitor's tender or stop another business competing can...
ACCR v Santos
Environmental and climate claims need evidence behind them, but the law also reads them in context. A long-term target is not automatically misleading because it...
ASIC v BPS Financial
Crypto, payments and wallet products can fall inside financial-services law even where the business sees itself as a technology or marketplace operator. Legal...
ASIC v BSF Solutions and Cigno Australia
Credit products cannot be structured around licensing and fee caps without serious risk. Legal advice can matter on penalty, but it is not a free pass if the model...
ASIC v Green County
Business-purpose declarations are not a magic switch that removes credit law. Lenders and introducers need reasonable inquiry records before treating a loan as...
ASIC v Money3
Responsible lending checks cannot be a box-tick. If a lender has bank transaction data, declared expenses and warning signs, it needs a real process for inquiries...
ASIC v Oztures trading as Binance Australia Derivatives
If a regulated product is meant to be offered only to wholesale clients, the onboarding controls need to prove that status before access is given. Classification...
ASIC v Telstra Super
Complaint handling is a regulated process for many financial businesses, not a customer service courtesy. Response deadlines, delay notices and AFCA information...
ASIC v Walker Stores
Businesses offering goods on instalments or consumer credit need to model the true credit cost, not just the sales price. Large penalties can follow if interest,...
ASIC v Westpac
Regulated customer requests only count if the operational system actually catches them, routes them and answers them on time. Credit providers, fintechs and payment...
Black Star Pastry v Richards
Brand ownership should be sorted before registration, licensing or expansion. If two people own a mark together, one person registering it alone can make the...
Bodum v H.A.G Import
Copying the look of a competitor's product is risky, but the law still asks what consumers are likely to understand. Packaging, labelling, brand names and the...
Campbell v McIntyre
Online disputes can become urgent ACL and reputation litigation. If a commercial dispute spills into videos, articles, WhatsApp groups or investor communications,...
Cannatrek scheme approval
Shareholder votes do not erase late disclosure issues. If a regulated risk changes during a transaction, boards should update the market, tell members clearly and...
Capic v Ford
Consumer guarantee exposure can travel beyond the first sale, but the chain of title and the type of resale matter. Businesses selling products through dealers,...
Care A2 Plus v a2 Milk
Brand names that look descriptive can still be protected if consumers understand them as badges of origin. Before launching a name close to a competitor's mark,...
Consumer Affairs Victoria v White Ray
Advertising an indicative price below what the business actually expects can be misleading. Sales teams need systems that keep public price guides aligned with...
Container Rotation Systems v Intermodal Solutions
A trade mark can lose practical power if competitors successfully turn it into a generic product descriptor. Businesses should use marks as brands, police misuse...
Crowley v Worley disclosure appeal
Forecasts and investor updates need a reasonable basis across the business, not just board-level confidence. Listed companies and growth companies should preserve...
First Class Securities v Global Future Holdings
Freezing orders are urgent and serious. Businesses seeking them need focused evidence about risk, assets and undertakings. Businesses facing them need to comply...
Gao v Australian Information Commissioner
Privacy complaints can be won or lost on evidence and procedure. Businesses handling customer or credit information should keep records that show what data was...
Goldwind Australia v Ozlift Kranes
A company usually needs a lawyer in Federal Court, but the Court can make limited exceptions. If a business is in a serious dispute, the safer lesson is not to...
Grech v Heartland Hyundai
Customer-order mistakes can still become ACL disputes. If a price or quantity error happens, the business should move quickly, explain the mistake, preserve the...
Hall v Hemant Investments
A promise that business money will be repaid, or replaced with a property interest, needs to be documented with real security and clear default rights. If the...
Mastercard v ACCC privilege appeal
Privilege can be lost by the way a business runs its defence. If affidavits or evidence put decision-makers' purposes into issue, the business may open privileged...
McCallum v Projector Films
Creative credits are not just etiquette. If a production agreement promises attribution, promotional materials, festival listings, IMDb entries and final cuts need...
Olsen, in the matter of Babyskin Laser & Cosmetic Clinic
Voluntary administration is not just a pause button. For a small company, the second creditors' meeting can decide whether the business is sold, rescued through a...
Secretary v AG Therapeutics
Marketing agencies can be exposed when therapeutic goods campaigns cross legal lines. Liquidation may pause ordinary civil proceedings, but it will not necessarily...
Secretary v Key Promotional Products
Businesses importing, supplying or advertising regulated health products must verify the exact ARTG status before sale. Saying a product is TGA approved when it is...
South32 v Siemens discovery dispute
If your business uses related companies, overseas specialists, shared personnel or subcontractors to deliver a project, do not assume their records sit outside your...
Svehla v Svager
Consumer law disputes can turn on details that feel ordinary at the time: who supplied the goods, whether they were supplied in trade or commerce, what was said...
TEQSA v Chegg
Regulated digital services need product controls, not just terms of use. If a platform enables users to buy help that crosses into prohibited conduct, overseas...
The Owners - Strata Plan No 87231 v 3A Composites
Product and building-safety disputes are rarely won by pointing at a product category in the abstract. If a business wants to rely on a product claim, warning claim...
The Property Mentors Australia v Touch for Health
Investment documents should never promise timing or returns unless the numbers have a defensible basis in the actual trust deed, project documents and commercial...
Top Energy Holdings v Liu
Joint ventures, sale documents and shareholder funding records need a clean paper trail. If a document is created or relied on after the relationship breaks down,...
United Petroleum v Perth Airport
Future-looking statements in tenders, brochures and deal meetings need evidence. If a business is selling a commercial opportunity based on expected traffic,...
v2food patent opposition appeal
A patent opposition can turn on who actually carries evidence into court. If the opponent does not support its grounds on a fresh appeal, the patent applicant may...
Wang v Creation Homes QLD
Construction disputes are won on the contract, payment notices, dates and records. AI-polished pleadings or dramatic allegations will not replace evidence about...
Self Care IP Holdings v Allergan
Brand strategy should be checked before launch. Businesses need to consider registered marks, packaging, product naming and the overall impression created for...
ACCC v Employsure
Read this case as a warning about the whole structure of a paid search campaign. The legal risk did not come only from one phrase in isolation. It came from the...
ACCC v Google
Businesses collecting location or behavioural data should make privacy and consumer disclosures match the real product settings. Privacy wording can also be...
ACCC v HealthEngine
Data-sharing and review systems need to be designed honestly. A privacy disclosure problem can also become misleading conduct where users are not clearly told how...
ACCC v Jayco
Warranty wording and customer service scripts must not understate consumer guarantee rights. Even where a business wins much of a case, one wrong statement about...
ACCC v Kogan Australia
Sale pricing must be real. If a business raises prices before a promotion and then advertises a discount, the legal question is whether customers are actually...
ACCC v Trivago
Read this case as a decision about what an ordinary consumer would take from a digital comparison service. If your website or app highlights a result as top,...
ASIC v Kobelt
Kobelt is not permission to run informal credit loosely. Businesses dealing with vulnerable customers should treat credit, consent, account control and repayment...
ACCC v Servcorp
Small-business standard form contracts should not give the supplier one-sided control over renewal, price increases, termination, liability or security deposits....
ACCC v JJ Richards
If your business uses standard form contracts with small business customers, ACCC v JJ Richards is a strong reminder to review the whole template, not just one...
ACCC v Valve Corporation
Online businesses selling to Australian customers should assume the Australian Consumer Law applies, and refund or 'no returns' clauses cannot override consumer...
ACCC v TPG Internet
Headline prices must show the real deal. If unavoidable charges are hidden, delayed or visually downplayed, a technically true price can still create a misleading...
Google v ACCC
Advertisers are responsible for the claims in their search ads. Google won this case on platform responsibility, but a business that writes or approves misleading...