Consumer Protection Essay

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Discuss the legal protection offered to consumers in Australia highlighting the recent amendments to the laws and how these reforms might be extended.

Consumer protection is an essential and extensive system of laws intended to safeguard the rights of consumers and encourage fair trade and honest information in the marketplace . Consumer protection encompasses three key areas, known as unfair trading practices, losses or damage and finally, unsafe products. Protection from unfair trading practices is established through the education of consumers in regards to their rights and obligations, losses or damage is monitored by enforcing consumer laws against unscrupulous traders whist unsafe products are regulated through rigorous safety standards . Consumer protection also aims to prevent unlawful trade practices by educating businesses of their rights and responsibilities and protecting the marketplace from the unlawful practices of other businesses. The following reported discusses Australia’s legal protection offered towards consumers currently, recent reforms undergone by the system and areas potentially applicable for reform in the future. In particular the report looks in the Australian Consumer Law (Cth) 2011 and the widespread implications of the legislation.

Consumers in Australia are protected by an assortment of laws which are managed and imposed by Australia's national, state and territory consumer regulators. These various laws will generally apply only to business to consumer interactions, rather than business to business transactions . Over the past 10 years Australia’s consumer protection laws have undergone much needed reform. The Australian Consumer Law (Cth) came into effect from 1 January 2011 and has ‘repla...

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...02; 166 ALR 74
ACCC v Target Australia Pty Ltd [2001] FCA 1326
Dawson v Motor Tyre Service Pty Ltd (1981) ATPR 40-223
Hamlyn v Mark Foy’s Pty Ltd (1982) ATPR 40-316
Hardy v Your Tabs Pty Ltd (in Liq) [2000] NSW CA 150
TPC v Calderton Corp Pty Ltd (1994) ATPR 41-306
TPC v Cue Design Pty Ltd (1996) A Crim R 500; ATPR 41-475
TPC v Pacific Dunlop limited (1994) ATPR 41-307

Legislation

Australian Consumer Law 2011 (Cth)
Australian Securities and Investments Act 2001 (Cth)
Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth)
Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth)
Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (Cth)
Food Standards Australia New Zealand Regulations 1994 (Cth)
Imported Food Control Act 1992 (Cth)
National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 (Cth)
National Measurement Act 1960 (Cth)
Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 (Cth)
Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth)

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