Tag Archive for Australian Consumer Law

New Gift Card Consumer Laws

Canberrans stand to benefit from reforms to the Australian Consumer Law that will require gift cards to have a three-year minimum expiry date and for expiry dates to be prominently displayed. Together with other state and territory consumer ministers, ACT Minister for Consumer Affairs Shane Rattenbury recently agreed to implement a national scheme for the…

20,000 Shoppers Complain to Australian Competition and Consumer Comission

More than 20,000 shoppers complained to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission about consumer guarantees in 2016, with more than a quarter reporting problems returning electronics and whitegoods to retailers. As the Christmas period ends and Boxing Day sales wind down, the ACCC is reminding shoppers they have automatic guarantee rights that a product will…

Federal Court Orders Valve to pay $3 million

On 23 December 2016 the Federal Court ordered Valve Corporation (Valve) to pay penalties totaling $3 million for breaching the Australian Consumer Law. Valve is one of the world’s largest online game retailers and operates the Steam game distribution platform. In March 2016, the Court found that Valve had breached the Australian Consumer Law by…

Dangerous Toys Crushed

Minister for Consumer Affairs, Jane Garrett, assisted in destroying more than 4,300 unsafe toys and nursery items seized from Victorian retailers, wholesalers and importers. Minister Garrett explained that among the products seized by Consumer Affairs Victoria inspectors were toy bow and arrow sets, yo-yo balls posing strangulation hazards, faulty prams and dangerous nursery products including…