Trade Regulation/International Law: Australia Enacts New National Consumer Protection Law

On July 13, the Australian Trade Practices Amendment (Australian Consumer Law) Bill (No. 2) 2010 received final assent. According to the summary by the Australian Parliament, the lengthy bill (402 pages total) "amends: the Trade Practices Act 1974, Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 and Corporations Act 2001 to implement a national consumer law regime (the Australian Consumer Law) in relation to: general and specific consumer protections; misleading and deceptive conduct; unconscionable conduct; unfair practices; consumer transactions; statutory consumer guarantees; a standard consumer product safety law for consumer goods; and product-related services; the Trade Practices Act 1974 to rename it as the Competition and Consumer Act 2010; and 61 Acts to reflect the change in title of the Trade Practices Act 1974."