Key Documents
The Australian Government is seeking stakeholder views on the exposure draft of the Treasury Laws Amendment (Fairer for Families and Farmers) Bill 2024: Industry Codes (Penalties and Other Amendments).
This legislation will make the required amendments to the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (CCA) to implement the government’s respective responses to the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct and Franchising Code of Conduct reviews.
The legislation will:
- allow higher maximum penalties for breaches of the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct
- introduce higher infringement notice penalties for alleged breaches of the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct and Franchising Code of Conduct
- clarify the ability for industry codes prescribed under the CCA to confer functions and powers on persons and bodies.
It will also align infringement notice penalties for alleged breaches of other industry codes prescribed under the CCA to those proposed for alleged breaches of the Franchising Code of Conduct.
The proposed reforms will strengthen and clarify the penalty regime for industry codes prescribed under the CCA and better enable industry codes to protect market participants from poor behaviour.
There is a separate consultation on the new mandatory Food and Grocery Code of Conduct.
The government will consult on the new Franchising Code of Conduct.