One law for all Australian businesses
The ACL is a national, generic law which applies in the same way to all sectors and in all Australian jurisdictions. This means that all consumers in Australia enjoy the same rights and all businesses have the same obligations, irrespective of which state or territory they engaged in transactions.
The ACL covers general standards of business conduct, prohibits unfair trading practices, regulates specific types of business-to-consumer transactions, provides basic consumer guarantees for goods and services , and regulates the safety of consumer products and product-related services.
Where can I find the ACL?
For high-level information about the ACL and its provisions, refer to The Australian Consumer Law – Legislation page.
Where can I get guidance on the ACL?
National guidance on aspects of the ACL has been developed and is updated by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the State and Territory consumer protection agencies, and, in relation to financial services, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
Guides for Businesses and Legal Practitioners:
Unfair contract terms [PDF 490KB]
Consumer guarantees [PDF 619KB]
Consumer product safety [PDF 453KB]
Avoiding unfair business practices [PDF 491KB]
Guidance on the consumer guarantee as to acceptable quality and ‘durability’ [PDF 208KB]
Guidance on the consumer guarantee as to acceptable quality and ‘safe’ [PDF 265KB]
For more information about complying with the ACL, refer to the ACCC’s business page.
Who enforces the ACL?
The ACL is administered and enforced jointly by the ACCC and the State and Territory consumer protection agencies, with the involvement of ASIC on financial services matters. If you need to talk to someone about the enforcement of the ACL, contact the ACCC, ASIC or your State or Territory consumer protection agency for further information and assistance.