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Consumer law enforcement and administration

Commissioned study

The Australian Government asked the Productivity Commission to undertake a study of the enforcement and administration arrangements underpinning the Australian Consumer Law (ACL).

  • Issues paper 15 Jul 2016
  • Draft report 8 Dec 2016
  • Final report 12 Apr 2017

The issues paper covers a range of issues on which the Commission will seek information and feedback, and is intended to assist you in preparing a submission.

Initial submissions were due by 30 August 2016.

Read the issues paper

The Commission sought information and feedback on the draft report. Submissions were due by 23 January 2017.

Read the draft report

This study is complete. The final report was handed to the Australian Government on 29 March 2017 and was publicly released on 12 April 2017.

Read the study report

The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the 'multiple regulator' model in supporting a single national consumer policy framework and make findings on how this model can be strengthened drawing from the experience of regulators in the period since the ACL commenced in 2011, including the risk-based approach of regulators to enforcement.

The study also reviewed the progress that has been made in addressing issues with the previous framework raised by the Commission in its 2008 Review of Australia's Consumer Policy Framework, including regulatory complexity, inconsistency, gaps and overlap in enforcement, and unclear delineation of responsibilities between Commonwealth, state and territory governments.

Government response

There has not been a government response to this study yet.