The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced its compliance and enforcement priorities for 2020, with construction, energy and digital sectors in its sights.
Chair of the ACCC, Rod Sims said the annual list of priorities provided focus to the Commission’s enforcement and advocacy work.
Mr Sims said the establishment of a permanent Digital Platforms Branch within the ACCC would ensure continual scrutiny of the sector.
“We have advanced investigations involving digital platforms allegedly misleading consumers about the collection and the use of their personal data, and we have important competition matters before us,” Mr Sims said.
He said the pricing and selling practices of essential services, combined with a lack of transparency in pricing, continued to be an area of concern.
“We have taken considerable, recent enforcement action in relation to electricity and telecommunications, and it appears this will continue.”
He said a dedicated Commercial Construction Unit would be looking at conduct affecting competition and poor trading practices in the building industry.
“As I said last year, consumer guarantees remains the number one issue that the ACCC and the Australian Consumer Law regulators have to deal with,” Mr Sims said.
“In 2020 we aim to improve industry compliance with consumer guarantees through a combination of industry education and guidance and enforcement action where appropriate,” he said.
“There will be a particular focus on educating consumers to understand their consumer rights and empowering them to enforce them.”
The full list of the ACCC’s 2020 priorities is available at this PS News link.
