Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Telstra Corporation Limited (ACN 051 775 556) [2007] FCA 1904

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Telstra Corporation Limited (ACN 051 775 556) [2007] FCA 1904

TRADE PRACTICES – misleading and deceptive conduct – effectiveness of a disclaimer – false representations about services – representations that goods or service have performance or other characteristics they do not have – television, print and internet advertisements – assessing conduct by reference to a specific class or classes of consumers – whether conduct by a licensed dealer can be said to have been "engaged in on behalf of" the licensor company or "at the direction or with the consent or agreement of" a servant of the licensor company under s 84(2)(b) of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) if the licensor company had a direct interest in the conduct and failed to take steps to stop it

Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) ss 51A, 52, 53(aa), 53(c), 84(2)(b)

.au Domain Administration Ltd v Domain Names Australia Pty Ltd (2004) 207 ALR 521 cited and followed Alpine Holdings Pty Ltd v Warwick Entertainment Centre Pty Ltd (2003) 11 Tas R 242 cited Astrazeneca Pty Ltd v GlaxoSmithKline Australia Pty Ltd [2006] ATPR 42-106 cited and followed Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Telstra (2004) 208 ALR 459 cited Butcher v Lachlan Elder Realty Pty Ltd (2004) 218 CLR 592 cited and followed Campomar Sociedad, Limitada v Nike International Ltd (2000) 202 CLR 45 cited and followed Duracell Australia Pty Ltd v Union Carbide Australia Ltd (1988) 14 IPR 293 cited and followed Finucane v New South Wales Egg Corp (1988) 80 ALR 486 cited Freeman & Lockyer (a firm) v Buckhurst Park Properties (Mangal) Ltd [1964] 2 QB 480 cited Gillette Australia Pty Ltd v Energizer Australia Pty Ltd (2002) 193 ALR 629 cited and followed Johnson & Johnson Pacific Pty Ltd v Unilever Australia Ltd (No 2) (2007) ATPR 42-136 cited Karmot Auto Spares Pty Ltd v Dominelli Ford (Hurstville) Pty Ltd (1992) 35 FCR 560 cited Keen Mar Corp Pty Ltd v Labrador Park Shopping Centre Pty Ltd [1989] ATPR 46-048 cited Lisciandro v Official Trustee in Bankruptcy (1996) 69 FCR 180 cited National Exchange Pty Ltd v Australian Securities and Investments Commission [2004] ATPR 42-000 cited and followed Parkdale Custom Built Furniture Pty Ltd v Puxu Pty Ltd (1982) 149 CLR 191 cited Singtel Optus Pty Ltd v Telstra Corporation Ltd [2004] FCA 859 cited Taco Co of Australia Inc v Taco Bell Pty Ltd (1982) 42 ALR 177 cited Talmax Pty Ltd v Telstra Corporation Ltd [1997] 2 Qd R 444 cited Telstra Corporation Ltd v Optus Communications Pty Ltd (1996) 36 IPR 515 cited and followed Trade Practices Commission v Optus Communications Pty Ltd (1996) 64 FCR 326 cited Trade Practices Commission v Sun Alliance Australia Ltd [1994] ATPR 41-286 cited