Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v CLA Trading Pty Ltd [2016] FCA 377

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v CLA Trading Pty Ltd [2016] FCA 377 File number: WAD 330 of 2014

Judge: GILMOUR J

Date of judgment: 19 April 2016

Catchwords: CONSUMER LAW – unfair contract terms – misleading conduct – false or misleading representations – factors affecting pecuniary penalties under s 12GBA of the ASIC Act

Legislation: Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth) ss 12BA, 12BAA, 12BAB, 12BF, 12BG, 12BH(1), 12BI, 12BK, 12DA, 12DB, 12GA 12GBA, 12GLA, 12GLB, 12GND, 102 Australian Securities and Investments Commission Regulations 2001 (Cth) r 28 Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) ss 4, 131A, Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) s 4AA Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) s 21, s 43(1) Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) s 191 Acts Interpretations Act 1901 (Cth) s 15AA Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) s 557(1) Trade Practices Act 1975 (Cth) ss 51AF, 52,76E

Cases cited: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporations v Matcham (No 2) (2014) 97 ACSR 412 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v AirAsia Berhad Company [2012] FCA 1413 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Alvaton Holdings Pty Ltd [2010] FCA 760 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v ACN 117 372 915 Ltd (in liq) [2015] FCA 368 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Chopra [2015] FCA 539 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd [2015] FCA 330 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Dataline.Net.Au Pty Ltd (2006) 236 ALR 665 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Dataline.Net.Au Pty Ltd (2007) 161 FCR 513 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Global One Entertainment Limited [2011] FCA 393 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Jones (No 5) [2011] FCA 49 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Leahy Petroleum Pty Ltd (No 3) (2005) 215 ALR 301 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Marksun Australia Pty Ltd [2011] FCA 695 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v McMahon Services Pty Ltd (2004) ATPR 42-031 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Navman Australia Pty Ltd [2007] FCA 2061 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Omniblend [2015] FCA 875 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Origin Energy Ltd [2015] FCA 55 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Real Estate Institute of Western Australia Inc (1999) 161 ALR 79 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Reebok Australia Pty Ltd [2015] FCA 83 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Safeway Stores Pty Ltd (1997) 145 ALR 36 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Singtel Optus Pty Ltd (No 4) (2011) 282 ALR 246 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Spreets Pty Ltd [2015] FCA 382 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v TPG Internet Pty Ltd (2013) 250 CLR 640 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Virgin Mobile Australia Pty Ltd (No 2) [2002] FCA 1548 Ainsworth v Criminal Justice Commission (1992) 175 CLR 564 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Bank of Queensland Limited (2011) 86 ACSR 258 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v GE Capital Finance Australia [2014] FCA 701 Barbaro v The Queen; Zirilli v The Queen (2014) 253 CLR 58 Biotechnology Australia Pty Ltd v Pace (1988) 15 NSWLR 130 BMW Australia v ACCC (2004) 207 ALR 452 Campomar Sociedad Limitada v Nike International Limited (2000) 202 CLR 45 Cf. Director of Consumer Affairs Victoria v AAPT Ltd [2006] VCAT 1493 Comcare v Transpacific Industries Pty Ltd [2015] FCA 500 ConAgra Inc v McCain (Aust) Pty Ltd (1992) 33 FCR 302 Director-General of Fair Trading v First National Bank plc [2002] 1 AC 481 Director, Fair Work Building Industry Inspectorate v CFMEU (2015) 229 FCR 331 Doolan v Waltons Ltd (1981) 39 ALR 408 Ducret v Chaudhary's Oriental Carpet Palace Pty Ltd (1987) 16 FCR 562 Elders Trustee and Executor Co Ltd v EG Reeves Pty Ltd (1987) 78 ALR 193 Enterprise Finance Solutions Pty Ltd v Austec Pty Ltd [2013] FCA 491 Forster v Jododex Australia Pty Ltd (1972) 127 CLR 421 Global One Mobile Entertainment Pty Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission [2012] FCAFC 134 Given v CV Holland (Holdings) Pty Ltd (1977) 29 FLR 212 Global Sportsman Pty Ltd v Mirror Newspapers Ltd (1984) 2 FCR 82 Hili v R (2010) 242 CLR 520 IOOF Australia Trustees Pty Ltd v Tantipech (1998) 156 ALR 470 Hadgkiss v Aldin [2007] 169 IR 76 Jetstar Airways Pty Ltd v Free [2008] VSC 539 Markarian v The Queen (2005) 228 CLR 357 McWilliams Wines v McDonalds (1980) 33 ALR 394 Quikfund (Australia) Pty Ltd v Prosperity Group International Pty Ltd (In Liq) (2013) 209 FCR 368 Secretary, Department of Health & Aging v Pegasa Australia Pty Ltd [2008] FCA 1545 Singtel Optus Pty Ltd v ACCC (2012) 287 ALR 249 SWF Hoists Industrial Equipment Pty Ltd v State Government Insurance Commission (1990) ATPR 41-045 Technology Leasing Ltd v Lenmar Pty Ltd (2012) FCA 709 Thomson Australian Holdings Pty Ltd v TPC (1981) 148 CLR 150 Tillmanns Butcheries Pty Ltd v Australasian Meat Industry Employees' Union (1979) 42 FLR 331 Tobacco Institute of Australia Ltd v Australian Federation of Consumer Organisations Inc (No 2) (1993) 41 FCR 89 TPC v CSR Ltd (1991) ATPR 41-076 Trade Practices Commission v CSR Ltd [1991] ATPR 52,135 Trade Practices Commission v TNT Australia Pty Ltd (1995) ATPR 41-375 Woolworths Ltd v Kelly (1991) 22 NSWLR 189