Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v A.C.N. 099 814 749 Pty Ltd [2016] FCA 403

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v A.C.N. 099 814 749 Pty Ltd [2016] FCA 403 File number: NTD 19 of 2014

Judge: REEVES J

Date of judgment: 22 April 2016

Catchwords: CONSUMER LAW – unsolicited consumer agreement provisions of the Australian Consumer Law (Schedule 2 to the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth)) – consideration of the text, context and purpose of those provisions – whether the respondents' agreements with consumers to provide tax return services were unsolicited consumer agreements under the definition in s 69(1) of the Australian Consumer Law – fair and liberal construction of remedial or beneficial legislation – whether the agreements were made as a result of "negotiations" between the respondents and consumers under s 69(1)(b) of the Australian Consumer Law – consideration of the meaning of the expression "place" in s 69(1)(b) and (1)(c) of the Australian Consumer Law

Legislation: Australian Consumer Law (Schedule 2 to the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth)) Competition and Consumer Regulations 2010 (Cth) Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) Do Not Call Register Act 2006 (Cth) Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) Trade Practices Amendment (Australian Consumer Law) Act (No 2) 2010 (Cth)

Cases cited: AB v State of Western Australia (2011) 244 CLR 390; [2011] HCA 42 Alcan (NT) Alumina Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Territory Revenue (2009) 239 CLR 27; [2009] HCA 41 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Lux Distributors Pty Ltd [2013] ATPR 42-447; [2013] FCAFC 90 Bacchus Marsh Concentrated Milk Company Limited (In Liq) v Joseph Nathan & Co Ltd (1919) 26 CLR 410 Browne v Dunn (1893) 6 R 67 (HL) Bull v Attorney-General (New South Wales) (1913) 17 CLR 370 Carr v State of Western Australia (2007) 232 CLR 138; [2007] HCA 47 Commissioner of Taxation v Consolidated Media Holdings Ltd (ACN 009 071 167) (2012) 293 ALR 257; [2012] HCA 55 Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v Mammoet Australia Pty Ltd (2013) 248 CLR 460; [2013] HCA 36 Devenish v Jewel Food Stores Pty Limited (1991) 172 CLR 32 IW v City of Perth (1997) 191 CLR 1 Nordenfelt v Maxim Nordenfelt Guns and Ammunition Company, Limited [1894] AC 535 Peters American Delicacy Company Limited v Patricia's Chocolates & Candies Pty Ltd (1947) 77 CLR 574 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355; [1998] HCA 28 Quikfund (Australia) Pty Ltd v Airmark Consolidators Pty Ltd (2014) 222 FCR 13; [2014] FCAFC 70 Victims Compensation Fund Corporation v Brown (2003) 201 ALR 260; [2003] HCA 54 Victims Compensation Fund v Brown (2002) 54 NSWLR 668; [2002] NSWCA 155 Webb Distributions (Aust) Pty Ltd v Victoria (1993) 179 CLR 15 Williams v Hursey (1959) 103 CLR 30