Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v We Buy Houses Pty Ltd (No 2) [2018] FCA 1748

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v We Buy Houses Pty Ltd (No 2) [2018] FCA 1748 File number: NSD 170 of 2015

Judge: GLEESON J

Date of judgment: 15 November 2018

Catchwords: CONSUMER LAW – misleading or deceptive conduct – contraventions of ss 18, 29(1)(f), 29(1)(g), 34 and 37 of the Australian Consumer Law (being Sch 2 to the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth)) arising out of respondents' promotion and conduct of real estate investment seminar business found – enforcement and remedies – declarations – pecuniary penalties – disqualification order – compliance program – corrective advertising and adverse publicity order – findings of fact order

Legislation: Australian Consumer Law (being Sch 2 to the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth)) ss 18, 29(1)(g), 29(1)(f), 34, 37, 224(2), 232(1), 232(4), 237(1), 239(1) 246(2)(b), 248 Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) ss 5(1)(g), 5(1)(h), 137H Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) s 21 Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) s 76E Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)

Cases cited: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Reckitt Benckiser (Australia) Pty Ltd [2016] FCAFC 181; (2016) 340 ALR 25 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Aveling Homes Pty Ltd [2017] FCA 1470 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Bio Enviro Plan Pty Ltd [2003] FCA 232 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Cement Australia Ltd [2017] FCAFC 159; (2017) ATPR 42-557 Australian Securities and Investments Commission, in the matter of Whitebox Trading Pty Ltd v Whitebox Trading Pty Ltd [2017] FCAFC 100; (2017) 251 FCR 448]. Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v CLA Trading Pty Ltd [2016] FCA 377 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Clinica Internationale Pty Ltd (No 2) [2016] FCA 62 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Coles Supermarkets Pty Ltd [2015] FCA 330; (2015) 327 ALR 540 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union [2006] FCA 1730; (2007) ATPR 42-140 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Dataline.Net.Au Pty Ltd [2007] FCAFC 146; (2007) 161 FCR 513 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Global One Mobile Entertainment Limited [2011] FCA 393; (2011) ATPR 42-358 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Halkalia Pty Ltd (No 2) [2012] FCA 535; [2012] ATPR 42-399 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Harrison (No 2) [2017] FCA 182 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Henry Kaye and National Investment Institute Pty Ltd [2004] FCA 1363 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Lifestyle Photographers Pty Ltd [2016] FCA 1538 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Online Dealz Pty Ltd [2016] FCA 732 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Ozsale Pty Ltd [2016] FCA 1049 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Renegade Gas Pty Ltd [2014] FCA 1135 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Safe Breast Imaging Pty Ltd (No 2) [2014] FCA 998 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Safeway Stores Pty Ltd [1997] FCA 450; (1997) 145 ALR 36 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v SensaSlim Australia Pty Ltd (in liq) (No 7) [2016] FCA 484 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Singtel Optus (No 3) [2010] FCA 1272; (2010) 276 ALR 102 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Singtel Optus Pty Ltd (No 4) [2011] FCA 761; (2011) 282 ALR 246 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v SMS Global Pty Ltd [2011] FCA 855; [2011] ATPR 42-364 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Snowdale Holdings Pty Ltd (No 2) [2017] FCA 834 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v TPG Internet Pty Ltd (No 2) [2012] FCA 629 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v TPG Internet Pty Ltd [2013] HCA 54; (2013) 250 CLR 640 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Woolworths Limited [2016] FCA 44 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v World Netsafe Pty Ltd [2000] FCA 1827 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Worldplay Services Pty Ltd [2004] FCA 1138 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Macro Realty Developments Pty Ltd [2016] FCA 292 Australian Securities Commission v Donovan [1998] FCA 986; (1998) 28 ACSR 583 Betfair Pty Limited v Racing New South Wales [2010] FCAFC 133; 189 FCR 356 Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v Cahill [2010] FCAFC 39; (2010) 269 ALR 1 Commonwealth of Australia v Director, Fair Work Building Industry Inspectorate; Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v Director, Fair Work Building Industry Inspectorate [2015] HCA 46; (2015) 258 CLR 482 Forster v Jododex Australia Pty Ltd [1972] HCA 61; (1972) 127 CLR 421 Janssen Pharmaceutical Pty Ltd v Pfizer Pty Ltd (1986) ATPR 40-654 Kerkhoffs v Registrar of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporations [2014] FCAFC 66 NW Frozen Foods Pty Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (1996) 71 FCR 285 Re HIH Insurance Ltd (in prov liq); Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Adler [2002] NSWSC 483; [1972] 2 NSWLR 790 Rural Press Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission [2003] HCA 75; (2003) 216 CLR 53 Russian Commercial and Industrial Bank v British Bank for Foreign Trade Ltd [1921] 2 AC 438 Singtel Optus Pty Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission [2012] FCAFC 20; (2012) 287 ALR 249 TPG Internet Pty Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission [2012] FCAFC 190; (2012) 210 FCR 277 Trade Practices Commission v Optus Communications Pty Ltd (1996) 64 FCR 326 Trade Practices Commission v TNT Australia Pty Ltd (1995) ATPR 41-375